Yes, you can set a default profile in VSCode using workarounds. 1. Understand that profiles store settings, extensions, and keybindings, and are ideal for switching between workflows. 2. Use the Command Palette to quickly switch to your preferred profile manually. 3. Set a default profile for specific folders by editing the .code-workspace file and adding a "profile" field. 4. Clean up by renaming or deleting unused profiles to avoid confusion. While there's no direct "set as default" option globally, these methods help achieve similar behavior.
Yes, you can set a default profile in VSCode — though it’s not immediately obvious. As of now, there's no direct "set as default" button in the UI, but profiles are more about switching between different setups quickly rather than being assigned permanently to projects. However, there are workarounds and methods that let you effectively use a specific profile as your go-to setup.

1. Understand How Profiles Work
VSCode profiles allow you to switch between different user settings, keybindings, and installed extensions across multiple machines or workflows. They’re especially useful if you're working on different types of projects (like front-end vs back-end) or using different environments.
- Each profile stores:
- Your customized settings (
settings.json
) - Installed extensions
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Your customized settings (
- You can create named profiles or use the built-in
default
anddefault-system
ones. - Profiles are synced across devices via the "Settings Sync" feature if you're signed in with GitHub or Microsoft.
Profiles don't automatically apply based on the project folder unless you manually switch them. So setting a "default" is more about making sure your preferred one loads when you open a folder without specifying otherwise.

2. Use the Command Palette to Switch Profiles Easily
Even though you can’t directly assign a default profile per folder without some setup, you can make switching easier:
- Open the Command Palette (
Ctrl Shift P
orCmd Shift P
on Mac) - Type "Profiles: Switch Profile"
- Choose your desired profile from the list
This method works well if you tend to always want the same profile loaded, but just forget to switch after opening a new window.

If you're frequently switching between two profiles, consider pinning this command or creating a keyboard shortcut for faster access.
3. Set a Default Profile for Specific Folders
You can tie a specific profile to a particular folder or workspace by editing the .code-workspace
file or using a special configuration in your workspace settings.
Here’s how:
- Open your folder in VSCode
- Go to File > Save Workspace As...
- This creates a
.code-workspace
file - Open that file and add a
"profile"
field pointing to your desired profile name
Example snippet:
{ "folders": [ { "path": "." } ], "settings": {}, "profile": "my-preferred-profile" }
Now, whenever you open this workspace file, it will load the specified profile automatically. This is especially helpful if you have multiple projects that require different setups (e.g., Python dev vs web dev).
Note: If you open the folder directly instead of through the
.code-workspace
file, the profile won’t be applied automatically.
4. Rename or Delete Unwanted Profiles
If you find yourself confused by too many profiles, clean things up:
- Open the Command Palette
- Search for "Preferences: Manage Profiles"
- From here, you can rename or delete old or unused profiles
This helps avoid accidental switches and keeps your environment tidy. It also makes it easier to mentally identify which profile to use for what.
That’s basically it. There’s no one-click "set as default globally" option yet, but with a bit of setup using workspace files or smart switching, you can get pretty close to having a default profile behavior.
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