Use VS Code Extension Bisect to isolate freezes or abnormal behavior
What to do first
Use VS Code Extension Bisect to isolate freezes or abnormal behavior by following the official decision path while preserving user data.
This is a general troubleshooting guide, not an announcement of a current outage.
Affected products and symptoms
- Product
- Visual Studio Code
- Versions and conditions
- VS Code desktop
Symptoms
- Typing or saving becomes unstable after adding extensions
- Disabling all extensions fixes the issue
Causes and conditions
Extension Bisect halves the enabled extensions to identify the contributor.
Before you start
- Before changes, record and preserve enabled extension list, workspace name, and reproduction steps.
- Change one item at a time and record the original symptom after each stage.
Precautions
- Do not bulk-delete unrelated settings or data.
- Exclude personal data and credentials; share only the necessary parts of enabled extension list, workspace name, and reproduction steps.
Step-by-step instructions
Save files and reproduce with the same folder and action.
If an empty window works, also record workspace settings.
In Extensions > More Actions > Enabled, confirm the candidate set and distinguish extensions installed only in Remote or WSL.
Run Developer: Reload With Extensions Disabled from the Command Palette.
If it still fails, investigate VS Code or configuration rather than blaming an extension.
If the symptom remains during the initial all-disabled test, Bisect can conclude it is not an extension. This baseline prevents false blame.
Run Help: Start Extension Bisect and answer Good now or This is bad after each reload.
Use the exact same reproduction each round so the result remains valid.
Good now means the current set works; This is bad means the symptom remains. Complete the reproduction before answering.
Disable the candidate and verify after a normal reload, then update it, adjust its settings, or report with logs.
Record extension ID, version, and settings before uninstalling.
After identification, Disable (Workspace) affects this project, while Disable applies globally. Choose the intended scope.
Check the result
- recheck save, completion, and terminal behavior in a normal window with only the candidate disabled
- Check adjacent basic functions for side effects from the change.
If the problem continues
- use Help: Report Issue, choose Extension, and send its ID, version, and reproduction
- When continuing with a workaround, preserve original files or account data separately.
Scope of this guide
Troubleshooting guide — Use VS Code Extension Bisect to isolate freezes or abnormal behavior by following the official decision path while preserving user data.
Frequently asked questions
Does Bisect erase settings?
It temporarily toggles extensions; it is not normally a settings deletion.
What if the first all-disabled test still fails?
That is strong evidence the cause is outside extensions.
Official sources and dates
Source publication or resolution date: Not specified. Sources checked: 2026-09-05. The check date is not the date the problem first occurred. Interface labels can vary between versions and display languages.
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