7 VS Code Settings Every Beginner Should Change (Before Writing Your First Line of Code)

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7 VS Code Settings Every Beginner Should Change (Before Writing Your First Line of Code)

You just installed VS Code. You follow a tutorial on YouTube. Your screen looks nothing like theirs. Your code doesn't auto-save. The font is tiny. You lose 30 minutes of work because you forgot to hit Ctrl+S.

Sound familiar?

Here's the thing: VS Code's default settings are optimized for experienced developers who already know what they're doing. Most tutorials skip the crucial setup step that makes VS Code actually comfortable for beginners. They assume you've already configured your editor.

Spend 5 minutes changing these 7 settings right now, and you'll avoid weeks of frustration. No extensions needed. Just built-in settings every beginner should configure on day one.

Why These Settings Matter

VS Code is incredibly powerful, but it's also overwhelming when you're just starting out. The defaults assume you know what you're doing, which creates unnecessary friction for beginners.

These 7 settings solve the most common pain points I see new developers struggle with: lost work, messy code formatting, eye strain, and confusing indentation. You can change them in two ways: through the settings UI or by editing JSON. I'll show you both.

Don't worry about understanding every setting deeply right now. Just follow along, make the changes, and you'll immediately feel the difference.

How to Access Settings

Before we dive in, here's how to open VS Code settings:

Three ways:

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+, (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+, (Mac)

Menu: File → Preferences → Settings

Command Palette: Ctrl+Shift+P → type "settings"

Once you're in settings, you can search for any setting by name. Let's get started.

Setting 1: Auto Save — Never Lose Work Again

The problem: You've been coding for an hour. Your computer crashes. You realize you never hit save. All gone.

This happened to me more times than I'd like to admit when I was starting out. VS Code doesn't auto-save by default, which means every piece of work depends on you remembering to press Ctrl+S.

The solution: Enable Auto Save with a 1-second delay.

Here's how:

Open settings (Ctrl+,)

Search for "Auto Save"

Change the dropdown from "off" to "afterDelay"

Search for "Auto Save Delay" and set it to 1000 (that's 1 second in milliseconds)

Or use JSON:

Open settings JSON (Ctrl+Shift+P → "Open Settings (JSON)") and add:

What you'll notice: The white dot on your file tab (which indicates unsaved changes) disappears automatically after 1 second of inactivity. Your work is constantly being saved in the background.

This single setting has saved me countless hours of lost work. Set it and forget it.

Setting 2: Format On Save — Stop Worrying About Code Style

The problem: Your code is a mess of inconsistent spacing and indentation. You spend more time fixing formatting than actually coding.

Professional code isn't just about logic—it's about readability. But when you're a beginner, remembering to properly indent every line is exhausting.

The solution: Enable Format On Save to automatically clean up your code every time you save.

Here's how:

Search for "Format On Save" in settings

Check the checkbox

Or use JSON:

What you'll notice: Every time you save (or when auto-save triggers), your code instantly reorganizes with perfect indentation and spacing. Messy code becomes clean and professional-looking without any effort from you.

Pro tip: This works with VS Code's built-in formatters right out of the box. Later, you can install the Prettier extension for even better formatting across more languages.

This is what makes professional code look professional. Consistent formatting equals easier-to-read code.

Setting 3: Font Size — Make Coding Comfortable

The problem: Squinting at tiny text all day? Eye strain by hour two?

VS Code's default font size is 14, which might be fine on some screens but feels cramped on others. Coding for hours with text that's too small leads to headaches and fatigue.

The solution: Increase your font size to a comfortable reading level.

Here's how:

Search for "Font Size" in settings

Increase from 14 to 16 or 18 (or whatever feels right for you)

Or use JSON:

What you'll notice: Text is immediately larger and easier to read. No more leaning into your screen or squinting at variable names.

Start with 16 and adjust up or down after a day of coding. Your ideal size depends on your screen size, resolution, and how far you sit from your monitor. There's no "right" answer—just what's comfortable for your eyes.

Setting 4: Word Wrap — Stop Horizontal Scrolling

The problem: Long lines of code disappear off the right side of your screen. You're constantly scrolling left and right to see everything.

This is especially annoying when reading documentation, long text strings, or HTML with lots of attributes. You lose context when you can't see the full line.

The solution: Enable Word Wrap so long lines automatically wrap to the next line.

Here's how:

Search for "Word Wrap" in settings

Change the dropdown from "off" to "on"

Or use JSON:

What you'll notice: Long lines now wrap to the next line instead of extending off-screen. No more horizontal scrolling. Everything stays visible in your viewport.

This is particularly helpful for Markdown files, long documentation comments, and HTML. Your code stays readable without the constant left-right mouse dance.

Setting 5: Tab Size — Fix Indentation Chaos

The problem: Your code looks perfect on your screen but is a mess when you share it. Indentation is all over the place, and your collaborators are confused.

Different languages and communities have different conventions. Some prefer 2 spaces, others prefer 4. If your editor isn't configured correctly, your code won't match the style of the project you're working on.

The solution: Set a consistent tab size (2 or 4 spaces, depending on your language).

Here's how:

Search for "Tab Size" in settings

Set to 2 (for JavaScript, CSS, HTML) or 4 (for Python, Java)

Or use JSON:

What you'll notice: When you press the Tab key, you get consistent spacing every time. Your indentation matches what everyone else in your programming community expects.

Language note: The JavaScript community generally prefers 2 spaces. Python requires consistent indentation (typically 4 spaces). Check your language's conventions if you're not sure.

The Status Bar at the bottom right of VS Code shows your current tab settings—look for "Spaces: 2" or "Tab Size: 4."

To solve the space settings of different programming languages, the blogger used .editorconfig to solve it, and the subsequent blogger will introduce it in detail.

Setting 6: Insert Spaces — Avoid the Tabs vs Spaces War

The problem: Your indentation breaks when you share code. Different editors display tab characters differently, making your beautifully formatted code look broken on someone else's screen.

This is one of the oldest debates in programming, but the industry has largely settled on spaces. They render identically across all editors and platforms.

The solution: Configure VS Code to insert spaces when you press the Tab key.

Here's how:

Search for "Insert Spaces" in settings

Check the checkbox

Or use JSON:

What you'll notice: When you press Tab, VS Code inserts the number of spaces you configured in Tab Size instead of a tab character. Your code looks the same everywhere—in VS Code, in GitHub, in your colleague's editor, everywhere.

The Status Bar in the bottom-right corner shows "Spaces: 2" to confirm you're using spaces instead of tabs.

Setting 7: Color Theme — Reduce Eye Strain

The problem: The default theme is too bright (or too dark). After a few hours of coding, your eyes hurt and you have a headache.

You're going to be staring at your code editor for hours at a time. If the colors aren't comfortable, you're going to have a bad time.

The solution: Choose a theme that's comfortable for your environment and personal preference.

Here's how:

Press Ctrl+K Ctrl+T (that's Ctrl+K, then Ctrl+T)

Preview themes using the arrow keys

Press Enter when you find one you like

Popular beginner-friendly options:

Light themes: "GitHub Light" (clean and familiar)

Dark themes: "Dark+ (default dark)" or "One Dark Pro"

What you'll notice: Immediate visual comfort. The colors should feel easy on your eyes, not straining. Code should be easy to read with good contrast.

Try a light theme during the day and a dark theme at night. You can switch anytime—experiment until you find what works for you.

Quick Setup: All 7 Settings at Once

Want to apply everything in 30 seconds? Copy this complete JSON configuration:

How to use it:

Press Ctrl+Shift+P to open the Command Palette

Type "Open Settings (JSON)" and select it

Paste this configuration inside the curly braces {}

Save and close

Done. All 7 settings configured in seconds.

Before and After

Here's what you just fixed:

Before (Default)	After (Configured)
Files don't auto-save	Work auto-saves every second ✓
Messy, inconsistent formatting	Clean, professional code style ✓
Tiny, hard-to-read text	Comfortable font size ✓
Horizontal scrolling	Everything visible ✓
Inconsistent indentation	Perfect spacing every time ✓
Eye strain from default theme	Comfortable color scheme ✓
Code breaks across editors	Consistent everywhere ✓

These 7 changes take 5 minutes but save hours of frustration every week.

What You Just Accomplished

In 5 minutes, you've transformed VS Code from overwhelming to comfortable. Your work auto-saves. Your code auto-formats. Your screen is easy to read. You're ready to actually learn programming instead of fighting your tools.

Next steps:

Start coding with your new setup—open a project and see how much smoother everything feels

Learn VS Code's keyboard shortcuts next to boost your productivity even more

Bookmark the settings page for future adjustments as you get more comfortable

The difference between struggling beginners and confident developers often comes down to setup. You just skipped weeks of frustration. Now go write some code.

Have a VS Code setting that changed your coding life? Share it in the comments. Let's help other beginners get set up even faster.

📝7 VS Code Settings Every Beginner Should Change (Before Writing Your First Line of Code)

7 VS Code Settings Every Beginner Should Change (Before Writing Your First Line of Code)

Why These Settings Matter

How to Access Settings

Setting 1: Auto Save — Never Lose Work Again

Setting 2: Format On Save — Stop Worrying About Code Style

Setting 3: Font Size — Make Coding Comfortable

Setting 4: Word Wrap — Stop Horizontal Scrolling

Setting 5: Tab Size — Fix Indentation Chaos

Setting 6: Insert Spaces — Avoid the Tabs vs Spaces War

Setting 7: Color Theme — Reduce Eye Strain

Quick Setup: All 7 Settings at Once

Before and After

What You Just Accomplished

Further Reading

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