How to Enable Auto Save in VS Code

By default, VS Code Auto Save is off, so files remain unsaved until you press Ctrl+S on Windows or Linux, or Cmd+S on macOS. A dot on the editor tab and a badge in the Explorer indicate unsaved changes.

Auto save removes the need to save manually. Your changes are written to disk automatically, either after a delay or when you move focus away from the editor.

Enable auto save from the menu

The fastest way to turn on auto save:

Click File > Auto Save in the top menu bar.

A checkmark appears next to the menu item. VS Code now saves files one second after you stop typing. Click the same menu item again to turn it off.

This toggle uses the afterDelay mode with the default 1000 millisecond delay.

Choose a save mode

Auto Save has four modes controlled by the Files: Auto Save setting. The current modes are documented in VS Code's official Save and Auto Save guide.

To change the mode, open your settings and search for "auto save". Select the dropdown and pick a mode.

Or set it directly in your settings.json file:

json

{
  "files.autoSave": "onFocusChange"
}

Configure the delay

If you use afterDelay mode, you can change how long VS Code waits before saving. The default is 1000 milliseconds (1 second).

json

{
  "files.autoSaveDelay": 500
}

This example saves 500 milliseconds after you stop typing. Set the value in milliseconds. Lower values save sooner but write to disk more often.

Set auto save per language

You can enable or disable auto save for specific file types without changing the global setting. This is useful when you want auto save for most files but not for a few types.

In your settings.json file, add a language-specific override:

json

{
  "[markdown]": {
    "files.autoSave": "afterDelay",
    "files.autoSaveDelay": 2000
  }
}

This enables auto save with a 2-second delay for Markdown files only. Other file types follow your global setting.

To disable auto save for a specific language:

json

{
  "[latex]": {
    "files.autoSave": "off"
  }
}

Verify auto save is working

After enabling auto save, make a change in any file and wait for the configured delay (or click away if using onFocusChange). The dot on the tab should disappear. The file is now saved.

Auto save and Hot Exit

Hot Exit backs up unsaved changes so VS Code can restore them after you close the application or a window. It still matters with Auto Save because a close or interruption can happen before the configured save trigger runs, and some unsaved editors may not yet have a file on disk.

Leave Hot Exit at its default unless you have a specific recovery requirement. It does not replace a normal backup or version-control workflow.

What to try if it does not work

If auto save does not trigger as expected:

• Check that files.autoSave is not set to off in your workspace settings. Workspace settings override user settings. Open the Settings editor and look at the Workspace tab for a conflicting value.
• If you use afterDelay mode, make sure files.autoSaveDelay is set to a reasonable value. A delay of 10000 (10 seconds) might make it seem like nothing is happening.
• For onFocusChange mode, you must click outside the editor, not just stop typing. Click the Explorer, the terminal, or another editor tab.
• If you have language-specific overrides, confirm the override is not blocking auto save for the file type you are editing.

Next steps

Now that your files are saving automatically, enable format on save to keep your code formatted without extra work. If you only want auto save for certain projects, learn when to use workspace settings instead of user settings.