How to Split Terminals and Run Multiple Terminals in VS Code

VS Code lets you split a terminal into side-by-side panes, forming a terminal group. You can run a dev server in one pane while using another for git commands, or monitor logs on the left while typing commands on the right.

If you have not used the integrated terminal yet, start with /vscode/how-to-open-and-use-the-integrated-terminal-in-vs-code. Each split pane can run a different shell; set that up with /vscode/how-to-create-and-configure-terminal-profiles-in-vs-code.

Split a terminal

There are three ways to split a terminal:

Each split creates a new terminal instance in the same group. The new pane appears to the right of the current one. Both terminals run independently: you can type in either one without affecting the other.

Navigate between split panes

Once you have two or more panes, you can move focus between them.

Clicking inside a pane also focuses it. The focused pane is highlighted.

If you prefer to use the keyboard to cycle through terminal groups (not just panes within the same group), use Ctrl+PageDown and Ctrl+PageUp (macOS: Cmd+Shift+] and Cmd+Shift+[).

Control the working directory of split terminals

By default, the working directory for a split terminal depends on your platform and configuration.

You can override this with the terminal.integrated.splitCwd setting:

json

{
  "terminal.integrated.splitCwd": "workspaceRoot"
}

Available values:

• "inherited": Use the parent terminal's current working directory (macOS/Linux default).
• "initial": Use the parent terminal's initial working directory (Windows default).
• "workspaceRoot": Always open at the workspace root folder.

Manage terminal groups

A group is any collection of split terminals that share the same tab entry.

Rearrange tabs: Drag any terminal tab in the list to reorder it. Drag a tab into the main terminal area to move it from one group into another.

Resize panes: Drag the border between split panes to resize them.

Unsplit a terminal: Right-click a terminal tab and select Unsplit Terminal, or run the Terminal: Unsplit Terminal command. The terminal moves out of the group into its own tab.

Close a pane: Select the pane and press Delete (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Backspace (macOS, with Delete also bound as a secondary shortcut), or hover over its tab entry and click the Trash Can. Closing a pane in a group does not close the other panes.

Open terminals in the editor area

Terminal groups also work in the editor area. This is useful when you want terminals next to your code instead of below it.

To move a terminal to the editor area, drag its tab from the terminal panel into the editor area. You can also run the Terminal: Create New Terminal in Editor Area command from the Command Palette.

In the editor area, you can split and arrange terminal editors just like regular editor tabs. For example, you could have a file editor on the left, a terminal on the right, and a terminal below. Each editor area terminal supports its own splits and groups.

Resize panes and the macOS ding sound

On macOS, the default shortcuts for resizing split terminal panes (Cmd+Ctrl+Left, Right, Up, and Down) can trigger a system "invalid key" ding sound. This is a long-standing Chromium and Electron limitation, not a VS Code bug, and it is harmless but distracting.

The simplest fix is to change the resize shortcuts inside VS Code instead of the mouse-drag method described above. Open the Command Palette and run Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts, search for workbench.action.terminal.resizePane, and assign a different key combination to each direction.