VS Code Stable vs Insiders: Which Version Should You Use?

VS Code comes in two builds: Stable and Insiders. Stable is the version you should use for daily work. Insiders is an early preview that updates every night with the newest features, and it sometimes breaks.

The two builds install side by side with separate settings and extensions. You can switch between them without either affecting the other.

Quick comparison

When to use Stable

Stable is the default download from code.visualstudio.com. It is the right choice for most people.

Choose Stable if you:

• Write code for work or school and need reliability
• Are learning to code and want a consistent experience
• Use extensions that must work without surprises
• Never want to debug the editor itself

Stable ships a new release every week. Insiders gets nightly builds first, so most features reach Stable only after being used and fixed by the Insiders community.

When to use Insiders

Insiders is the build for people who want to see what is coming next. It updates every night with the latest code from the VS Code repository.

Choose Insiders if you:

• Want to try new features weeks before they reach Stable
• Build VS Code extensions and need to test against upcoming changes
• Like reporting bugs and helping shape the editor
• Do not mind restarting when a build has a problem

The Insiders build can have rough edges. A feature might work one day and behave oddly the next. If stability matters more than early access, stay on Stable.

How they work side by side

Insiders installs as a separate application. On Windows, it appears as "Visual Studio Code - Insiders" in the Start menu. On macOS, the app name is "Visual Studio Code - Insiders" in Applications. On Linux, the package is called code-insiders.

Each build keeps its own:

• User settings and keybindings
• Installed extensions
• Profiles and Settings Sync configuration
• Recently opened folders and workspaces

When you sign in to Settings Sync on both builds, your themes, keybindings, and profiles sync between them. Extensions do not sync because a Stable extension might not work in Insiders and the other way around.

How to install Insiders

Go to code.visualstudio.com/insiders and download the installer for your platform. Run it the same way you installed Stable. There is also a web version at insiders.vscode.dev if you want to try it without installing.

After installing, open both Stable and Insiders. You will see the green Insiders icon in the title bar and dock. That is how you tell them apart.

Switching between them for a project

If you want to try a project in Insiders, open the folder from Insiders. Your Stable settings and extensions will not carry over by default.

To share settings between builds without full sync, copy your settings file from the Stable user data folder to the Insiders one. But the simpler approach is to enable Settings Sync, sign in to both builds, and choose what to sync.

Making the choice

Start with Stable. It is free, reliable, and has every feature you need.

Install Insiders alongside Stable if you are curious about upcoming features or want to test an extension against the next release. Keep Stable as your main editor and open Insiders when you want to explore.

If an Insiders build is broken, close it and go back to Stable. Your work is not affected. The two builds are completely independent.

For more on how to keep VS Code current, see the update guide for Windows, macOS, and Linux. If you want to remove VS Code and start fresh, follow the uninstall guide.