How do I install Visual Studio Code on Mac?

Open Terminal, install Homebrew if you haven't already (visit brew.sh), then run `brew install --cask visual-studio-code`. The app will be downloaded and installed automatically. You can then run `visual-studio-code` from Terminal.

Is Visual Studio Code free?

Yes, Visual Studio Code is completely free to use.

How do I uninstall Visual Studio Code?

Open Terminal and run `brew uninstall --cask visual-studio-code`. Homebrew will remove Visual Studio Code and all associated files cleanly. You can verify it was removed by running `brew list`.

What are alternatives to Visual Studio Code?

There are several developer tools apps available for macOS. Browse the Developer Tools category on Bundl.run to compare features, popularity, and install counts for similar tools.

How do I update Visual Studio Code to the latest version?

Run `brew upgrade --cask visual-studio-code` in Terminal to update to the latest version. You can also run `brew outdated` to check if an update is available.

Does Visual Studio Code work on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4)?

Yes, Visual Studio Code can be installed on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs via Homebrew. Homebrew automatically handles the correct version for your hardware.

Visual Studio Code for Mac (2026) — Review, Download & Install

Name: Visual Studio Code
Availability: InStock

Visual Studio Code screenshot — Visual Studio Code — Official Website

What is Visual Studio Code?

Open-source code editor by Microsoft

Install with Homebrew

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

How to Install Visual Studio Code on Mac

Follow these steps to install Visual Studio Code using Homebrew, the most popular package manager for macOS. This works on both Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) and Intel Macs.

1
Open Terminal
Launch Terminal from your Applications > Utilities folder, or press Cmd + Space and type "Terminal".
2
Install Homebrew
If you don't have Homebrew yet, paste the install script from brew.sh into Terminal and follow the prompts.
3
Run brew install --cask visual-studio-code
Paste the following command into Terminal and press Enter:
brew install --cask visual-studio-code
4
Verify Installation
Run `brew list` to confirm visual-studio-code is installed, then try `visual-studio-code --version` to check the version number.
5
Launch Visual Studio Code
Run `visual-studio-code` in your Terminal to start using it.

Troubleshooting

• If you see a permission error, try prefixing the command with sudo.
• If Homebrew can't find the package, run brew update first to refresh the package list.
• On Apple Silicon Macs, make sure Homebrew is installed at /opt/homebrew (the default for M-series chips).

Key Features

Easy installation via Homebrew

Regular updates and maintenance

Free to use

Professional support available

Pros

✓Simple one-command installation
✓Well-maintained and regularly updated
✓Completely free to use

Cons

✗Requires Homebrew to be installed
✗macOS only

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About the Author

Alex Chen

Senior Developer Tools Specialist

Code Editors & IDEsTerminal EmulatorsVersion Control Tools

12+ years in software development · Former senior engineer at tech startups

What is Visual Studio Code?

Install with Homebrew

How to Install Visual Studio Code on Mac

Open Terminal

Install Homebrew

Run brew install --cask visual-studio-code

Verify Installation