Settings Sync is a native VS Code (and Antigravity) feature that synchronizes your preferences, extensions, and shortcuts via a GitHub or Microsoft account. Switch machines and everything is there.
Enabling Settings Sync
Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P), type Settings Sync: Turn On... and press Enter.
VS Code asks you to choose an account: GitHub or Microsoft. Both work. Pick the one you already use. A browser window opens for OAuth authentication, you authorize access, and you return to VS Code.
What gets synchronized
By default, Settings Sync synchronizes five categories:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Settings | Theme, font size, auto-format on save, tabs vs spaces, etc. |
| Keybindings | Your custom shortcuts (not the defaults, only your changes). |
| Extensions | The list of installed extensions (not the binaries, just the IDs). On a new machine, VS Code downloads them automatically. |
| Snippets | Your custom code snippets. |
| UI State | The state of certain panels and views (open tabs, etc.). |
Force a manual sync
VS Code syncs automatically a few seconds after each change. But you can force an immediate sync:
Open the Command Palette and type Settings Sync: Sync Now.
You can also see sync activity in the Settings Sync: Show Log menu.
On a new machine
On any fresh VS Code installation:
- Open the Command Palette.
- Type Settings Sync: Turn On....
- Connect the same GitHub or Microsoft account.
- VS Code immediately downloads your settings and shortcuts, and starts downloading your extensions.
No manual configuration needed. Your themes, shortcuts, and extensions are restored within a few minutes.
VS Code Docs - Settings Sync