Change default terminal app in Visual Studio Code on Mac

Question

I want to change the default terminal app used by Visual Studio Code for Mac. I am thinking it is part of preferences or settings json, but unsure.

score 141 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 18 '17 at 16:20

141

Here's an example of how to make another terminal the default for VSCode, in this example I've downloaded iTerm2 and copied iTerm2 to Applications.

Code (Menu) > Preferences > User Settings

Edit settings.json "terminal.external.osxExec": "iTerm.app" and "terminal.explorerKind": "external"

Open in Terminal

iTerm is now default terminal launched from VSCode

edited Sep 18 '17 at 16:20

Charles

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answered Jul 21 '16 at 03:14

LeLong37

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in my end, i need to add this line in settings also "terminal.integrated.shell.osx": "zsh" – Underdog Apr 19 '19 at 14:24
2

Will this be `iTerm2.app` those who are using iTerm2 ? – Arup Rakshit Apr 20 '19 at 15:16
3

@ArupRakshit Nope, if you look in your applications folder, the app is called iTerm.app even if it's iTerm2. – Janosh Jan 23 '20 at 11:52
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@Underdog, current version of the command for 'zhn' is: ,"terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.osx": "zsh" . Yours is deprecated now. – Data Engineer Aug 23 '22 at 00:27

Juan Hurtado · Answer 2 · 2022-10-03T23:07:59.200

For those that want to change the default integrated terminal NOT just the external, and add custom themes, show which git branch you are on, and whether or not files need to be staged or committed for example.

Follow these short steps:

Make sure you have these installed:

iTerm2, oh-my-zsh

Install a powerline font (I am using Menlo which is a nice looking and very popular font).

Go here and click on download

Open the file

Click on install font

(Note: without this, vscode integrated terminal will not render themes correctly)

Open the .zshrc file by running this command:

cd ~ ; code .zshrc

Change iTerm's theme to agnoster:

Press ⌘f to open search in the .zshrc file

Type ZSH_THEME

Search until you find the live code, NOT the commented out code :)

Edit the code it so it looks like ZSH_THEME="agnoster"

Save the file

Open vscode settings using shortcut:

⌘,

Inside of vscode settings, you will see two panels. On the right panel paste this:

"terminal.external.osxExec": "iTerm.app",
"terminal.integrated.shell.osx": "/bin/zsh",
"terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "Menlo for Powerline"

Assuming the settings were empty before, it should now look like this:

{
    "terminal.external.osxExec": "iTerm.app",
    "terminal.integrated.shell.osx": "/bin/zsh",
    "terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "Menlo for Powerline"
}

Finished! Enjoy your new pimped out terminal

-(Optional customization)-

If you want your prompt to display something other than your username such as a thunder bolt, like in mine or anything you want

Open agnoster theme by runnning this command:

cd ~/.oh-my-zsh/themes/ ; code agnoster.zsh-theme

Open search by pressing:

⌘f

Paste this in search bar:

prompt_segment black default "%(!.%{%F{yellow}%}.)$USER@%m"

To change your what your prompt displays, edit ONLY this part:

$USER@%m

DO NOT CHANGE this part:

prompt_segment black default "%(!.%{%F{yellow}%}.)

In conclusion, the code should now look something like this:

prompt_segment black default "%(!.%{%F{yellow}%}.) Insert here whatever your heart desires"

(Note: Technically you can change everything about your terminal prompt, but for the sake of keeping this short, and simple we only edited the username part)

looks like you also bumped up the line height to give the text a little breathing room: "terminal.integrated.lineHeight": 1.5 — Jude, Apr 25 '18 at 16:02
can you please elaborate: how do I add little icons like your lightning bold? — Daniel da Rocha, May 19 '18 at 10:14
Just figured it out: `prompt_segment black default "%(!.%{%F{yellow}%}.)"$'\u26a1'` — Daniel da Rocha, May 19 '18 at 10:17
It's working, but I recommend the following font: "terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "Cousine for Powerline" — Pablo Rioseco, Oct 14 '19 at 14:32
@joshkmartinez with ZSH + iterm2 + Powerlevel10k, you should specify `MesloLGS NF` — Eric Wiener, Mar 01 '21 at 14:50

score 24 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 01 '21 at 14:58

24

None of these answers fully worked for me. Here is what I changed to get it to work:

Select the default shell as `zsh`:

CMD + SHIFT + P to open up the command palette. Then type Terminal: Select Default Shell. You can then select zsh.

Change the terminal to use iTerm

Change the font family to use Powerlevel10k

Result

answered Mar 01 '21 at 14:58

Eric Wiener

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"terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "Hack Nerd Font" works like a charm. – Mina Ragaie Mar 08 '21 at 06:03
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Nothing else worked but this did thanks ! – OnePiece Nov 24 '21 at 17:23
Note if you are having issues with "CMD + `" opening a new external iTerm window, make sure that you didn't set your iTerm hotkey to be that. – Eric Wiener Jun 27 '23 at 17:34

score 13 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 06 '18 at 12:59

13

I recently changed my terminal in VSCode to ozh, its just 1 step and 1 line.

Open Command Palette using View > Command Palette ( or simply Command + Shift + P )
add the following line to the user settings.

"terminal.integrated.shell.osx": "zsh"

answered Sep 06 '18 at 12:59

alaasdk

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That does not answers the question. It's about changing the terminal used, not the shell. – José Coelho Aug 15 '19 at 21:08
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It's still very helpful though. Thanks. – Dan L Nov 07 '19 at 23:14
Doesn't answer the question as pointed out by @JoséCoelho – Juan Hurtado Aug 13 '20 at 04:31

score 6 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 19 '17 at 12:35

6

well I know it's so late, but you could just change it by running command

Terminal: Select Default Shell

its so much easier

answered Aug 19 '17 at 12:35

kent

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Kind of grave digging on posts but the above solutions would be helpful for specific use-cases. – Tom Dickson Dec 11 '18 at 07:34
This answer is super awesome. Thanks @kent. – Manish Jangir Nov 08 '19 at 11:51
I can't find that command - I think it may now be Terminal: Select Default Profile, although I'm not sure as I don't have it working – Casebash May 11 '21 at 23:56

score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Jul 31 '16 at 20:08

From visual studio code blog:

// 64-bit cmd it available, otherwise 32-bit
"terminal.integrated.shell.windows":"C:\\Windows\\sysnative\\cmd.exe"
// 64-bit PowerShell if available, otherwise 32-bit
"terminal.integrated.shell.windows":"C:\\Windows\\sysnative\\WindowsPowerShell\\v1.0\\powershell.exe"
// Git Bash
"terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe"
// Bash on Ubuntu (on Windows)
"terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\Windows\\sysnative\\bash.exe"

Reference: Integrated Terminal

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Aug 06 '22 at 02:34

0

In vscode settings.json add:

"terminal.integrated.profiles.osx": {
    "zsh": null
},

answered Aug 06 '22 at 02:34

Mike Karpenko

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score -34 · Answer 8 · answered May 05 '15 at 13:57

-34

No. But you can vote for this feature here: https://visualstudio.uservoice.com/forums/293070-visual-studio-code

answered May 05 '15 at 13:57

Isidor Nikolic

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For anyone reading this, the correct answer is further down. Change setting `"terminal.external.osxExec": "iTerm.app"` – Simon Lang Dec 21 '16 at 23:40
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You can change the external terminal to iterm2 (which opens a separate window, not inside vscode), but not the integrated shell. See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/44163545/1316649 – fstang Aug 27 '20 at 02:13
This 'was' the correct answer for some time, but have adjusted the accepted answer. – Joey Schluchter Feb 28 '23 at 19:01

Change default terminal app in Visual Studio Code on Mac

8 Answers8

Follow these short steps:

-(Optional customization)-

Select the default shell as `zsh`:

Change the terminal to use iTerm

Change the font family to use Powerlevel10k

Result

Linked

Change default terminal app in Visual Studio Code on Mac

8 Answers8

Follow these short steps:

-(Optional customization)-

Select the default shell as zsh:

Change the terminal to use iTerm

Change the font family to use Powerlevel10k

Result

Linked

Select the default shell as `zsh`: