The fastest way to open terminal in VS Code

The built-in terminal in VS Code opens with a keyboard shortcut: press Ctrl+` (that is the backtick key, usually in the top left of your keyboard below Escape). On Mac, use Ctrl+` the same way. The terminal appears at the bottom of your window, ready to take commands.

If the keyboard shortcut does not work, your keyboard layout may map that key differently. The backtick key sits to the left of the number 1 on most keyboards, but some international layouts place it elsewhere. You can also open terminal through the menu instead.

The terminal that opens is the same command line your computer uses behind the scenes — on Windows it runs PowerShell by default, on Mac and Linux it runs Bash. You can type the same commands you would type anywhere else, and VS Code runs them in the folder you have open as your project.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+` (backtick, below Escape) to open terminal when ready, or Ctrl+J to toggle it closed again.
  • The terminal runs in your project folder by default, so commands affect the files you are working on.
  • If the keyboard shortcut does not work, use the menu: Terminal > New Terminal, or right-click the file explorer and select Open in Integrated Terminal.
  • You can open multiple terminals at once by clicking the plus icon in the terminal panel, and switch between them with the dropdown.
  • The terminal type (PowerShell, Bash, Command Prompt) depends on your operating system, but you can change it in VS Code settings.

Opening terminal through the menu

If the keyboard shortcut does not work on your setup, the menu is the reliable backup. Click Terminal in the top menu bar, then select New Terminal. A terminal panel opens at the bottom of the window, ready for input.

This menu path works the same way on Windows, Mac, and Linux. If you do not see a Terminal menu, you may have a very old version of VS Code — update it through Help > Check for Updates, or read the latest version from the official VS Code website.

Opening terminal in a specific folder

Sometimes you want to open a terminal that runs inside a particular folder within your project, not the root folder. Right-click any folder in the file explorer on the left side of VS Code and select Open in Integrated Terminal. The terminal opens and runs commands in that folder.

This is useful when your project has subfolders with their own configuration files or dependencies. For example, if you have a frontend folder and a backend folder, you can open a terminal in each one separately and run different commands in parallel.

Managing multiple terminals at once

You can open as many terminals as you need. Click the plus icon (+) in the terminal panel header to add another terminal. Each one runs independently in the same project folder, so you can run a server in one terminal and edit code in another without stopping the server.

Switch between terminals using the dropdown menu next to the plus icon, or click the terminal name directly. Close a terminal by clicking the X next to its name. If you close all terminals, the panel collapses — open a new one with Ctrl+` to bring it back.

Changing which shell the terminal uses

VS Code picks a default shell based on your operating system: PowerShell on Windows, Bash on Mac and Linux. If you want to use a different shell — Command Prompt instead of PowerShell, or Zsh instead of Bash — you can change it in settings.

Click the dropdown arrow next to the plus icon in the terminal panel and select Select Default Profile. A list of available shells appears. Choose the one you want, and all new terminals will use that shell. Your choice is saved, so you do not have to pick it again.

If the shell you want does not appear in the list, it may not be installed on your computer. For example, to use Zsh on Windows, you would need to install it separately through Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). The dropdown only shows shells that are already available.

Resizing and hiding the terminal panel

The terminal panel takes up space at the bottom of your window. Drag the top edge of the terminal panel up or down to make it larger or smaller. If you need the full window for editing, press Ctrl+J to hide the terminal without closing it — press Ctrl+J again to bring it back.

You can also move the terminal to the right side of the window instead of the bottom. Click the three-dot menu in the terminal panel header and select Move Panel Right. This layout works better on wide monitors where you have room to spare horizontally.

Troubleshooting terminal problems

If the terminal does not open or shows an error, the most common cause is that VS Code cannot find the shell it is trying to use. Check your default profile setting — click the dropdown next to the plus icon and verify that the selected shell is actually installed on your computer.

If you recently installed a new shell or updated your operating system, restart VS Code completely. Close the window and open it again. VS Code scans for available shells when it starts, so a restart often fixes detection problems.

On Mac, if you switched to Zsh recently and the terminal does not work, you may need to update your VS Code settings to point to the correct shell path. Open settings with Ctrl+, (comma), search for "terminal default profile", and make sure the path matches where your shell is actually installed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my terminal show a different shell than I expected?

VS Code uses your system's default shell. On Windows, that is usually PowerShell. On Mac and Linux, it is usually Bash or Zsh depending on your version. You can change which shell opens by default in the terminal dropdown menu under Select Default Profile.

Can I run code directly from the terminal in VS Code?

Yes. The terminal runs in your project folder, so you can type commands like node app.js to run a Node.js file, or python script.py to run Python code. The output appears in the same terminal window, and you can see errors or results when ready.

What is the difference between the integrated terminal and opening a separate command prompt?

The integrated terminal is built into VS Code and runs in your project folder automatically. A separate command prompt is a standalone window that starts in your user folder. The integrated terminal is faster because you do not have to navigate to your project folder manually.

How do I clear the terminal screen?

Type clear (on Mac and Linux) or cls (on Windows PowerShell) and press Enter. The terminal clears all previous output, giving you a fresh screen. This does not stop any running processes — it just removes the text from view.

Can I split the terminal into multiple panes side by side?

Yes. Click the split icon (two rectangles) in the terminal panel header, or press Ctrl+Shift+5. A second terminal pane opens next to the first one. You can run different commands in each pane and resize them by dragging the divider between them.