Install Visual Studio Code on Ubuntu 24.04

VS Code is a lightweight, cross-platform code editor that supports hundreds of programming languages through extensions. It features syntax highlighting, auto-indentation, IntelliSense, and an integrated terminal, making it one of the most popular editors for development on Ubuntu 24.04. Pair it with a language runtime such as Java on Ubuntu 24.04 to start building straight away.

Quick answer

The easiest way to install Visual Studio Code on Ubuntu 24.04 is Snap or App Center. If you want Microsoft’s official APT updates, install via the deb package or add the Microsoft repository so apt upgrade code keeps it current.

How to Install Visual Studio Code on Ubuntu 24.04

Method	Command	Auto-updates	Notes
Snap	sudo snap install –classic code	Yes (snap refresh)	Simplest install
APT (Microsoft repo)	sudo apt install code	Yes (apt upgrade)	Full APT integration
deb file	sudo dpkg -i code_*.deb	No (download new deb)	Manual version control
App Center	GUI — search VS Code	Yes	Installs Snap version
Flatpak	flatpak install flathub com.visualstudio.code	Via flatpak update	Sandbox may limit SDK access

Method 1: Installing VS Code on Ubuntu 24.04 Using the Snap Package Manager

Install VS Code with all dependencies via Snap:

sudo snap install --classic code

Terminal output of sudo snap install --classic code on Ubuntu 24.04

The --classic flag is required. Without it, VS Code runs under strict confinement and cannot reach compilers, interpreters, or project folders outside your home directory, which breaks most real development work.

Verify the installation:

code --version

Terminal output of code --version showing VS Code version on Ubuntu 24.04

Run VS Code installed via Snap:

snap run code

Update the Snap-based VS Code:

sudo snap refresh code

Terminal output of sudo snap refresh code on Ubuntu 24.04

Remove the Snap-based VS Code:

sudo snap remove code

Method 2: Install VS Code on Ubuntu 24.04 Using the APT Package Manager

This method adds Microsoft’s official repository so VS Code receives updates through standard apt upgrade. The same repository pattern is used when you install kubectl on Ubuntu 24.04 from a vendor APT source.

Step 1: Update System Repositories

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Terminal output of sudo apt update and apt upgrade on Ubuntu 24.04

Step 2: Add Visual Studio Code GPG Key

wget -qO- https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > packages.microsoft.gpg

sudo install -D -o root -g root -m 644 packages.microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/keyrings/packages.microsoft.gpg

Add the Microsoft repository:

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64,arm64,armhf signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/packages.microsoft.gpg] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/code stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list'

sudo apt update

Step 3: Install Visual Studio Code

sudo apt install code

Terminal output of sudo apt install code VS Code on Ubuntu 24.04

Upgrade and remove via APT:

sudo apt upgrade code
sudo apt remove code

Method 3: Install Visual Studio Code on Ubuntu 24.04 Using a deb File

Download the .deb file from the official VS Code website:

Visual Studio Code official download page showing Linux deb package

Navigate to the Downloads folder and install it:

cd Downloads
ls
sudo dpkg -i code_1.87.0-1709078641_amd64.deb

Terminal output of sudo dpkg -i installing VS Code deb on Ubuntu 24.04

Note: Packages installed via deb file do not update automatically. To get a newer version, download and install the latest deb from the website.

In practice the deb installer also adds Microsoft’s repository to /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list, so VS Code often starts updating through apt upgrade anyway. Check whether that file exists before assuming you are stuck on a fixed version.

Remove VS Code installed via deb:

sudo dpkg --remove code

Terminal output of sudo dpkg --remove code removing VS Code on Ubuntu 24.04

Method 4: Install Visual Studio Code on Ubuntu 24.04 Using the App Center

VS Code is available in Ubuntu’s App Center. Open it, search for code, and click Install:

Ubuntu App Center showing Visual Studio Code with Install button

Note: VS Code installed via App Center can be updated and uninstalled from App Center directly.

Method 5: Install Visual Studio Code on Ubuntu 24.04 Using Flatpak

Flatpak distributes VS Code on most Linux distributions. Note that Flatpak’s sandboxing may require extra permissions for some developer workflows (terminal access, SDK paths).

Step 1: Install Flathub

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Terminal output of flatpak remote-add adding Flathub repository on Ubuntu 24.04

sudo flatpak install flathub

Terminal output of sudo flatpak install flathub on Ubuntu 24.04

Install VS Code from Flathub:

flatpak install flathub com.visualstudio.code

Update VS Code via Flatpak:

sudo flatpak update --app com.visualstudio.code

Terminal output of sudo flatpak update VS Code on Ubuntu 24.04

Run and remove VS Code via Flatpak:

flatpak run com.visualstudio.code
flatpak remove com.visualstudio.code

First steps after installing VS Code

The code command is the fastest way to work. Opening a folder as a workspace is what enables project-wide search, integrated Git, and per-project settings:

code .
code myfile.py
code --diff old.txt new.txt

Extensions can be installed from the command line as well, which is useful when setting up a new machine or scripting an environment. Install a language pack for whichever runtime you use:

code --install-extension ms-python.python
code --list-extensions

Open the integrated terminal with Ctrl+`. It inherits your normal shell, so compilers and interpreters already on your PATH work without extra configuration — including toolchains such as Go on Ubuntu 24.04.

Troubleshooting VS Code on Ubuntu 24.04

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
`code` command not found	Installed via Flatpak	Use `flatpak run com.visualstudio.code` or add a shell alias
Extensions cannot reach compilers	Snap installed without `--classic`	Reinstall with `sudo snap install --classic code`
Repeated keyring password prompt	No unlocked keyring for Settings Sync	Install `gnome-keyring`
Blurry text on HiDPI	Running through XWayland	Enable native Wayland support
Settings reset after reinstall	Different package format, different config path	Use one install method consistently

Repeated keyring prompts

VS Code stores Settings Sync and extension credentials in the system keyring. On a minimal Ubuntu install the keyring may be absent, which produces a password prompt at every launch:

sudo apt install gnome-keyring

Blurry text on a HiDPI display

By default VS Code runs through XWayland, which scales the window rather than rendering natively. Launch it with Wayland enabled to test whether that sharpens the text:

code --enable-features=UseOzonePlatform --ozone-platform=wayland

Where VS Code keeps your settings

Each package format stores configuration in a different place, which explains why settings appear to vanish when you switch install methods. The deb and Snap builds use ~/.config/Code, while Flatpak uses ~/.var/app/com.visualstudio.code. Extensions live in ~/.vscode/extensions for the deb and Snap builds. Back up those directories before reinstalling.

Which VS Code install method should you choose?

Use Snap or App Center when you want a simple desktop install with automatic updates. Use Microsoft’s APT repository when you want standard apt upgrade behavior and tighter system integration.

Flatpak works if most of your desktop apps come from Flathub, but some developer workflows may need extra permissions to access SDKs, terminals, or project folders outside the sandbox. The same Flathub method also installs desktop apps such as VLC on Ubuntu 24.04.