Toggle Between Active Editor and Previously Active Editor in Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code is a popular code editor used by developers around the world. It offers a wide range of features and customization options to enhance your coding experience. One handy feature in Visual Studio Code is the ability to toggle between the active editor and the previously active editor. This can be particularly useful when you need to quickly switch between different files or make comparisons.

In this article, we will explore how to toggle between the active editor and the previously active editor in Visual Studio Code.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Visual Studio Code provides default keyboard shortcuts to toggle between the active editor and the previously active editor. The default keyboard shortcut for this action is Ctrl+Tab on Windows and Linux, and Cmd+Tab on macOS.

To toggle between the active editor and the previously active editor:

1. Make sure you have multiple files open in Visual Studio Code.
2. Press Ctrl+Tab (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Tab (macOS) to switch to the previously active editor.
3. Press Ctrl+Tab (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Tab (macOS) again to switch back to the active editor.

By using this keyboard shortcut, you can easily toggle between the active editor and the previously active editor without having to manually select files from the editor tabs.

Using the Command Palette

Another way to toggle between the active editor and the previously active editor is by using the Command Palette in Visual Studio Code. The Command Palette provides a searchable list of commands that you can execute.

To toggle between the active editor and the previously active editor using the Command Palette:

1. Open the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (macOS).
2. Type Toggle Active Editor in the Command Palette search bar.
3. Select the View: Toggle Active Editor command from the search results.

Once you execute the command, Visual Studio Code will toggle between the active editor and the previously active editor.

Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts

If you prefer to use a different keyboard shortcut for toggling between the active editor and the previously active editor, you can customize it in Visual Studio Code.

To customize keyboard shortcuts in Visual Studio Code:

1. Open the Keyboard Shortcuts editor by pressing Ctrl+K Ctrl+S (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+K Cmd+S (macOS).
2. In the Keyboard Shortcuts editor, you will see a list of commands and their associated keyboard shortcuts.
3. Search for workbench.action.toggleActiveEditor in the search bar to find the command for toggling between the active editor and the previously active editor.
4. Right-click on the command and select Change Keybinding.
5. Enter your desired keyboard shortcut for the command.

Once you customize the keyboard shortcut, you can use it to toggle between the active editor and the previously active editor.

Conclusion

Toggling between the active editor and the previously active editor in Visual Studio Code is a handy feature that can improve your productivity while coding. Whether you prefer using keyboard shortcuts or the Command Palette, Visual Studio Code provides multiple ways to quickly switch between different files. Additionally, you can customize the keyboard shortcuts to suit your preferences.