Configure the Agents window (Preview)

The Agents window uses the AI providers and accounts configured in VS Code. It shares settings and the default profile with the main VS Code window. This article describes the shared account options and the window-specific layout, editor, setting, and extension configuration.

For instructions about starting and working with sessions, see Use the Agents window.

Manage AI providers and accounts

The Agents window doesn't have separate provider configuration. It uses the accounts and model credentials available in VS Code:

  • GitHub Copilot: select the account icon in the top-right corner, and then sign in to GitHub. To switch accounts, sign out and then authenticate with a different GitHub account.
  • Claude: use an Anthropic API key or Claude Code OAuth token.
  • Codex: select the account icon, and then select Sign in to ChatGPT.
  • Bring your own key (BYOK): add a model in the Language Models editor and enable chat.agentHost.byokModels.enabled Open in VS Code Open in VS Code Insiders to make it available to Agent Host sessions. Learn how to configure BYOK models.

For complete authentication, billing, and capability information, see Configure a harness or Cloud target.

Claude, ChatGPT-backed Codex, and BYOK models can run in the desktop Agents window without GitHub sign-in. This signed-out experience is experimental and requires chat.agentHost.allowSignedOutWhenUsable Open in VS Code Open in VS Code Insiders . Features that require GitHub authentication prompt you to sign in when needed. The browser-based Agents window always requires GitHub sign-in.

Configure settings for the Agents window

The Agents window shares all of your VS Code settings. To use different behavior in the Agents window and the editor window, override individual settings for the Agents window without affecting the main VS Code setup.

To override a setting for the Agents window only, edit your settings file and scope the value under the Agents window section. Open the Settings editor (⌘, (Windows, Linux Ctrl+,)) from the Agents window to see which scope a setting applies to.

Screenshot showing the Settings editor open in the Agents window, with the different scopes for settings highlighted.

Adjust the window layout

Use the single-pane editor panel (Experimental)

The experimental single-pane layout replaces the separate editor and side panel with one docked pane. A shared tab bar spans the editor and the Changes or Files detail view. Files and diffs open in the docked editor next to the chat instead of in a modal window.

To use the single-pane layout, enable sessions.layout.singlePaneDetailPanel Open in VS Code Open in VS Code Insiders and reload the window. The setting is read when the Agents window starts.

In the shared tab bar, select New Tab (+) to open Changes, Files, Browser, or Search. Use Hide Editor, Toggle Details, and Maximize Editor Area or Restore Editor Area to adjust the layout. Toggle Details is available only for tabs that support a detail panel.

Each session restores its side-pane width, open editors, active editor, and per-file collapsed state when you switch sessions or reload the window.

Automatically collapse the sessions sidebar (Experimental)

When you enable sessions.layout.autoCollapseSessionsSidebar Open in VS Code Open in VS Code Insiders , the Agents window hides the sessions sidebar on narrow windows when both the editor area and side panel are open. The sidebar appears again when there is room. The Agents window preserves a sidebar that you closed manually and suspends auto-collapse while multiple sessions are open side by side.

View and edit Markdown files

The Agents window supports rendered Markdown preview and an experimental Markdown editor for .md files. Which editor opens by default depends on workbench.editor.markdownDefaultEditorInAgentsWindow Open in VS Code Open in VS Code Insiders .

  • When enabled, .md files open with Markdown Editor (Experimental).
  • When disabled, .md files open with Markdown Preview.

In Markdown Editor (Experimental), switch between Editing and Locked modes while keeping the rendered Markdown context. In Editing mode, edit content directly. In Locked mode, the document remains rendered and read-only.

When you edit a Markdown file, the editor shows Git change markers in the margin. Green indicates added content, blue indicates modified content, and red indicates deleted content. The markers reflect the current Git changes and disappear when you undo or revert the corresponding changes.

Use VS Code extensions in the Agents window

The Agents window can run VS Code extensions. Extensions that contribute only static content, such as themes, grammars, languages, and keybindings, activate automatically.

For other extensions, opt them in by ID with the extensions.supportAgentsWindow Open in VS Code Open in VS Code Insiders setting:

"extensions.supportAgentsWindow": {
    "myextension.id": true
}

The extension must be installed in your default VS Code profile. Extension support is still evolving. If an extension doesn't behave as expected, file an issue.

Personalize chat

Add a decorative chat background, use the interactive VS Code pet, or adjust how chat content appears. Learn how to personalize chat.

Next steps

9/9/2026