Microsoft has released Visual Studio Code version 1.104.0 with several updates and features aimed at improving user experience, productivity, and security. The new version allows users to select the best model for their needs, contributes models through extensions, and includes features such as auto-model selection and confirm edits for sensitive files. Other improvements include a reworked list of changed files, customizable chat modes, enhanced usability and security for terminal auto-approve, and the ability to render math in chat responses. Additionally, features like GitHub coding agent integration, to-do list tool enhancements, and improved language support have been added to enhance collaboration, productivity, and workflow.

Visual Studio Code 1.104.0 released

Microsoft has released Visual Studio Code version 1.104.0, with several updates and features.

Model Flexibility

The latest version of Visual Studio Code allows users to select the best model for their needs. Users can also contribute their models through extensions, making it easier to customize their development experience.

• Auto Model Selection: When users choose the "Auto" model in the model picker, VS Code automatically selects a model to ensure optimal performance and avoid rate limits.
• Contributing Models: Users can now contribute their own models through extensions, allowing for greater customization and flexibility.

Security

The new version includes several security features to protect user data and prevent accidental modifications:

• Confirm Edits for Sensitive Files: VS Code now explicitly asks users for confirmation before making edits to sensitive files.
• Terminal Commands Safety: The agent can now run terminal commands safely, without allowing malicious or unauthorized actions.

Productivity

Several productivity-enhancing features have been added to improve user experience and workflow:

• Remove Distractions from Chat File Edits: Users can now remove distractions from chat file edits, making it easier to focus on their code.
• Use AGENTS.md Files: Users can now use AGENTS.md files to add context and instructions to the agent, improving collaboration and efficiency.

Improved Changed Files Experience

The changed files list has been reworked with several quality-of-life features:

• Collapsed List: The list of changed files is now collapsed by default, giving more space to the chat conversation.
• Auto-Remove of Changed Files: When users accept a suggested change, the file is automatically removed from the changed files list.

Chat Mode Customization

Users can now customize their chat modes and prompt files:

• Custom Chat Modes in Prompt Files: Users can specify which chat mode should be used for running a prompt file.
• Configure Prompt File Suggestions: Teams can configure which prompt files appear as suggestions in the Chat welcome view based on contextual conditions.

Terminal Auto Approve

The terminal auto-approve feature has been improved to enhance usability and security:

• Enable or Disable Terminal Auto Approve: Users can now enable or disable terminal auto approve with the chat.tools.terminal.enableAutoApprove setting.
• Warning Dialog for Global Auto Approve: A warning dialog appears when global auto approve is used for the first time, allowing users to easily back out and disable the setting.

Math Rendering

Math rendering in chat responses is now enabled by default:

• Rendering of Mathematical Equations: The new feature uses KaTeX to support both inline and block math equations.
• Disabling Math Rendering: Users can disable this functionality with the chat.math.enabled setting.

Collaborate with Coding Agents

The Chat Sessions view has been improved to enhance collaboration and productivity:

• Unified View for Managing Chat Sessions: The Chat Sessions view now provides a single, unified view for managing both local and contributed chat sessions.
• Status Bar Tracking: Users can monitor progress across multiple coding agents directly from the Status Bar.

GitHub Coding Agent Integration

The integration of GitHub coding agents with chat sessions has been improved:

• Easier View or Apply Code Changes: Users can now easily view or apply code changes, and check out pull requests directly from the chat editor.
• Seamless Transitions: The experience is now more intuitive, with seamless transitions between local chats and GitHub agent tasks.

Todo List Tool

The Todo List tool has been improved:

• Tool Progress Displayed in Todo Control: The tool progress is displayed in the Todo control at the top of the Chat view.
• Skip Tool Calls: Users can now choose to skip a tool call and let the agent continue.

Issue Reporter Improvements

The issue reporter has been improved:

• Create on GitHub or Preview on GitHub: Users can now choose either Create on GitHub or Preview on GitHub via a dropdown on the report button.
• Dropdown for Reporting Issues: The dropdown provides more flexibility and options for reporting issues.

Notebook Suggestions

Notebook suggestions have been improved:

• Improved Next Edit Suggestions: The language model has access to the entire notebook, enabling it to generate more accurate and higher-quality next edit suggestions.
• Experimental Setting: This feature is enabled by default, but can be disabled with the github.copilot.chat.notebook.enhancedNextEditSuggestions.enabled setting.

Source Control

Source control has been improved:

• Preview Differences between Worktree Files: Users can now preview differences between worktree files and their current workspace.
• Migrate Worktree Changes: The Migrate Worktree Changes command makes it easy to work across multiple worktrees and selectively bring changes back into the main repository.

Terminal

Terminal has been improved:

• Terminal Window Discoverability: The experience is now more discoverable, with new entry points for opening terminals in separate windows.
• Polish Experience: The terminal window opens in compact mode, which automatically exits when a new tab is added.
• Terminal Actions in Terminal Editors: The actions that are available in the terminal view are now also available for terminals in the editor area and terminal windows.

Languages

Languages have been improved:

• JavaScript and TypeScript: Bower IntelliSense has been removed due to its deprecation, but can be provided by extensions.
• Python: Pipenv environments can now be discovered and selected just like regular Python environments. Environment variable injection is also configurable.
• AI-powered Hover Summaries: An experimental AI hover summaries feature is available for Python when using the latest pre-release version of Pylance.

Contributions to Extensions

Contributions to extensions have been improved:

• GitHub Pull Requests: The extension has received new features, including side bar content collapse on narrow windows and TODO code actions.
• shellIntegrationNonce: The shellIntegrationNonce can now be passed to createTerminal in TerminalOptions and ExtensionTerminalOptions.
• Language Model Chat Provider API: This API enables extensions to contribute one or more language models, cloud-hosted or local.

Downloads

Windows:  x64  Arm64 
Mac:  Universal  Intel  silicon 
Linux:  deb  rpm  tarball  Arm  snap
The source code is available from the GitHub page below:

VSCode Release August 2025

Welcome to the August 2025 release of Visual Studio Code. There are many updates in this version that we hope you'll like, some of the key highlights include:

Model flexibility	Security	Productivity
Let VS Code select the best model Show more	Confirm edits for sensitive files Show more	Remove distractions from chat file edits Show more
Contribute models through VS Code extensions Show more	Let agents run terminal commands safely Show more	Use AGENTS.md to add chat context Show more

Release August 2025 · microsoft/vscode