Install VS Code on Windows with NVDA
Download and install Visual Studio Code on Windows with the keyboard and NVDA, then open a folder and check your editor setup.
Watch the video
In Episode #32, I use NVDA and the keyboard to find the Windows download, review Visual Studio Code's installer options, and open a small HTML project. This written guide focuses on getting the editor ready for the GitHub lessons.
The video uses an older version of VS Code. The current download page and first-run screens may look different, so use the named controls and current official installer rather than matching its old version number or exact Tab sequence. In the recording, I cancel setup because VS Code is already installed; on a new computer, complete the installation.
1. Download the Windows installer
Open the official Visual Studio Code download page. With NVDA in browse mode, use Ctrl+Home to return to the top, H to move through headings, and Tab to reach links. Choose a Windows installer that matches your computer.
For your own Windows account, Microsoft's User Installer is the usual choice and does not need administrator permissions. The System Installer is for all users and requires administrator access. Download the current version and open the installer from Downloads.
2. Review the setup options
If the installer is not focused, use Alt+Tab to find its Setup window. Read the license agreement and accept it if you agree. Use Tab and Shift+Tab to move between controls, Space to toggle a checkbox, and the named Next button to continue.
In the video, I explain the optional desktop icon and the Open with Code actions for files and folders in Windows File Explorer. I also discuss registering Code for supported file types and adding it to PATH. PATH is what lets a fresh terminal find the code command; it does not enable the integrated terminal itself.
Keep the default destination unless you have a reason to change it. Complete Install and Finish, then launch Visual Studio Code from Start. The optional Explorer menu entries are convenient, but you can open files and folders from inside VS Code too.
3. Open a folder and find its files
In the video, I create a folder containing index.html and use Open with Code from its context menu. The Applications key or Shift+F10 opens that menu. Its entries and accelerator letters can differ between Windows versions.
In VS Code, Ctrl+Shift+E moves to the Explorer. Use the arrow keys to find a file and Enter to open it. Ctrl+Home moves to the beginning of the file. For a first check, open a small file you created and confirm that NVDA reads its text as you move through it.
4. Check the code command
After installation, close and reopen your terminal so it receives the updated PATH. From a folder you want to open in the editor, run:
code .
The dot means the current folder. If the command is not recognized, first confirm VS Code opens from Start, then recheck PATH and use a newly opened terminal. This command-line check supplements the older video.
What about the HTML and Live Server example?
The second half of the recording demonstrates a small index.html file, Emmet's HTML boilerplate, and a browser preview through Live Server. Live Server was already installed in that demonstration. It is an optional extension for that web-page example, and you do not need it to read a README or follow the GitHub repository lesson.
Connect this setup to Git and WSL
Next, follow Install Git for Windows with NVDA if you need Git on Windows. Installing VS Code does not install Git.
To match the Ubuntu terminal used in my GitHub lesson, follow Install WSL and Ubuntu on Windows. Install VS Code on Windows and Microsoft's WSL extension to work with your Linux project. Git must also be available inside Ubuntu.
Once the tools are ready, continue with Create and Clone Your First GitHub Repository with NVDA.