Microsoft Visual Studio Code Updated With Official Apple Silicon Support

Microsoft has updated Visual Studio Code with official support for M1 Apple Silicon Macs, offering developers the ability to use the software without the need for emulation on Rosetta.

macOS universal download
The support is coming to the web and cloud app code editor as part of its February 2021 1.54 build, which alongside ‌Apple Silicon‌ support, includes several improvements and updates. Microsoft says that with native ‌Apple Silicon‌ support, ‌M1‌ Mac mini, MacBook Air, and Macbook Pro users will notice better performance and longer battery life.

We are happy to announce our first release of stable Apple Silicon builds this iteration. Users on Macs with M1 chips can now use VS Code without emulation with Rosetta, and will notice better performance and longer battery life when running VS Code. Thanks to the community for self-hosting with the Insiders build and reporting issues early in the iteration.

With version 1.54, Visual Studio Code is now also a Universal build download. Users with Intel or Apple Silicon-based Macs will be prompted to download the same file, which will automatically work for whichever Mac chip they're using. Microsoft is also offering users the ability to download the specific version of Visual Studio Code that works for their Mac's architecture on its Downloads page.

Top Rated Comments

Eddy Munn Avatar
37 months ago
I love VS Code! Proof that an Electron app—when done right—can work really well.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
panthro100 Avatar
37 months ago
Moved over years ago from Sublime, never looked back.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Merode Avatar
37 months ago

Visual Code is garbage like all Electron apps. You want the best? https://nova.app (from Panic). Native and amazingly snappy!
[SPOILER="Ouch!"][/SPOILER]
[SPOILER="Double ouch!"][/SPOILER]

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Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
martyjmclean Avatar
37 months ago

So, Electron ('https://www.electronjs.org/') apps are based on Chromium? ?
Kinda... they’re JavaScript/websites inside a Chromium browser.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
funkypepper Avatar
37 months ago
I'm sorry -- I understand that it works great etc. etc., but if it consumes tens of times more system resources and power than its counterparts, it's a pass for me. Just waste.

Instead go and support companies that write native Mac software, like BareBones (BBEdit) or Panic (Nova).
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stella Avatar
37 months ago
Prefer Jetbrains IDEs. I’ve tried VSCode and was very unimpressed. Don’t see what the fuss is about, other than that it’s free.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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