10 VS Code Tricks That'll Make You Code 3x Faster

You're using maybe 10% of VS Code's power. Here are the tricks that separate beginners from wizards.

1. Multi-Cursor Editing (Change 50 Things at Once)

The Trick: Alt + Click to place multiple cursors. Or Ctrl + D to select next occurrence.

// Change all variable names in 2 seconds
const user = getUser();
const userName = user.name;
const userAge = user.age;

Select "user", hit Ctrl + D three times, start typing. All instances change simultaneously.

Time Saved: 30 seconds per refactor × 20 times/day = 10 minutes/day

2. Zen Mode (Eliminate ALL Distractions)

The Trick: Ctrl + K, Z - Full screen, no sidebars, no tabs, just code.

Press Esc Esc to exit.

Why: Your brain has limited attention. Every UI element steals focus. Zen Mode = flow state.

3. Command Palette > Mouse Clicks

The Trick: Ctrl + Shift + P opens command palette. Type what you want.

Examples:

  • "format" → Format Document
  • "theme" → Change Color Theme
  • "wrap" → Toggle Word Wrap
  • "split" → Split Editor

Time Saved: 5 seconds per action × 100 times/day = 8 minutes/day

4. Go to Definition in Split View

The Trick: Ctrl + K, F12 - Opens definition in side panel.

Regular F12 replaces your current file. Ctrl + K, F12 keeps both visible.

Use Case: Reading library source while writing code.

5. Rename Symbol Across Entire Project

The Trick: F2 on any variable/function/class.

VS Code finds EVERY usage across all files and renames them. Handles imports, exports, everything.

Safety: Shows preview before committing. Press Shift + Enter to see all changes.

6. Quick Fix Everything

The Trick: Ctrl + . on any error/warning.

VS Code suggests fixes:

  • Missing imports → auto-add
  • Unused variables → delete
  • Type errors → cast or change type

Example:

// Error: Cannot find name 'useState'
const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

Hit Ctrl + . → "Add import from 'react'" → Enter. Done.

7. Bracket Pair Colorizer (Built-In Now!)

The Trick: Already enabled in modern VS Code!

Nested brackets get different colors. Find matching brackets instantly.

Bonus: Ctrl + Shift + \ jumps to matching bracket.

8. Emmet Abbreviations (HTML in Seconds)

The Trick: Type shorthand, hit Tab.

div.container>ul>li*3>a

Tab →

<div class="container">
  <ul>
    <li><a href=""></a></li>
    <li><a href=""></a></li>
    <li><a href=""></a></li>
  </ul>
</div>

Works in JSX, Vue, Svelte too.

9. Integrated Terminal Split

The Trick: Ctrl + Shift + 5 - Split terminal.

Run dev server in one, tests in another, git commands in third.

Layout:

Code (top 70%)
---
Terminal 1: npm run dev | Terminal 2: npm test

No more Alt-Tabbing to separate terminal windows.

10. Timeline View (Git History Per File)

The Trick: Click clock icon in Explorer sidebar.

See every change to current file, who made it, when, why.

Right-click any version → "Compare with File" to see exact changes.

Use Case: "Wait, who broke this function last week?"

Bonus: Customize Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl + K, Ctrl + S - Open keyboard shortcuts.

Search for any command, click the pencil, press your preferred keys.

Example: Make Ctrl + S save AND format:

  1. Search "save"
  2. Find "Save without Formatting"
  3. Remove Ctrl + K, Ctrl + S binding
  4. Now Ctrl + S always formats!

Try These Today

Start with multi-cursor editing (#1) and command palette (#3). Once those become muscle memory, add one new trick per week.

Within a month, you'll be the person your team asks "how did you do that so fast?"

Time Saved Total: ~20 minutes/day × 250 work days = 83 hours/year

That's two full weeks of work. Just from keyboard shortcuts.

You're welcome.