Microsoft/vscode

Default view for markdown files doesn't work the first time vscode is started

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#244,597 opened on Mar 25, 2025

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 (1 comment) (2 reactions) (1 assignee)TypeScript (74,848 stars) (10,221 forks)batch import
bughelp wantedmarkdown-extverification-found

Description

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes/No

  • VS Code Version: 1.98.2
  • OS Version: Win10 22H2

Steps to Reproduce:

  1. In the settings, add Item: *.md, Value: vscode.markdown.preview.editor under Workbench: Editor Associations
  2. Close vscode
  3. With no vscode instances running, open .md file from explorer
  4. Text editor view is opened instead of the preview
  5. Verify that the setting is registered by checking Ctrl + P > View: Reopen editor with..., Markdown Preview is listed as Default
  6. Open another .md file, this second one is now opened in preview mode

Contributor guide

Tech stack
typescriptjavascript
Domain
frontenddeveloper experience
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
TypeScriptVS Code extension APIEditor associations
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
30
Research direction
The bug likely occurs during the initial application start up when editor associations are applied. Investigate the markdown preview extension's contributeSection handling and the workbench's editor association service. Check if the default preview view is set correctly on first workspace open. Consider if there is a race condition between setting registration and editor creation. Look at sources like 'src/vs/workbench/contrib/markdown/browser/markdownEditor.contribution.ts' and 'src/vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorAssociationService.ts'.