Microsoft/vscode

Resetting various settings can delete comments from settings.json file

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#275792 opened on Nov 6, 2025

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 (4 comments) (0 reactions) (1 assignee)TypeScript (74,848 stars) (10,221 forks)batch import
configfeature-requesthelp wantedsettings-editor

Description

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes

  • VS Code Version: 1.105.1
  • OS Version: Linux x64 6.17.6-1-default
Version: 1.105.1
Commit: 7d842fb85a0275a4a8e4d7e040d2625abbf7f084
Date: 2025-10-14T22:33:36.618Z
Electron: 37.6.0
ElectronBuildId: 12502201
Chromium: 138.0.7204.251
Node.js: 22.19.0
V8: 13.8.258.32-electron.0
OS: Linux x64 6.17.6-1-default

Description:

When going from anything but window.zoomLevel: 0 to window.zoomLevel: 0 via either

  • the UI "View/Appearance/Zoom In" or "View/Appearance/Zoom Out"
  • or the Keyboard Shortcuts "Ctrl+=" or "Ctrl+-",

the setting disappears from the User settings.json via deleting it's line but also deletes one line above it, should it be a comment or another commented out line.

See attached screenshots of a diff from my settings.json file after resetting the zoom level to 0 via keyboard shortcut "Ctrl+=" (e.g. going from window.zoomLevel: -0.5 to window.zoomLevel: 0):

Steps to Reproduce:

  1. Start in neutral zoom setting (window.zoomLevel: 0)
  2. Press "Ctrl+-" to set window.zoomLevel: -1
  3. Find window.zoomLevel: -1 in your user settings.json file
  4. Add a line above the setting with a comment: // test
  5. Save and close settings.json
  6. Press "Ctrl+=" to set window.zoomLevel: 0
  7. Try finding window.zoomLevel in your user settings.json, it is gone (expected)
  8. Try finding your manually added comment one line above it, it is also gone (bug)

Suggestion:

Naive first idea: Allow the window.zoomLevel setting to remain in the user settings.json file, even at value "0".

Contributor guide

Tech stack
typescript
Domain
toolingdeveloper 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.
1-3 hours
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
Understanding of VS Code settings JSON handling
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
50
Research direction
The bug occurs when resetting window.zoomLevel to 0 deletes the line and the preceding comment. Likely in the settings write logic, such as in src/vs/platform/configuration/common/configurationEditing.ts. Investigate how the setting removal is implemented, specifically the regex or line removal that might be deleting the wrong line. Check for use of `deleteSetting` or similar functions. Look at the issue comments for any additional insights.