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How to Migrate VS Code Extensions, Settings, and Keybindings to Cursor or Zed

Cursor can import VS Code extensions, themes, settings, and keybindings. Zed imports selected settings only, so extensions and custom shortcuts need separate attention.
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Cursor can import VS Code extensions, themes, settings, and keybindings in one step; Zed imports a documented subset of settings, but not extensions or keybindings. In Zed, choose its VS Code base keymap for familiar default shortcuts, then install extension equivalents and recreate any custom shortcuts you rely on.

Before you migrate: identify what you actually use

Migration works best when you treat your VS Code setup as a specific profile and a set of workflows, not just a folder of preferences. Do these checks before changing editors:

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  • Find the active profile. If you use multiple VS Code profiles, note which one contains the settings and extensions you want. VS Code’s Profiles UI can export a profile to a local file or GitHub Gist, and Cursor can import that profile through its own Profiles UI. Cursor’s migration guide
  • Save custom shortcuts. Open VS Code’s Keyboard Shortcuts editor to review bindings. Its JSON form records each shortcut’s key, command, and optional when condition. Keep a copy to compare against the destination. VS Code keybindings documentation
  • Make an extension inventory. Record each extension’s exact publisher and identifier, and note which language, formatter, debugger, or remote-development workflow depends on it. This matters especially for Cursor: its third-party extension registry is Open VSX, where availability and publisher identity may differ from Microsoft’s Marketplace. Cursor extension documentation
  • Keep VS Code intact for now. Retain the original profile until you have checked the projects and workflows you depend on in the new editor.

Move your setup to Cursor

Cursor offers both a quick importer and a profile-based route. Use the importer for a straightforward transfer; use profile export and import when you want to choose and move a particular VS Code profile.

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Quick import

  1. In Cursor, open Settings with Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+J.
  2. Go to General > Account.
  3. Under VS Code Import, select Import.
  4. After the import, review the extensions and settings in Cursor and try them in a representative project.

Cursor’s guide says this import transfers extensions, themes, settings, and keybindings. That describes the categories the importer handles; it does not guarantee that every extension is available or behaves identically in Cursor. Cursor migration instructions

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Import a specific VS Code profile

  1. In VS Code, open the Command Palette with Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P and run Preferences: Open Profiles (UI).
  2. Select the profile to move, open its three-dot menu, and export it to a local file or GitHub Gist.
  3. In Cursor, open Preferences: Open Profiles (UI), choose Import Profile, then select the file or paste the Gist URL.
  4. Import and activate the profile, then check that the settings and tools you need are present.

Cursor documents profile transfer as an option for moving between machines or controlling which profile is transferred. Cursor profile migration instructions

Check extensions and publishers

Cursor uses Open VSX for third-party extensions. Its documentation notes that not every Microsoft Marketplace extension is listed and that an identical publisher.extension identifier may refer to a different publisher or code on Open VSX. For each important extension, check the publisher in Cursor, install the intended listing, and confirm its behavior in your project. Cursor extension documentation

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Move your setup to Zed

Zed’s VS Code migration is narrower: it maps certain settings, but does not import VS Code extensions or keybindings. Plan to handle those separately rather than expecting a complete profile transfer.

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Import supported settings

Zed offers to import key settings during setup. If you skipped that prompt, open the Command Palette and run zed: import vs code settings. The migration guide lists mappings for selected areas such as project-panel behavior, Git display settings, window behavior, proxy, package-manager path, telemetry, outline icons, and certain agent or context-server settings. It does not claim to translate every entry in a VS Code settings.json. Zed’s VS Code migration guide

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Replace extensions separately

Zed’s migration guide states: “Zed doesn’t import extensions or keybindings, but this import gets core editor behavior close to your VS Code setup.” Make a list of the extensions that support essential work, then look for equivalents in Zed’s extension ecosystem. Confirm that a Zed extension supports the language or workflow you need; a VS Code extension package should not be assumed to work in Zed. Zed’s VS Code migration guide

Keep familiar shortcuts and rebuild custom ones

During setup, choose the VS Code keymap if Zed offers it. You can change base_keymap later through Zed Settings or its settings file; VS Code is one of the supported base keymaps. This gives you Zed’s VS Code-oriented defaults, not your personal keybindings.json. To add or change individual shortcuts, run zed: open keymap and recreate the custom bindings you saved from VS Code. Zed keybinding guide Zed’s VS Code migration guide

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What transfers, and what still needs work?

Migration area Cursor Zed
Settings Included in the documented VS Code import; profile export and import is another option. Cursor Imports the settings covered by its documented mappings, not necessarily every VS Code setting. Zed
Extensions Included in the importer, but availability and publisher identity can differ in Open VSX. Cursor Extension registry Not imported; find and install Zed equivalents where available. Zed
Themes Included in the documented import. Cursor The migration guide describes selected settings mappings; it does not claim to import themes. Zed
Keybindings Included in the documented VS Code import. Cursor Custom bindings are not imported. The VS Code base keymap provides familiar defaults, and custom bindings can be added in Zed’s keymap editor. Zed Keybinding guide
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Verify the workflows you depend on

Once the destination editor is set up, open a project representative of your normal work and check the specific tasks that matter to you. A successful settings import alone does not establish that every extension or workflow is ready.

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  • Confirm that language support and diagnostics work.
  • Run formatting and save actions you use regularly.
  • Check debugging, test discovery, and any remote or container workflow you depend on.
  • Try your commonly used theme, settings, and keyboard shortcuts.
  • In Cursor, verify that essential extensions came from the intended publisher; in Zed, confirm that each replacement supports the workflow you need.

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