Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a widely used code editor loved for its flexibility, extensions, and speed. But with its openness and extensibility comes the need for security, especially when opening projects from unknown sources.
That’s where Workspace Trust and Restricted Mode come in.
In this blog post, you’ll learn:
What Workspace Trust is
What Restricted Mode does
Why they exist
How to manage trust settings
Best practices for safe coding
🧠 Why Workspace Trust?
VS Code allows powerful extensions and scripts to run automatically. This is great for productivity—but dangerous when working with code from the internet, GitHub, or other untrusted sources.
Imagine opening a folder that contains malicious tasks.json, settings.json, or extensions.json files—or extensions with unsafe post-install scripts. Without protection, your system could be compromised.
Solution? VS Code introduces Workspace Trust to ensure that untrusted code runs in a restricted and safe environment.
🔐 What Is Workspace Trust?
Workspace Trust is a security feature in VS Code that asks:
“Do you trust the authors of the files in this folder?”
When you open a new folder or workspace, VS Code prompts you with a question:
"Do you trust the authors of the files in this folder?"
You can either:
✅ Trust the folder (full access, extensions, and tasks enabled)
🚫 Don't trust the folder (enters Restricted Mode)
If you choose Don’t Trust, VS Code will disable or sandbox potentially dangerous features.
🚧 What Is Restricted Mode?
Restricted Mode is VS Code's "safety mode" for untrusted workspaces.
When a folder is untrusted:
Extensions can’t load workspace files
Tasks, debugging, and terminals are disabled or restricted
Workspace settings are ignored
Git operations may be limited
A “Restricted Mode” badge appears in the lower-left corner of the window, so you know you're in a protected state.
You can always click this badge to:
View which features are disabled
See why the workspace is restricted
Change the trust level
🔍 Which Features Are Restricted?
Here's a breakdown of what gets blocked in Restricted Mode:
⚙️ Managing Workspace Trust
You can control workspace trust settings at any time:
Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
Type: Workspace: Manage Workspace Trust
Settings UI
Go to Settings → Security
View and change trusted folders
Manually
VS Code stores trust information in ~/.config/Code/User/workspaceTrustState.json
Per Folder
Trust is managed per folder or per workspace, not globally
💡 Best Practices
✅ Trust Only What You Know
Only mark a workspace as trusted if you created it or know its source.
🔍 Inspect First
If you clone from GitHub or download a ZIP:
Browse files first
Avoid running anything (scripts, tasks) until you trust it
🔒 Use Restricted Mode for Unknown Code
This allows safe exploration without worrying about hidden dangers.
👁️ Monitor the Status Bar
The Restricted Mode badge is your visual cue. Don’t ignore it.
🧪 How Developers Can Handle It in Extensions
If you are an extension developer, keep in mind:
Use the restrictedMode flag
Respect the API guidelines for workspace trust
Ensure your extension fails gracefully in restricted environments
🗂️ When Is Trust Re-Evaluated?
VS Code re-evaluates trust in situations like:
Opening a new folder
Switching between workspaces
Adding a new folder to a multi-root workspace
You’ll be prompted again if the trust status changes or needs clarification.
🤔 Common Questions
❓ Can I disable Workspace Trust?
Not directly. Workspace Trust is a core part of VS Code’s security model. You can, however, mark all folders as trusted if you're comfortable doing so—but this is not recommended.
❓ Do all extensions support Restricted Mode?
No. Some extensions may not function unless the workspace is trusted. VS Code will notify you if an extension is disabled due to trust issues.
✅ Summary
🚀 Final Thoughts
VS Code’s Workspace Trust and Restricted Mode are essential for keeping your development environment safe in an increasingly connected world. Whether you're a beginner exploring GitHub repositories or a professional developer, understanding and using these features wisely can save you from accidental mistakes—or worse, security breaches.
When in doubt, don’t trust the code until you’ve reviewed it. It’s always better to explore in Restricted Mode first.
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