Activity Bar
Switch between Explorer, Search, Git, Browser, and other views from the activity bar.
The activity bar is the vertical strip on the far left of the workbench. Each icon opens a different view in the primary sidebar, except Browser and Settings, which open editor tabs.
Sidebar views
| Icon | View | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| File | Explorer | Browse and open project files |
| Branch | Source Control | Stage, commit, and review changes |
| Commit | Git Graph | Visual commit history |
| List | Outline | Symbols in the active file |
| Search | Search | Find and replace across the workspace |
Click an icon to switch views. Click the same icon again to collapse the sidebar entirely.
Dirty file badge
When you have unsaved files, the Explorer icon shows a small badge with the count of dirty tabs. Save with Ctrl+S or File → Save All to clear it.
Bottom actions
Below the view icons, the activity bar has two fixed buttons:
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Chrome icon | Opens the Browser tab (Visual Design) |
| Gear icon | Opens Settings |
These are not sidebar views. Browser and Settings open as editor tabs.
Opening views from the menu
Every activity bar sidebar view is also available from View in the menu bar:
- View → Explorer (Ctrl+Shift+E)
- View → Search (Ctrl+Shift+F)
- View → Source Control (Ctrl+Shift+G)
- View → Git Graph
- View → Outline
- View → Preview (Browser tab)
Git Manager is Window → Git Manager, not an activity bar icon.
What is not on the activity bar
Some features live elsewhere:
- AI Chat: titlebar toggle or View → AI Chat (right sidebar)
- Terminal: bottom panel, not the activity bar
- Problems / Output: bottom panel tabs
- Bookmarks: keyboard only (Ctrl+Alt+B); no activity bar entry