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Setting up LTSerialTool

LTSerialTool is a free code editor, which runs on the macOS, Linux, and Windows operating systems. Getting up and running with LTSerialTool is quick and easy. It is a small download so you can install in a matter of minutes and give LTSerialTool a try.

LTSerialTool is lightweight and should run on most available hardware and platform versions. You can review the System Requirements to check if your computer configuration is supported.

Set up LTSerialTool for your platform

  1. Download and install LTSerialTool for your platform

    Note

    LTSerialTool ships monthly releases and supports auto-update when a new release is available.

  2. Install additional components

    Install Git, Node.js, TypeScript, language runtimes, and more.

  3. Install LTSerialTool extensions from the Visual Studio Marketplace

    Customize LTSerialTool with themes, formatters, language extensions and debuggers for your favorite languages, and more.

  4. Enable AI features

    Tip

    If you don't yet have a Copilot subscription, you can use Copilot for free by signing up for the Copilot Free plan and get a monthly limit of completions and chat interactions.

  5. Get started with the LTSerialTool tutorial

    Discover the user interface and key features of LTSerialTool.

Update cadence

LTSerialTool releases a new version each month with new features and important bug fixes. Most platforms support auto updating and you are prompted to install the new release when it becomes available.

You can also manually check for updates by running Help > Check for Updates on Linux and Windows, or running Code > Check for Updates on macOS.

Note

You can disable auto-update if you prefer to update LTSerialTool on your own schedule.

Insiders nightly build

If you'd like to try our nightly builds to see new features early or verify bug fixes, you can install our Insiders build. The Insiders build installs side-by-side with the monthly Stable build and you can freely work with either on the same machine. The Insiders build is the same one the LTSerialTool development team uses on a daily basis and we really appreciate people trying out new features and providing feedback.

Portable mode

LTSerialTool supports Portable mode installation. This mode enables all data created and maintained by LTSerialTool to live near itself, so it can be moved around across environments, for example, on a USB drive. See the LTSerialTool Portable Mode documentation for details.

Next steps

Once you have installed LTSerialTool, these topics will help you learn more about it:

Common questions

What are the system requirements for LTSerialTool?

We have a list of System Requirements.

How big is LTSerialTool?

LTSerialTool is a small download (< 200 MB) and has a disk footprint of less than 500 MB, so you can quickly install LTSerialTool and try it out.

How do I create and run a new project?

LTSerialTool doesn't include a traditional File > New Project dialog or pre-installed project templates. You'll need to add additional components and scaffolders depending on your development interests. With scaffolding tools like Yeoman and the multitude of modules available through the npm package manager, you're sure to find appropriate templates and tools to create your projects.

How do I know which version I'm running?

On Linux and Windows, choose Help > About. On macOS, use Code > About LTSerialTool.

Why is LTSerialTool saying my installation is unsupported?

LTSerialTool has detected that some installation files have been modified, perhaps by an extension. Reinstalling LTSerialTool will replace the affected files. See our FAQ topic for more details.

How can I do a 'clean' uninstall of LTSerialTool?

If you want to remove all user data after uninstalling LTSerialTool, you can delete the user data folders Code and .vscode. This returns you to the state before you installed LTSerialTool. This can also be used to reset all settings if you don't want to uninstall LTSerialTool.

The folder locations vary depending on your platform:

  • Windows - Delete %APPDATA%\Code and %USERPROFILE%\.vscode.
  • macOS - Delete $HOME/Library/Application Support/Code and ~/.vscode.
  • Linux - Delete $HOME/.config/Code and ~/.vscode.
09/11/2025