How do I close a folder in VS Code?

In Visual Studio Code, the term "closing a folder" can sometimes refer to different actions. The most common meaning is closing the entire project or workspace that is currently open. Another related action is collapsing folders within the Explorer sidebar to hide their contents, which is what some users might mean by "closing" the view of a folder's sub-items.

Here's how to perform both actions in VS Code:

Closing the Open Folder or Workspace

This action completely removes the currently opened folder or project from your VS Code window. It does not delete any files or folders on your computer.

• Using the Menu:

  • Go to the File menu in the top bar.
  • Select Close Folder or Close Workspace (the option depends on whether you opened a single folder or a .code-workspace file).

• Using the Command Palette:

  • Open the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (macOS).
  • Type "close folder" and select the File: Close Folder command.
  • Alternatively, type "close workspace" and select the Workspaces: Close Workspace command if you are using a multi-root workspace.

Collapsing Folders in the Explorer View

If you have many folders and files in the Explorer sidebar and want to tidy up the view by hiding the contents of specific folders or all folders, you can collapse them. This action only affects the display in the sidebar; it does not close the project or remove anything.

VS Code provides a convenient way to collapse all folders at once.

• Using the Collapse All Button:

  • In the Explorer sidebar, look for the "Collapse All in Explorer" icon (it typically looks like two arrows pointing towards each other) in the header of the Explorer view.
  • Clicking this icon will collapse all open folders, showing only the top-level structure.

• Using the Command Palette (as referenced):

  • This option is also available via the Command Palette, making it quick to access with a keyboard shortcut.
  • Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P).
  • Search for commands related to collapsing folders. As noted in the reference, you can search for "collapse folders in Explorer".
  • Select the View: Collapse All Folders in Explorer command (or a similar command like Collapse All Sidebar Folders). Running this command achieves the same result as clicking the button.

Here's a quick comparison of the two actions:

Action	Purpose	Effect	How to Do It (Examples)
Close Folder/Workspace	Remove the project context from the window.	Window becomes empty or shows a welcome screen.	File > Close Folder, Command Palette: File: Close Folder
Collapse Folders	Clean up the file tree view in the Explorer.	Hides the sub-contents of folders in the sidebar.	Click Collapse All icon, Command Palette: Search for "collapse folders in Explorer" or View: Collapse All Folders

Understanding whether you want to close the entire project or just manage the visual display of folders in the sidebar will help you choose the correct action in VS Code.