Settings | Research Workflow Guidebook

Start with command names

Before binding keys, learn the command names you actually use:

build LaTeX project
view PDF
SyncTeX from cursor
clean auxiliary files

The Command Palette is the fastest place to discover which commands deserve a shortcut.

Open the keyboard shortcuts view first. This is the cleanest place to see what VS Code already exposes before you add anything new.

VS Code Command Palette showing Preferences Open Keyboard Shortcuts

Then filter the list to LaTeX Workshop commands so the actions you care about are easier to compare.

VS Code Keyboard Shortcuts filtered to LaTeX Workshop commands

Promote repeat actions

Once the daily loop is clear, turn the most repeated actions into keyboard shortcuts.

Two or three good bindings are usually more valuable than a long keymap you cannot remember.

If the list is still too broad, search for one exact command before binding it. The screenshot below shows one command-focused search example.

VS Code Keyboard Shortcuts view filtered to one environment-related LaTeX Workshop command

After choosing the command, enter the key combination you actually want to remember. The important step is picking a repeat action first, then adding the key.

VS Code Keyboard Shortcuts view with one command selected for keybinding entry

A good example is SyncTeX from cursor, because it is useful often enough to justify a shortcut in a long manuscript.

VS Code Keyboard Shortcuts view showing LaTeX Workshop SyncTeX from cursor command

Find your settings files

Start from the Command Palette and open your user settings. This keeps the first changes explicit and easy to undo.

VS Code Command Palette showing Preferences Open User Settings

If you prefer to inspect the settings files directly, first locate the VS Code Code/User folder for your operating system. The screenshot below shows the Windows location. The path where it lives depends on your operating system:

Windows: %APPDATA%\Code\User
macOS: $HOME/Library/Application Support/Code/User
Linux: $HOME/.config/Code/User

Windows File Explorer opened to the VS Code Code User folder

Inside that folder, confirm where settings.json and keybindings.json live so you know what file you are editing. You can use the settings.json and keybindings.json files from the default document pack.

Default document pack

Windows File Explorer showing settings and keybindings files inside the VS Code user folder

Useful defaults

The most practical early settings are:

Inside Settings, narrow the view to LaTeX Workshop before you start changing values. This keeps you focused on the settings that actually affect the writing loop.

VS Code Settings filtered to LaTeX Workshop extension settings

keep PDF preview behavior stable
choose a clear cleanup policy
avoid experimental recipes until the default recipe works

Example settings

Add these entries to your settings.json file, or merge them into the existing object if the file already has settings.

{
  "latex-workshop.latex.autoBuild.run": "onSave",
  "latex-workshop.view.pdf.viewer": "tab",
  "latex-workshop.latex.clean.enabled": true,
  "latex-workshop.latex.recipe.default": "lastUsed"
}

Confirm that saving a file behaves as expected, PDF preview opens in the place you want, and cleanup does not remove files you still need.