Visual Studio IntelliCode is Microsoft’s AI boost for Visual Studio and VS Code. It is an upgrade to IntelliSense that turns classic code autocomplete into context-aware suggestions. This guide explains what IntelliCode is, why thousands of Visual Studio and VS Code users leave it on by default, and how it stacks up against other AI code completion tools.
What is IntelliCode?
IntelliCode is Microsoft’s AI assistant for Visual Studio and VS Code. It extends traditional IntelliSense by learning from high-quality open-source projects and from the code you’re writing right now. So it can:
- Prioritize the next symbol you’re likely to type rather than listing everything alphabetically.
- Suggest entire lines or method overloads that match your immediate context.
- Adapt on the fly as you refactor, nudging you toward patterns it sees in your own edits.
For Visual Studio users, IntelliCode ships out of the box; simply start typing. VS Code users can add the same intelligence with a quick Marketplace installation and continue coding exactly as they already do, just faster.
Key Features to Use
Whole-line completions
You type the first few tokens; IntelliCode offers the rest of the statement inline. You can simply accept it by pressing Tab/Right Arrow key and keep moving. It’s quick, readable, and surprisingly accurate for common patterns.
Starred completion lists
The completion list is reordered to surface the APIs you’re most likely to call next, each marked with a ★ icon, cutting time spent hunting through long member lists.
Argument & overload hints
When an API has multiple overloads, IntelliCode highlights the one that fits your in-scope types and recent edits, so you stop scrolling through tooltip pages.
AI-assisted repeated edits
Make the same structural change two or three times, and IntelliCode proposes the rest everywhere the pattern appears. This is ideal for API migrations, signature changes, or consistent logging wrappers.
Broad language coverage
Visual Studio
C# (starred + whole-line), C++, XAML, SQL.
VS Code
Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, Java.
Editor-native UX
IntelliCode lives inside the existing IntelliSense pop-up and inline hinting. No new windows, commands, or workflows to learn.
Who is Using IntelliCode?
- Every Visual Studio 2022 developer. The feature is installed and enabled by default, so ranked C# completions and whole-line suggestions appear the moment you start typing.
- API platform crews doing broad signature changes lean on Repeated Edits to propagate the same changes across dozens of files in seconds.
- Data/ML engineers in VS Code get AI-ranked completions for Python and JavaScript/TypeScript without leaving their favorite editor.
- Polyglot product teams combine C# backends in Visual Studio with TS/JS frontends in VS Code. IntelliCode speeds both sides of the stack.
What Makes IntelliCode Unique?
- It doesn’t replace IntelliSense-it enhances it: IntelliCode keeps the same completion list you’re used to. It just moves the most likely choices to the top (marked with a ★) and, when it’s confident, shows a grey inline preview of the entire line.
- Inline, latency-free help: Suggestions appear exactly where you type. No extra panels, no multi-line dumps.
- Refactor assist on autopilot: Change a pattern twice, and Repeated Edits offers to apply it everywhere. No regex, no custom analyzer required.
- Built-in compliance: Because IntelliCode is part of Visual Studio and an official VS Code extension, it respects your existing proxies, credentials, and security policies out of the box.
Pricing
Free (included)
- IntelliCode costs $0.
- It is built into Visual Studio 2022 and available as a free extension for VS Code.
- No per-seat add-on required. Microsoft Learn+1
IDE license (if needed)
- If your team uses paid editions of Visual Studio (Professional/Enterprise), IntelliCode is still included; your cost is the IDE license.
- Visual Studio Community remains free for eligible non-enterprise use.
Optional add-on
- For some C++ scenarios, Microsoft recommends pairing with GitHub Copilot, which is a separate, paid subscription (optional).
IntelliCode delivers intelligent code completion at no additional cost. Most teams pay only for their chosen IDE, if applicable.
Conclusion
For teams already living in Visual Studio or VS Code, IntelliCode is the most seamless way to add AI-assisted completion. It keeps the familiar IntelliSense UI, but:
- lifts the right symbols to the top,
- finishes entire lines when the intent is obvious, and
- propagates repetitive edits across your codebase.
Turn IntelliCode on (or install the VS Code extension), keep your tests handy, and let the editor handle the boilerplate while you focus on the logic that really matters.
