VSCode Python Terminal Stops Mid-Line Remote Windows Fix

vscode python interactive output in a vs code remote session most commonly stalls because the Python extension’s terminal-activation logic or the remote VS Code Server mishandles ANSI/control sequences or shell integration, producing progressive slowdowns and mid-line hangs. Quick checks that fix this for many people: disable “Python: Terminal: Activate Environment”, switch the integrated shell to PowerShell/pwsh, update the Python extension and VS Code, and test the same prints in an external shell to isolate whether the problem is the extension, the terminal, or the remote host. If those don’t help, collect VS Code remote logs and open an issue with the ms-python team.

Contents

• Why the VSCode Python terminal stops mid-line (vs code remote)
• Most likely causes
• Quick fixes — terminal python vscode
• Diagnostic steps and reproducible tests
• Workarounds & longer-term fixes
• When to file a bug and what to include
• Sources
• Conclusion

Why the VSCode Python terminal stops mid-line (vs code remote)

You’re seeing the exact pattern reported by several users of remote Windows Server sessions: terminal output slows progressively and then stops part-way through a line or block of prints. The most consistent explanations in the issue reports are problems in the Windows terminal integration combined with the Python extension’s “activate environment” behavior—these can emit control/ANSI sequences or run activation code that interacts poorly with the remote pty and renderer, causing cumulative delays and eventual stalls (reports: GitHub issues describing the same behavior #110270 and #25713). Other reports tie similar freezes to extension activation on remote hosts and to compatibility issues between webviews/extensions and the remote VS Code Server (#14236, remote-release discussion #376).

So what’s actually happening under the hood? Roughly: VS Code (client) sends text to the remote terminal (pty); the Python extension sometimes runs shell activation scripts or emits ANSI sequences; the remote pty or the client-side renderer slows down while processing those sequences; after a while the pipeline blocks and output appears to stop until a user action (keypress, new terminal, etc.) nudges it. That behavior matches your symptom where output resumes only after user interaction.

Most likely causes

• Python extension “Activate Environment” interacting with the terminal

• Why: activation scripts insert text, run shell commands, or emit control characters when each Run Selection/Line action attaches to the terminal.

• How to check: temporarily disable the activation behavior (see Quick fixes).

• Evidence: multiple reports where disabling activation stops the progressive slowdown (#110270, #25713).

• Shell/pty/rendering differences (cmd.exe vs PowerShell vs pwsh)

• Why: different shells and terminal backends handle ANSI and control sequences at different speeds; cmd.exe historically shows worse behavior for heavy or repeated control sequences.

• How to check: switch default integrated shell to PowerShell or pwsh and retry.

• Remote VS Code Server / incompatible extension on the remote host

• Why: certain extensions (or their webviews) don’t run well remotely and can hang the remote server or block terminal I/O.

• How to check: disable remote extensions and test; consult remote troubleshooting docs (Remote Development Tips) and the remote-release issue #376.

• Blocking or interactive code

• Why: code that reads stdin or starts a GUI (e.g., VPython) will hold the terminal and make it look frozen. Some libraries claim control of the terminal/tty and can stop normal streaming of output.

• How to check: run a minimal print loop (below) and see if the behavior reproduces in pure stdout contexts; see the VPython-related freeze report on StackOverflow for similar symptoms.

• GPU/hardware-acceleration / Electron rendering oddities

• Why: on some systems Electron/Chromium acceleration causes terminal rendering issues under heavy output.

• How to check: try disabling hardware acceleration or start VS Code with --disable-gpu. A community post documents a similar fix (example: Medium writeup).

• Python output buffering or environment variables

• Why: when Python isn’t running in an interactive tty or when buffering is enabled, output can be delayed until buffers are flushed.

• How to check: run with unbuffered output (python -u) or add flush=True to prints.

• OS-level interference (AV/EDR, RDP session quirks)

• Why: security tools or remote-display/desktop policies on servers can interfere with process I/O or slow the terminal.

• How to check: reproduce the same script in a simple external terminal on the server (not via VS Code) and check for differences.

Quick fixes — terminal python vscode

Try these in order; each is low-effort and has fixed the issue for many users.

1. Reproduce outside VS Code first

• Open an external remote shell (PowerShell or cmd) on the Windows Server (RDP or native console) and run:
• python -c “for i in range(100): print(i)”
• If the external terminal is fine, the problem is almost certainly the VS Code terminal/extension stack. See the remote troubleshooting guide for this exact test: Remote Development Tips.

2. Disable Python terminal activation

• Settings UI: open Settings (Ctrl+,) → search “Activate Environment” → set “Python: Terminal: Activate Environment” to None / off.
• settings.json (example):
• “python.terminal.activateEnvironment”: false
• Why this helps: it prevents the extension from injecting activation commands or ANSI sequences into the integrated terminal; this is the most frequently successful quick fix reported on GitHub (#110270).

3. Switch the integrated shell to PowerShell / pwsh

• Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) → “Terminal: Select Default Profile” → choose PowerShell or pwsh, then create a new terminal.
• Many reports show PowerShell handles the activation/control sequences more reliably than cmd.exe.

4. Update VS Code + Python extension

• Make sure you’re on the latest stable VS Code and the latest ms-python extension; some remote/terminal issues were fixed in newer releases (check the python extension issue list: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python/issues).

5. Run the file instead of sending lines

• Use “Run Python File in Terminal” or start a fresh REPL in the terminal and paste in code; sometimes the “Send Selection/Line” path triggers repeated activation actions that running the file does not.

6. Try with extensions disabled on the remote

• Disable other remote extensions (or reload without extensions) to rule out a conflicting plugin (see remote-release discussion #376).

7. Toggle hardware acceleration

• Try “Help → Toggle Hardware Acceleration” in VS Code (or start VS Code with --disable-gpu). Community posts suggest this helped in some freezing cases (example article linked in Sources).

8. Force unbuffered Python output as a diagnostic

• Run python -u or set PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1, or print with flush=True to see whether buffering is masking the problem.

9. If your code uses GUI/graphics libraries (e.g., VPython), avoid the integrated terminal

• Run such programs in an external terminal or run headless mode; see the VPython integrated-terminal freeze discussion on StackOverflow.

Quick test snippet (paste into a .py file and try both Shift+Enter and Run File):

# test_prints.py
import time
for i in range(200):
 print(i, flush=True)
 time.sleep(0.01)

If this runs cleanly in an external shell but stalls in VS Code, focus on steps 2–6.

Diagnostic steps and reproducible tests

If quick fixes don’t work, gather reproducible data before filing a bug.

1. Create a minimal repro

• Small script (like the test_prints.py above) that reliably reproduces the freeze in your environment.

2. Capture VS Code output channels and logs

• View → Output → pick channels: “Python”, “Remote - SSH” (if using SSH), “Remote Server”, and “Extension Host”.
• Open Developer Tools (F1 → “Developer: Toggle Developer Tools”) and copy console errors.

3. Check the remote server side

• Run the same script in the server’s native shell to confirm whether the issue is VS Code-specific.
• Look at server resources (CPU, memory) and any Event Viewer logs that coincide with the freeze.

4. Note configuration and versions to include in a report

• VS Code version (you shared: 1.108.0 and full build string).
• Python version (3.11.4).
• Remote OS and build (Windows_NT x64 10.0.17763 — Windows Server 2019).
• Default shell (cmd / PowerShell / pwsh) and value of “Python: Terminal: Activate Environment”.
• List of installed extensions (especially remote ones and anything with webviews).
• Exact reproduction steps and which actions restore output (keypress, new terminal, etc.).

5. Try safe-mode reproduction

• Launch VS Code without extensions or disable them in the remote window and re-test. If the freeze disappears, re-enable extensions one-by-one to find the offender.

Collect these logs and reproduction steps before opening an issue; they speed triage massively.

Workarounds & longer-term fixes

• Use the Interactive Window / Jupyter for exploratory runs

• The Interactive window bypasses the integrated terminal for execution and often avoids terminal-specific issues.

• Keep Python extension and VS Code updated

• The ms-python team and VS Code remote team sometimes release fixes for terminal and remote hangs; updating is low-effort and high-reward.

• Make activation implicit but not automatic

• If disabling activation fixes the freeze but you still want the venv active, add an explicit activation command in a project task or your terminal profile so the extension doesn’t inject activation repeatedly.

• File a well-instrumented bug

• If none of the quick fixes or workarounds are acceptable, open an issue with the ms/vscode-python repo (see where similar bugs were tracked: #110270, #25713). Include the logs and repro.

• Monitor remote environment changes

• If your server gets an OS or security tool update, test again—sometimes EDR or endpoint agents change behavior and affect terminals.

When to file a bug and what to include

File an issue against the Python extension (or the Remote extension if you see remote-server errors). Include:

• A minimal, reproducible script and exact steps (how you press Shift+Enter, which command you use).
• The VS Code version and the full commit string (you provided that — keep it).
• The extension list and Python extension version.
• Remote OS and build: Windows Server 2019 (10.0.17763).
• Which shell you use and the exact setting for “Python: Terminal: Activate Environment”.
• Output of the relevant VS Code Output channels and the Developer Tools console log.
• What you tried (disable activation, switch shell, run externally, disable extensions, toggle HW accel).
• A short gif or video showing the terminal slowing and stopping is very helpful.

Submit the issue at the ms-python repo (or the remote-release repo if logs point to VS Code Server), reference related issues so maintainers can connect the dots.

Sources

• microsoft/vscode-python issue #25713
• microsoft/vscode-python issue #110270
• microsoft/vscode-python issue #14236
• How I Fixed My VS Code Terminal Freezing Issue (Medium)
• Remote Development Tips and Tricks (VS Code docs)
• VS Code Integrated Terminal frozen after executing VPython Program (StackOverflow)
• microsoft/vscode-remote-release issue #376

Conclusion

For vscode python running in a vs code remote Windows Server session the most common and practical fixes are: turn off the extension’s terminal activation, switch the integrated shell to PowerShell/pwsh, update VS Code + the Python extension, and reproduce the problem in an external shell to isolate the fault. If those steps don’t fix it, collect the logs described above and file a focused issue with the ms-python or remote teams — include your small repro, settings, and the remote logs so engineers can trace whether the problem is the extension, the VS Code Server, or the server environment.