Visual Studio Collapse Expand Shortcuts Guide

The primary shortcut to collapse all code sections in Visual Studio IDE is Ctrl + M + O, while Ctrl + M + L expands all sections. These keyboard combinations work across different code elements including methods, classes, namespaces, and #region blocks, providing quick navigation and organization of large code files.

Contents

• Visual Studio IDE Shortcuts
• Visual Studio Code Shortcuts
• Alternative Methods and Mouse Controls
• Customizing Code Folding Settings
• Practical Examples and Use Cases

Visual Studio IDE Shortcuts

In Visual Studio (the main Microsoft IDE), the default keyboard shortcuts for collapsing and expanding all code sections are:

Collapse All Code

• Ctrl + M + O: This is the primary shortcut to collapse all code sections, including methods, properties, namespaces, and regions
• Ctrl + M + M: Toggles between collapsed and expanded states for the current selection

Expand All Code

• Ctrl + M + L: Expands all collapsed code sections back to their full view
• Ctrl + M + P: Alternative shortcut to expand all sections

According to the Microsoft Learn documentation, “You can also select Ctrl+M+M to collapse and expand code.” This feature is part of Visual Studio’s outlining functionality that helps manage large code files.

These shortcuts work consistently across different programming languages and project types in Visual Studio, making them essential tools for developers working with extensive codebases.

Visual Studio Code Shortcuts

For Visual Studio Code (the standalone code editor), the shortcuts differ from the main Visual Studio IDE:

Collapse All Code

• Ctrl + K, Ctrl + 0: Collapses all foldable regions in your code at once
• Ctrl + K Ctrl+[: Folds (collapses) all subregions recursively

Expand All Code

• Ctrl + K, Ctrl + J: Unfolds (uncollapses) all regions
• Ctrl + K Ctrl+]: Unfolds all subregions recursively

The Data School explains that “Pressing Ctrl+K, 0 collapses all foldable regions in your code at once. Your code structure will instantly fold, leaving a clean and compact view.”

Alternative Methods and Mouse Controls

Context Menu Options

In both Visual Studio IDE and VS Code, you can use the mouse to access collapse/expand functions:

1. Visual Studio IDE: Right-click in the code editor and select “Outlining” options
2. Visual Studio Code: Mouse over the area just to the right of the line numbers to see collapse/expand controls
3. Search Results: In VS Code, use the “Toggle Collapse/Expand” button to collapse search results

Region-Specific Commands

• Collapse to Definitions: Ctrl+M, Ctrl+O (collapses all methods, properties, and regions to their definitions)
• Collapse Block Comments: Specific commands are available for folding comment sections

The Visual Studio Tips website confirms that “Where you see braces or regions in code, you can collapse or expand them with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + M, P to expand or Ctrl + M, O to collapse.”

Customizing Code Folding Settings

Visual Studio IDE Settings

You can customize code folding behavior through:

1. Tools → Options → Environment → Fonts and Colors
2. Look for “Collapsible Region” in the Display items list
3. Adjust the highlighting color for better visibility in different color schemes

Visual Studio Code Settings

To enable or customize code folding in VS Code, add these to your settings.json:

{
  "editor.showFoldingControls": "always",
  "editor.folding": true,
  "editor.foldingStrategy": "indentation"
}

As mentioned in the DEV Community article, “VS code should also have this settings enabled in VS Code JSON settings” for optimal code folding functionality.

Practical Examples and Use Cases

When to Use Collapse All

1. Large File Navigation: Quickly scan through thousands of lines of code
2. Code Review: Focus on method signatures and class structures rather than implementations
3. Debugging: Collapse unrelated code sections to concentrate on the problematic area
4. Presentation: Clean up code views during demos or code reviews

Step-by-Step Workflow Example

1. Open a large C# or VB.NET file in Visual Studio
2. Press Ctrl + M + O to collapse all code sections
3. Navigate through the collapsed structure using the outline
4. Expand specific sections by clicking the + icons or using Ctrl + M + L
5. Use Ctrl + M + M to toggle individual sections

The Stack Overflow community confirms that “CTRL + M + O will collapse all. CTRL + M + L will expand all” and mentions that “There some options in the context menu under Outlining” for additional functionality.

Sources

1. Microsoft Learn - Collapse and Expand Regions of Code
2. Stack Overflow - Command to collapse all sections of code
3. Visual Studio Tips - Expand/Collapse All
4. The Data School - Mastering Code Folding in VS Code
5. DEV Community - VS Code: Collapse-and-Expand
6. Daily .NET Tips - Expand and Collapse Code Blocks

Conclusion

Mastering code collapse and expand shortcuts in Visual Studio significantly improves productivity when working with large codebases. The Ctrl + M + O combination for collapsing all sections and Ctrl + M + L for expanding them are essential tools for every Visual Studio developer. For Visual Studio Code users, Ctrl + K, Ctrl + 0 and Ctrl + K, Ctrl + J provide equivalent functionality. These shortcuts, combined with mouse controls and customizable settings, offer flexible code navigation that adapts to different development scenarios and personal preferences. Practice using these shortcuts to streamline your coding workflow and maintain better overview of complex projects.