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I know Visual Studio can auto format to make my methods and loops indented properly, but I cannot find the setting.

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    Do you mean "how do you format a block of code with a couple keystrokes"? That seems to be what the popular answers refer to (rather than "how do you auto format" ... as you type/paste/etc).
    – KevinVictor
    Commented May 31, 2019 at 15:53

28 Answers 28

Reset to default
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To format a selection: Ctrl+K, Ctrl+F

To format a document: Ctrl+K, Ctrl+D

See the pre-defined keyboard shortcuts. (These two are Edit.FormatSelection and Edit.FormatDocument.)

Note for macOS

On macOS, use the CMD ⌘ key instead of Ctrl:

  • To format a selection: CMD ⌘+K, CMD ⌘+F
  • To format a document: CMD ⌘+K, CMD ⌘+D
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    In VS2010, if you have Format document is not available... error message, please read: stackoverflow.com/q/8812741/1016891
    – tom_mai78101
    Commented Sep 10, 2014 at 3:47
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    VS2012 uses Ctrl-E,F and Ctrl-E,D
    – Christopher Wirt
    Commented May 27, 2015 at 17:33
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    I dont know why Microsoft keeps changing these. For future reference, it can be found under Edit - > Advanced -> Format Document Who knows, they're probably going to rename that menu in the next iteration.
    – Jeremy
    Commented Jun 12, 2017 at 7:23
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    Now-a-days it is Shift + Alt + F in windows, or you can find it in Command Palette ( `Ctrl + Shift + P' ) and type Format Document
    – Akash
    Commented Nov 1, 2020 at 10:20
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    In the menu Edit, there is no option "Advanced". ctrl+k, ctrl+d has no effect. ctrl+k, ctrl+f says "is not a command".
    – user0
    Commented Jan 24, 2022 at 13:20
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For Visual Studio 2010/2013/2015/2017/2019

  • Format Document (Ctrl+K,Ctrl+D), i.e. press&hold Ctrl, press&release K then tap D as it is a sequence
  • Format Selection (Ctrl+K,Ctrl+F)

Toolbar Edit -> Advanced -> Format Document (If you can't see Advanced, select a code file in solution explorer and try again) screenshot showing Visual Studio with Edit -> Advanced -> Format Document menu open Your shortcuts might display differently to mine as I am set up for C# coding but navigating via the toolbar will get you to your ones.

If it isn't working, look for errors in your code, like missing brackets which stop auto format from working

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    If you find that it isn't working, check your brackets {}, (), when it doesn't work for me, it is because there are open brackets somewhere in the file.
    – ono2012
    Commented Oct 17, 2012 at 12:35
  • Is there any way to not use a sequence of keys but just on combination of keys?
    – tbs
    Commented Jul 15, 2020 at 17:43
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    @UpulieHan I think you can edit your shortcuts Tools > Options > Environment > Keyboard > Search for "Edit.FormatDocument" ... Ctrl+Alt+; seems like an available combo for me :)
    – ono2012
    Commented Jul 17, 2020 at 11:13
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I have installed an extension named "Format document on Save" which formats the whole document every time you save it.

For installing it in Visual Studio 2015 or Visual Studio 2017, on Tools just click the "Extensions and Updates...":

Enter image description here

And then just go to "Online" at the left panel and search for "Format document on save":

Enter image description here

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    Also you can install it by visual studio market place marketplace.visualstudio.com/…
    – VMM
    Commented Mar 28, 2017 at 7:29
  • I tried it, but it looks like this issue is getting in the way. And I don't want to clean up what VS messed up while doing a cleanup.
    – S. Kalabukha
    Commented Nov 12, 2021 at 9:32
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Visual Studio 2019 & 2022

  1. Format Document, While you're holding down Ctrl button, first press K then D
  2. Format Selection, While you're holding down Ctrl button, first press K then F

or just click Edit => Advanced => Format Document / Format Selection

enter image description here

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    Why do people keep mentioning that. It clearly does nothing. Oh right, the only thing it can actually do is indent code forward. It can't reformat code backward. So if there are spaces or tabs, it can't remove them, making it almost useless except in the single case where you have typed it in anyway. I can demonstrate horrible formatting that it can't do a single thing with - and yet, is obviously re-formattable.
    – Gavin Williams
    Commented Feb 20 at 3:44
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  1. Go to menu Tools → Extensions & Updates and type "productivity" in search:

    1

  2. Install 'Productivity Power Tools 2015'

  3. Restart Visual Studio.

  4. Go to menu Tools → Options → Productivity Power Tools → Power Commands and check "Format document on save":

    2

Note: In VS2022 we don't have power commands.

  • If anyone want to have "Format document on save" and "Remove and sort using on save" install Mads Kristensen extension for VS2022 https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MadsKristensen.CodeCleanupOnSave
  • After installing this extension it will automatically "Format document on save", "Remove and sort using on save" and "Apply file header preferences".
  • If we want to customize default settings click on "Configure Code Cleanup" menu item to add/remove any available fixers. enter image description here
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  • Would have been good if it working while typing, as with VB.NET:
    – tmighty
    Commented Dec 1, 2017 at 12:41
  • have to get used to formatting every new document you edit and committing changes before you actually change the file otherwise the commits can look pretty noisy
    – smurtagh
    Commented Apr 10, 2018 at 18:53
  • Installed the extension for visual studio 2019, i don'tsee powerCommands after HTML Copy.
    – Amir Dora.
    Commented May 28, 2020 at 4:45
  • answer outdated: the extension you mentioned in now built into VS but it doesn't seem to work on .cshtml files
    – Cfun
    Commented Aug 8 at 17:17
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Follow the steps below:

  • Go to menu Tools
  • Go to Options
  • Go to the Text Editor options
  • Click the language of your choice. I used C# as an example.

See the below image:

Enter image description here

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    And once I've done this? I can't see any of those settings handle automatic indentation?
    – MrJalapeno
    Commented Jun 20, 2017 at 9:17
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    @MrJalapeno I have absolutely no idea what question I was answering here 6 years ago but 34 people have found it useful. Sorry for the confusion. I probably misinterpreted the question in which case my answer applies since there are formatting related options in my answer. In hindsight, it's safe to say the OP was looking for ctrl+k, ctrl+d.
    – Pete
    Commented Dec 7, 2017 at 3:16
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Since Visual Studio 2022 17.1 there is a built-in Feature to run code formatting on save (see Microsoft Devblogs), meaning there is no need to install extensions like "Format document on Save".

enter image description here

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    Note the merge bug has been fixed
    – kai
    Commented May 21 at 7:26
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    it doesn't seem to work on .cshtml files
    – Cfun
    Commented Aug 8 at 17:15
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You can define new key bindings by going to Tools → Options → Environment → keyboard:

Enter image description here

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On mac : Shift + Option + F

On ubuntu : Ctrl + Shift + I

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In Visual Studio 2017, 2019, 2022:

Format Document is Ctrl + E, D.

But...if you want to add the Format Document button to a tool bar do this:

  • Right click on tool bar.
  • Select "Customize.."
  • Select the "Commands" Tab.
  • Select the "Toolbar" radio button.
  • Select "Text Editor" from the pull down next to the radio button (or whatever tool bar you want the button on)

Now...

  • Click the Add Command button.
  • Categories: Edit
  • Commands: Document Format
  • Click OK
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I used to use these combinations. I automated this process on Save of a document. You can try my extension Format Document on Save.

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If you display the HTML Source Editing toolbar, there is a "Format the Whole Document" button as well.

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    I have VS13, that toolbar does not have a "Format Document" button available.
    – emcor
    Commented Feb 12, 2015 at 1:03
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    Using Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2015 Version 14.0.23107.0 D14REL there is a "Format the whole document" button on the toolbar mentioned.
    – Ian Carpenter
    Commented Jul 27, 2015 at 13:39
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The solution provided in accepted answer does not apply to Microsoft Visual Studio 2012.

In case of Visual Studio 2012, the shortcuts are:

  • For a highlighted block of code: Ctrl + K, Ctrl + F
  • For the document-wide formatting: Ctrl + K, Ctrl + D
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  • Actually it's not wrong. Both CTRL + K,F and CTRL + E,F do the exact same thing. If you go to EDIT -> Advanced, you will actually see the shortcuts listed as CTRL + E,D and CTRL + E,F. Also commenting can be done with either CTRL + K,C or CTRL + E,C. - Using VS2012 Premium with all the latest updates installed.
    – Alan006
    Commented Mar 25, 2014 at 16:49
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    @Alan006 Interesting. My installation of VS2012 Pro says Ctrl+ e,f/Ctrl + e,d are not commands.
    – Geowil
    Commented May 4, 2014 at 19:36
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    I think it might be to do with what environment/development settings you choose initially on first launch. They both work for me though, so I wont complain :D
    – Alan006
    Commented May 4, 2014 at 19:41
  • @Alan006 is right, the default environment for VS2010 and up uses the keyboard layout for "Visual Basic" (check Tools -> Options -> Keyboard). "Visual C# 2005" has slightly different keyboard bindings.
    – Bryan Way
    Commented Jul 17, 2015 at 22:01
  • This answer, even in its original revision, repeats the exact keyboard solutions already given at the time in the accepted answer: stackoverflow.com/revisions/5755979/3
    – TylerH
    Commented Jul 24 at 18:44
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In Visual Studio 2019 , "Code Cleanup" (RunDefaultCodeCleanup) is more advanced (taken from ReSharper): Ctrl + K, Ctrl + E

Options dialog box: Text Editor → C# → Code Style → Formatting

Auto formatting settings in Visual Studio

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Select the text you want to automatically indent.

Click menu Edit → Advanced → *Format Selection, or press Ctrl + K, Ctrl + F. Format Selection applies the smart indenting rules for the language in which you are programming to the selected text.

Step (1): Ctrl + A

Step (2): Ctrl + K

Step (3): Ctrl + F

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Under menu Tools → Options → Text Editor, then going to the Formatting → General section of whatever language you wish to format you will find General. Check all three formatting check-boxes.

Under menuTools → Options → Text Editor, then going to the TABS section of whatever language you wish to format you will find Indenting. Select Smart and it will activate automatic formatting whenever you use one of the closing elements ; ) } within that block.

There isn't any need for keystrokes.

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    This doesn't improve "already messed up" code while VB.NET does this.
    – tmighty
    Commented Dec 1, 2017 at 12:40
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You can add the buttons to your toolbar by clicking the little drop down arrow to the right of the last toolbar button, select "Add or Remove Buttons" and then click the buttons you want to add a tick to them. The button(s) you select will appear on your toolbar ...

enter image description here

Then you just select text and click the Increase Indent or Decrease Indent buttons. I tested this on Visual Studio 2013 only.

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Right click:

Enter image description here

It works in Visual Studio 2015, maybe earlier version.

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The original question said "I cannot find the setting."

Simple answer is: Look at top menu, then

Edit --> Advanced --> Format Document

You will also see the currently assigned key strokes for that function. Nothing special to memorize. This really helps if you use multiple developer environments on different operating systems.

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Just to further Starwfanatic and Ewan's answers, you can customise your IDE to add any button to any toolbar - so you can add the Format button (as the HTML Source Editing toolbar has) to any other toolbar (like Text Editing with all the other edit controls like increase/decrease indent).

Click the arrow to the right of the toolbar → Add or Remove Buttons → Customize... → Commands tab → button.

Document Format and Selection Format are both under the Edit group.

(Tested in Visual Studio 2010 and Visual Studio 2013)

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If it's still not working then you can select your entire document, copy and paste and it will reformat.

So ...

  • Ctrl + A
  • Ctrl + C
  • Ctrl + V

This is the only thing that I have found that works in Visual Studio Community Edition on Mac.

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In Visual Studio 2022, I use the search bar in the top menu (Feature Search) and type "fix format" then press Enter.

Of course keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+K, Ctrl+D is easier, but often I forgot it!

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You can also try the right click menu (context menu) option to format the selection of the coding document. Take a look at the below screenshot:

Enter image description here

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With the Continuous Formatting extension (commercial, developed by me), the code is formatted really automatically as you type.

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You can also use the CodeMaid Extension.

You can get the extension from Visual Studio Market Place.
Here is the link to the extension. CodeMaid

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    Can you elaborate? Please respond by editing your answer, not here in comments (without "Edit:", "Update:", or similar - the answer should appear as if it was written today).
    – Peter Mortensen
    Commented Jan 13, 2021 at 21:52
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If you can afford it (or if you're eligible for the 30-day free trial) JetBrains' ReSharper can reformat a whole project directory.

Just install → right-click a directory → select Cleanup Code from the context menu.

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In Visual Studio 2015 and 2017 for C# code.

  1. Scroll to the end of the file
  2. Remove the last "curly bracket", }
  3. Wait until the line above it shows an error
  4. Replace the "curly bracket", }
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Using VS 2017 I wanted to format web page HTML which somehow had become entirely left aligned. Even after installing Productivity Power Tools this wouldn't work.

To fix, for HTML I had to go to Tools --> Options --> Text Editor --> HTML (Web Forms) and change; Tabs Indenting = Smart and Tab = Keep Tabs.

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