How do you auto format code in Visual Studio?

Question

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

Answer 1

I used to use these combinations. I automated this process on Save of a document. You can try mine extension Format Document on Save

Answer 2

For Visual Studio 2010/2013/2015/2017

• Format Document (Ctrl+K,Ctrl+D) so type Ctrl+K, AND THEN Ctrl+D as it is a sequence
• Format Selection (Ctrl+K,Ctrl+F)

Toolbar Edit -> Advanced (If you can't see Advanced, select a code file in solution explorer and try again)

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

Answer 3

Just to further Starwfanatic and Ewan's answers above. 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 > Add Command... button.

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

(Tested in VS2010 and VS2013)

Answer 4

Follow the steps below:

• Go to 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:

Answer 5

Cut/Paste of a section is another quick way (and easy to remember).

Answer 6

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 ...

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