Downloading Visual Studio Code

Go to:  https://code.visualstudio.com/, and press “Download for Windows”

Once downloaded, click the VSCodeUserSetup download (can be found in your downloads if you lost it) to begin the installation process.

1. License Agreement: Make sure “I accept the agreement is selected”, then press Next.
2. Select Destination Location: Choose an installation location, the default is a good choice, so press Next.
3. Select Start Menu Folder: Again, the default option is often a good choice. Press Next.
4. Select Additional Details: If you prefer your IDE on your desktop, select “Create a desktop icon. Press Next.
5. Ready to Install: This screen allows you to review your installation settings. Click “Install” to begin the installation.
6. Completing the Visual Studio Code Setup Wizard: The installation has complete, select “Finish”.

Alternatively, you can also install Visual Studio Code from the Microsoft Store.

Installing PlatformIO IDE

1. From within Visual Studio Code, select “Extensions” from the left sidebar (Ctrl + Shift + X) .
2. In the search bar, enter “PlatformIO IDE”
3. When you see the extension, click “Install”. The icon looks like an orange insect face.
4. Once installed, a new icon will appear in the left sidebar. This is the PlatformIO Tab where you can access the Project Tasks and Quick Access tabs.

Using PlatformIO

There are 2 ways to use Platform IO. You can use the PlatformIO Project Task Tab for quick project setup, or import an existing folder containing the platformio.ini file.

Using the Project Task Tab