Editors guide · 4 min read
How to format JSON in VS Code
Four ways to pretty-print JSON in VS Code — built-in command, Prettier, keyboard shortcut, and CLI. Plus fixes for 'format document' not working.
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1 Method 1 — Built-in Format Document
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2 Method 2 — Keyboard shortcut
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3 Method 3 — Format on Save
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[object Object]4 Method 4 — Prettier (recommended for teams)
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5 Fix: 'Format Document' does nothing
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Frequently asked questions
Can I format JSON with 4-space indentation?
Yes. Open settings, search for "tab size", and set **Editor: Tab Size** to 4. Or add `"editor.tabSize": 4` to your settings.json for JSON files specifically.
How do I format JSON with comments (JSONC)?
VS Code treats `.jsonc` files specially — same formatter, comments preserved. Change the file's language mode (bottom-right corner) to `JSON with Comments` if auto-detection fails.
Does this work for JSON embedded in other files (HTML, Markdown)?
Partially. The built-in formatter only formats whole-file JSON. For embedded JSON, select the JSON block and run "Format Selection" — if your embedded language grammar supports it, it'll work.
What about formatting JSON from the command line?
Use `jq . input.json` or `python -m json.tool input.json`. Both are installed on most dev machines already.