VS Code 1.119 shipped May 6, 2026 (with a 1.119.1 security patch shortly after). The release focuses on agent observability, browser interaction, and reducing interruptions.
OpenTelemetry tracing for agent sessions
This is the standout feature for anyone running agents in production or debugging agentic workflows. Enable it with two settings:
"github.copilot.chat.otel.enabled": true,
"github.copilot.chat.otel.otlpEndpoint": "http://localhost:4318"
Traces follow GenAI semantic conventions. Each agent request produces an invoke_agent root span with nested child spans: chat, execute_tool, and execute_hook. Token usage is reported per request — including cache read and cache creation counts.
Works with the local agent, Copilot CLI background agent, and the Claude agent. Any OTLP-compatible backend accepts the traces — the Aspire Dashboard standalone works well for local development.
Agents can now access browser tabs
Agents can request access to your integrated browser tabs — but it’s not automatic. You have to explicitly share a tab via the context picker, drag-and-drop, or suggested context. There’s a sharing button in the browser to revoke access. When an agent tries to open a new tab on the same domain as an already-open (unshared) tab, VS Code prompts you to reuse the existing tab instead.
Optimized token usage
An experimental lightweight model now handles agent todo-list management, keeping that housekeeping off the more expensive primary model. Reduces token burn on tasks that don’t need full reasoning capacity.
Trust & security
Fewer interruptions: VS Code 1.119 reduces prompts for network access requests and temp folder writes by agents. The 1.119.1 patch addresses specific security issues — worth updating if you haven’t.
Markdown preview quick-swap
Small but useful: you can now quickly swap the current editor to Markdown preview without navigating away.
VS Code Agents (Insiders preview)
The redesigned agent session UI — new repo picker (local/repos/remote), sub-session improvements, web + mobile polish, progress animations — is available in Insiders at insiders.vscode.dev/agents.
Full changelog: code.visualstudio.com/updates/v1_119.
