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Windows Platform Guide

Vibrancy Continued supports Windows 10 and Windows 11 on both x64 and ARM64 architectures. This guide covers Windows-specific configuration, common issues, and best practices.

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Supported Versions

Supported Platforms:
  • Windows 10 (x64 & ARM64)
  • Windows 11 (x64 & ARM64)
The extension automatically detects Windows 10 specifically to enable the Acrylic blur type. Windows 11 is also fully supported with the same feature set.

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Critical Installation Steps

YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO RESIZE THE VSCODE WINDOW unless you follow these steps correctly.
By default, when Vibrancy is installed on VSCode 1.86 and newer on Windows, your VSCode windows may stop being resizable, snappable or maximizable. This is a known issue related to VSCode 1.86 and Electron 27, occurring due to hardware acceleration leading to distorted text.

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Proper Installation Process

1

Add GPU Compositing Flag

Update your VSCode shortcut to include --disable-gpu-compositing at the end of the “Target” field:
"C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe" --disable-gpu-compositing
This flag disables GPU compositing, which prevents rendering issues with the vibrancy effect.
2

(Optional) Update Shell Configuration

If you launch VSCode from the command line using code, update your shell configuration to add the same argument:
# PowerShell example
function code { & "C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe" --disable-gpu-compositing $args }
This ensures the flag is applied when VSCode isn’t already running.
3

Install Vibrancy Continued

Install the extension from the Visual Studio Code Marketplace.
4

Disable Frameless Window

Go to settings and check Disable frameless window (vscode_vibrancy.disableFramelessWindow).This setting is crucial after adding the --disable-gpu-compositing flag.
5

Reload Vibrancy

Press F1 and select Reload Vibrancy to apply the changes.

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Windows-Specific Settings

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Frameless Window Configuration

Vibrancy Continued provides two settings to control frameless window behavior on Windows:

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vscode_vibrancy.forceFramelessWindow

Always set VSCode window to use frame: false, which can sometimes solve visual rendering issues on Windows.
{
  "vscode_vibrancy.forceFramelessWindow": true
}
This setting forces the use of frameless windows, which can help with certain rendering issues.

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vscode_vibrancy.disableFramelessWindow

Disable this mitigation only if you’re running VSCode with --disable-gpu-compositing flag.
{
  "vscode_vibrancy.disableFramelessWindow": true
}
This disables the frameless window mitigation that fixes a GPU-related render bug on Windows with VSCode 1.86 and newer. You may see distorted and blurry graphics if you disable this mitigation without the --disable-gpu-compositing argument. Technical Details: The extension automatically enables frameless windows on Windows with Electron 27+ (VSCode 1.86+) to work around rendering issues. From the source code (extension/index.js:440-442): 
// On Windows with Electron >=27, always use frame (issue 122)
if (process.platform === 'win32' && electronMajorVersion >= 27) {
  useFrame = true;
}

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Acrylic Blur Type

Acrylic is a Windows 10-exclusive blur type that provides Fluent Design blur effects.
The Acrylic vibrancy type is only available on Windows 10. To use it: 
{
  "vscode_vibrancy.type": "acrylic"
}
You can also set the type to auto, which will automatically select Acrylic on Windows 10.

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Administrator Privileges

Administrator privileges are required when using the VSCode System Installer.
If you see the prompt “Run Visual Studio Code with administrator privileges”, this typically appears on Windows when you’re using the VSCode System Installer.

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How to Fix

1

Close VSCode Completely

Make sure all VSCode windows are closed, including any background processes.
2

Run as Administrator

Right-click on the VSCode shortcut and select “Run as administrator”.
3

Retry the Operation

Retry the operation you were performing (Enable/Reload/Disable Vibrancy).
The extension needs administrator access to modify VSCode’s core files when installed via the System Installer. This is a one-time requirement per update.

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Common Windows Errors

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Window Cannot Be Resized/Moved/Maximized

Error: VSCode window becomes unresponsive to resize, move, or maximize operations after enabling Vibrancy. Cause: This occurs when the frameless window mitigation is active without the GPU compositing flag. Solution: Follow the Critical Installation Steps above, specifically:
  1. Add --disable-gpu-compositing to your VSCode shortcut
  2. Enable vscode_vibrancy.disableFramelessWindow in settings
  3. Reload Vibrancy
Related Issues: #140, #122

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Window Dragging Lag (Windows 10)

Symptom: Noticeable lag when dragging the VSCode window. Cause: This is a known performance issue related to the vibrancy effect on Windows 10. Solution: See this discussion for detailed information and potential workarounds.

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Permission Denied (EPERM)

Error: EPERM: operation not permitted when enabling or disabling Vibrancy. Cause: The extension doesn’t have permission to modify VSCode files, typically when using the System Installer. Solution: Run VSCode as administrator and retry the operation. See Administrator Privileges section above.

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Files Locked During Update

Technical Note: The Windows-specific installation process includes special handling for locked files (extension/index.js:286-293): 
try {
  // if file is a directory, recurse through it and delete all files
  if (fs.lstatSync(curPath).isDirectory()) {
    fs.rmSync(curPath, { recursive: true, force: true });
  } else {
    fs.unlinkSync(curPath);
  }
} catch (err) {
  if (err.code === 'EBUSY' || err.code === 'EPERM') {
    // Skip locked files
    console.warn(`Skipping locked file: ${curPath}`);
  }
}
The extension automatically skips locked files during installation to prevent errors.

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Windows-Specific Configuration

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Terminal GPU Acceleration

For best results with the terminal, disable GPU acceleration: 
{
  "terminal.integrated.gpuAcceleration": "off"
}
This ensures the vibrancy effect works correctly in the integrated terminal.

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Custom Imports Path Format

On Windows, use forward slashes in file paths for custom imports.
{
  "vscode_vibrancy.imports": [
    "C:/Users/MyUserName/Documents/custom.css"
  ]
}
Incorrect: 
"vscode_vibrancy.imports": ["C:\\Users\\MyUserName\\Documents\\custom.css"]
Correct: 
"vscode_vibrancy.imports": ["C:/Users/MyUserName/Documents/custom.css"]

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Advanced Configuration

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Window Controls Style

On Windows, the extension automatically configures the window controls style when enabled (extension/index.js:95-96): 
if (osType === 'win10' && controlsStyleExists && enabled) {
  await vscode.workspace.getConfiguration().update("window.controlsStyle", "custom", vscode.ConfigurationTarget.Global);
}
This ensures proper integration with Windows 10/11 window controls.

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Native Module Installation

The extension includes prebuilt native modules for Windows that are automatically copied during installation (extension/index.js:320-338): 
// Copy native modules for Windows
const nativePrebuiltDir = path.resolve(__dirname, '../native/prebuilt');
if (fs.existsSync(nativePrebuiltDir)) {
  fs.readdirSync(nativePrebuiltDir).forEach((file) => {
    const srcPath = path.join(nativePrebuiltDir, file);
    const destPath = path.join(runtimeDir, file);
    
    try {
      fs.copyFileSync(srcPath, destPath);
    } catch (err) {
      if (err.code === 'EBUSY' || err.code === 'EPERM') {
        console.warn(`Skipping locked file: ${srcPath}`);
      }
    }
  });
}

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Troubleshooting Checklist

If you’re experiencing issues on Windows:
1

Verify GPU Flag

Ensure --disable-gpu-compositing is in your VSCode shortcut.
2

Check Frameless Window Setting

Confirm vscode_vibrancy.disableFramelessWindow is enabled.
3

Run as Administrator

If using System Installer, run VSCode as administrator.
4

Disable Terminal GPU Acceleration

Set terminal.integrated.gpuAcceleration to "off".
5

Reload Vibrancy

Press F1 and run Reload Vibrancy command.
6

Restart VSCode

Completely restart VSCode after making changes.

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