VS Code: New Claude Code tab ignores active editor group/column

Resolved 💬 3 comments Opened Mar 20, 2026 by madongwen-cpu Closed May 26, 2026

Description

When opening a new Claude Code session via Cmd+Shift+Esc or Claude Code: Open in New Tab, the new tab always opens in a fixed position (e.g., the first editor group) instead of the currently focused/active editor group.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Split the editor into 2+ columns (e.g., Cmd+\)
  2. Click on the empty right column to focus it
  3. Open a new Claude Code tab (Cmd+Shift+Esc or Command Palette → Claude Code: Open in New Tab)
  4. The new Claude Code tab opens in the left column, not the focused right column

Expected Behavior

The new Claude Code tab should open in the currently active editor group (the focused column), consistent with how VS Code opens other editor tabs.

Actual Behavior

The new tab always opens in a fixed editor group regardless of which group has focus. Users must manually drag the tab to the desired column after creation.

Context

This is particularly inconvenient when running multiple Claude Code sessions side-by-side, as users need to drag tabs around every time they create a new session.

Environment

  • macOS (Darwin 25.3.0)
  • VS Code with Claude Code extension

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