Feature Request: Add 'Select All Open Tabs' context button in VS Code extension (like GitHub Copilot)
Feature Request
Summary
Add a one-click button in the Claude Code VS Code extension that lets users select all currently open editor tabs as context for a prompt — exactly like GitHub Copilot's context picker.
Current Behavior
To provide multiple open files as context to Claude Code, users must manually type or paste each file path one at a time. On a large project with 10-20 open files this takes 10+ minutes and is extremely frustrating.
Desired Behavior
When clicking the + (attach) button in the chat input, show an option such as:
- Add all open tabs — selects every file currently open in VS Code as context in one click
- Optionally: a multi-select list of open tabs so the user can pick a subset quickly
Why This Matters
GitHub Copilot already does this. When you click the + (attach) icon in Copilot Chat, it gives you an option to select from all currently open editor tabs with a single action. This makes multi-file workflows fast and frictionless.
In Claude Code today, there is no equivalent. Users working on large codebases — where a single feature touches 5-15 files simultaneously — are forced to add files one by one, which is a significant UX regression compared to competing tools.
Proposed UX
- Click the attach/context + button in the chat input
- See an option: Open Editor Tabs (lists all currently open files, with a Select All checkbox)
- One click and all open files are added as context
Environment
- Claude Code VS Code Extension
- Compared against: GitHub Copilot Chat (VS Code)
Impact
This is a critical usability gap for professional developers working on large projects. It directly affects the daily workflow efficiency of paying users.
This issue has 3 comments on GitHub. Read the full discussion on GitHub ↗