Feature Request: Add 'Select All Open Tabs' context button in VS Code extension (like GitHub Copilot)

Resolved 💬 3 comments Opened May 9, 2026 by preciousfocus Closed May 13, 2026

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

  1. Click the attach/context + button in the chat input
  2. See an option: Open Editor Tabs (lists all currently open files, with a Select All checkbox)
  3. 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.

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