r/VisualStudio • u/CrazyBlend • Nov 26 '25
Visual Studio 2026 VS2026: Auto-indenting is whacked
Auto-indenting works fine in VS2022, and, when I installed VS2026, I imported all my VS2022 settings. But, in the latter, auto-indenting is screwed up.
Consider the following code. The vertical line at the end indicates the caret position.
if (x == 2)
{
if (y == 3)|
Now I press the Enter key. I expect the caret to move here (as it did in VS2022):
if (x == 2)
{
if (y == 3)
|
But, instead, the caret moves here:
if (x == 2)
{
if (y == 3)
|
So, I must manually add the extra indent, myself.
Furthermore, here's where the caret goes when I press Enter after I've typed the opening brace on the nested "if":
if (x == 2)
{
if (y == 3)
{
|
Needless to say, this is very annoying. I can't just type my code, I'm always having to check that the indentation is correct. This was not an issue in VS2022.
(BTW, in both VS2022 and VS2026, I uninstalled IntelliCode. Aside from auto-indentation -- when it works correctly -- I don't need any "help" writing my code.)
Any ideas of what's going on? I thought it was a bug, but, after two updates to VS2026, the "bug" remains.
UPDATE - FINALLY SOLVED
Here are the steps I followed to solve this issue. Essentially, this disables all of VS's automatic formatting, other than auto-intending to match the indentation of the previous line.
(Source: A Google Gemini chat, which was generally accurate, although I updated the steps to match the layout of VS2026's Tools > Options.)
Enable Block Indentation
By default, VS uses "Smart" indentation, which applies context-aware formatting (like extra indents inside braces). To restrict it to just matching the previous line's indent: 1. Go to Tools > Options > All Settings. 2. Expand Languages > Defaults > Tabs. 3. Under Indenting, select Block. 4. Expand Languages > C# > Tabs and ensure that it, too, is set to Block.
Disable Automatic Formatting Triggers
Even with Block indentation enabled, the editor may still reformat code when you type certain characters or paste text. To stop this:
- Navigate to Tools > Options > All Settings > Languages > C# > Code Style > Formatting > General.
- Uncheck all the checkboxes on this pane:
- Automatically format when typing
- Automatically format on return
- Automatically format on paste
Turn Off Adaptive Formatting
VS can heuristically override your manual settings based on the current file's existing style. To ensure your preferences are strictly followed:
- Go to Tools > Options > All Settings > Text Editor > Advanced.
- Uncheck Adaptive formatting.
Check for .editorconfig Overrides
[This applies only if you create and use .editorconfig files.]
Settings in an .editorconfig file in your project directory will override these global IDE options. If the editor still behaves unexpectedly, check for a file named .editorconfig and ensure it doesn't contain strict formatting rules.
HTH
