code.visualstudio.com is the official download page for Microsoft's Visual Studio Code, a free and open-source code editor used by millions of developers worldwide. Unlike many software download sites, this one is directly operated by Microsoft, which means no third-party bundling or malware risk. The site has been online for over 11 years, uses strong encryption, and includes both privacy and terms pages. If you are wondering 'is code.visualstudio.com a scam', the answer is no. It is as legitimate as it gets for software downloads. There are not many user reviews for a download page like this, but the evidence speaks for itself: clean blacklists, proper security protections, and Microsoft's own infrastructure. For developers looking to download VS Code, this is the only safe source.
In plain English
This is the official Microsoft site for Visual Studio Code, and it shows. Security is excellent, the domain has been around for over a decade, and the privacy and terms pages are in place. You can confidently download the software here.
Where the score comes from
Microsoft has configured strong security protections including modern encryption and browser safeguards. This is exactly what you'd expect from a major software download site.
While the subdomain doesn't have its own WHOIS record, the parent domain visualstudio.com is a well-known Microsoft property. The certificate and branding confirm this is an official Microsoft site.
This site has been consistently present on the web for over a decade with no history of abuse or blacklisting. That's a strong signal of legitimacy.
The homepage focuses on the product download rather than company details, which is typical for a software product site. Social media links provide additional channels.
Both a privacy policy and terms of service are available, which covers the key legal documents needed for a site that collects some user data (e.g., downloads).
The infrastructure is professionally hosted on Microsoft's own network with fast load times and proper DNS setup. DNSSEC isn't enabled but that's common and not a concern here.
What we checked
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