Explorer File Filter

A tiny VS Code extension that adds a Filter button to the Explorer toolbar — right next to Collapse Folders — so you can filter the file tree with one click instead of hunting for a keyboard shortcut.

It's the button that should have been there by default. Nothing to configure — it just works.

What it does

• Adds a 🔍 Filter button to the Explorer view title bar (after the Collapse Folders icon).
• Clicking it focuses the Explorer and opens its built-in filter, which prunes the tree to matching files as you type.

How it works

1. A new Filter button appears in the Explorer toolbar — right after Collapse Folders:

2. Click it and the filter opens instantly:

3. Type, and the tree narrows to matching files:

Press Esc to clear and close the filter.

Why

VS Code can already filter the Explorer tree — when the Explorer is focused you can open the filter with Ctrl+Alt+F (Windows/Linux), ⌥⌘F / Cmd+Alt+F (macOS), or F3 — but that shortcut is hidden and many people never discover it. This extension surfaces the same filter as an obvious toolbar button, exactly where you'd expect to find it.

Filter mode

So the filter prunes the tree (rather than only highlighting matches), the extension sets the built-in setting workbench.list.defaultFindMode to filter the first time it runs. This is a standard VS Code setting that applies to tree filters — you can change it back at any time in Settings.

Troubleshooting

The Filter button disappeared from the Explorer toolbar?

VS Code lets you hide toolbar buttons (through the … menu, or by right-clicking them). If the Filter button gets hidden, re-checking it in the … menu only returns it to the overflow menu — it won't re-pin to the toolbar. To bring the icon back:

Right-click any Explorer toolbar icon (or the Explorer title bar) → "Reset Menu".

That restores the default toolbar, Filter button included. This is standard VS Code behavior and applies to every toolbar button, not just this one.

Install

• Marketplace: search for Explorer File Filter in the Extensions view, or install from the Visual Studio Marketplace.
• From a .vsix: download the latest from Releases and run Extensions: Install from VSIX….

License

MIT © Erwin Mayer