Feedback Edit

How to: Locate and organize project and item templates

  • Article
  • 2 minutes to read

Applies to: yesVisual Studio noVisual Studio for Mac noVisual Studio Code

Template files must be placed in a known location in order for them to be shown in the new project and new item dialog boxes..

Locate templates

Installed templates and user templates are stored in two different locations.

Installed templates

By default, templates installed with Visual Studio are located in:

  • %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\<edition>\Common7\IDE\ProjectTemplates\<Language>\<Locale ID>

  • %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\<edition>\Common7\IDE\ItemTemplates\<Language>\<Locale ID>

For example, the following directory has the Visual Basic item templates for English (LCID 1033):

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\Common7\IDE\ItemTemplates\VisualBasic\1033

  • %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\<edition>\Common7\IDE\ProjectTemplates\<Language>\<Locale ID>

  • %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\<edition>\Common7\IDE\ItemTemplates\<Language>\<Locale ID>

For example, the following directory has the Visual Basic item templates for English (LCID 1033):

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\ItemTemplates\VisualBasic\1033

User templates

If you add a compressed (.zip) file that includes a .vstemplate file to the user template directory, the template appears in the new project and new item dialog boxes. By default, user templates are located in:

  • %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Visual Studio 2019\Templates\ProjectTemplates

  • %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Visual Studio 2019\Templates\ItemTemplates

For example, the following directory has user project templates for C#:

  • C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Visual Studio 2019\Templates\ProjectTemplates\Visual C#

  • %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Visual Studio 2022\Templates\ProjectTemplates

  • %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Visual Studio 2022\Templates\ItemTemplates

For example, the following directory has user project templates for C#:

  • C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Visual Studio 2022\Templates\ProjectTemplates\Visual C#

Tip

You can change the known location for user templates in Tools > Options > Projects and Solutions > Locations.

See also