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Configuring a default editor in GitHub Desktop

You can configure GitHub Desktop to open files in your project with your preferred text editor or integrated development environment (IDE).

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In this article

Introduction

GitHub Desktop provides support for a number of editors, and also allows you to select a custom editor if your preferred editor is not supported. If you installed an editor while GitHub Desktop was open you will need to quit and reopen GitHub Desktop in order for the editor to be detected.

Supported editors

Configuring a default editor

  1. In the menu bar, select GitHub Desktop, then click Preferences.

    Screenshot of the menu bar on a Mac. Under the open "GitHub Desktop" dropdown menu, the cursor hovers over "Preferences", which is highlighted in blue.

  2. In the Preferences window, select Integrations.

    Screenshot of the "Preferences" window. In the left sidebar, the "Integrations" option is highlighted in blue and outlined in orange.

  3. Under "External Editor", use the dropdown menu to select the editor you want to set as your default.

  4. Click Save.

  1. Use the File menu, then click Options.

    Screenshot of the "GitHub Desktop" menu bar on Windows. In the expanded "File" dropdown menu, the "Options" item is highlighted with an orange outline.

  2. In the Options window, select Integrations.

    Screenshot of the "Options" window. In the left sidebar, the "Integrations" option is highlighted in blue and outlined in orange.

  3. Under "External Editor", use the dropdown menu to select the editor you want to set as your default.

  4. Click Save.

Configuring a custom editor

  1. In the menu bar, select GitHub Desktop, then click Preferences.

    Screenshot of the menu bar on a Mac. Under the open "GitHub Desktop" dropdown menu, the cursor hovers over "Preferences", which is highlighted in blue.

  2. In the Preferences window, select Integrations.

    Screenshot of the "Preferences" window. In the left sidebar, the "Integrations" option is highlighted in blue and outlined in orange.

  3. Under "External Editor", use the dropdown menu to select Configure Custom Editor.

    Screenshot of the "Preferences window. Under "External Editor", the dropdown menu is displayed with "Configure Custom Editor" highlighted in blue and outlined in orange.

  4. Click Choose to open the system dialog to navigate to the path of your custom editor.

  5. Under "Arguments", enter any arguments you would like to use after the "%TARGET_PATH%" variable. Reference supporting documentation for your custom editor to ensure you have the arguments set correctly, as invalid arguments can prevent the editor from launching in GitHub Desktop.

  6. Click Save.

Opening a repository in the default editor

To open the current repository in the default editor, you can use the menu bar:

  1. In the menu bar, select Repository.
  2. Click Open in default editor

If you want to open another repository in the default editor, you can use the repository list.

  1. In the upper-left corner of GitHub Desktop, to the right of the current repository name, click .
  2. Right-click the repository, then click Open in default editor.

Tip: You can use the Shift+Command+A keyboard shortcut to open a repository in the default editor.

Tip: You can use the Ctrl+Shift+A keyboard shortcut to open a repository in the default editor.

Opening a file in the default editor

  1. Navigate to the "Changes" tab in the left sidebar.
  2. Double-click on the file, or right-click on the file and select Open in default editor.