Microsoft launches Visual Studio 2026 Insiders with built-in AI, new design, and improved performance

Microsoft has announced the release of Visual Studio 2026 Insiders Preview, calling the program the most ambitious development of its flagship IDE (Integrated Development Environment). It is the biggest update to Visual Studio since 2021 and it adds artificial intelligence directly into the daily work of developers. Microsoft promises a significant increase in productivity for large projects and offers a revamped interface of the program.

Along with the release, the company introduced the Insiders Channel, which replaces the previous Preview Channel and allows developers to get early access to new features and monthly updates. Visual Studio 2026 can be installed alongside previous versions. Visual Studio 2022 users can also import their settings and get started right away.

According to Microsoft, Visual Studio 2026 has artificial intelligence "woven" into the rhythm of coding. The IDE helps you navigate new repositories, offers typical tests, synchronizes documentation with code, and adapts inserted snippets to the style of the project. In addition, code review starts with built-in tips for correctness, performance, and security before opening a pull request.

Additionally, solution opening, code navigation, branch switching, compilation, and run (F5) are all significantly faster. The improvements are noticeable even in large codebases and work on both x64 and Arm64.

Visual Studio 2026 also features a cleaner visual language, updated iconography, clearer indentation, and new themes. Managing extensions is easier, and personalizing your environment is faster and more accessible.

Microsoft promises monthly updates to Insiders with new AI capabilities, performance and design improvements. The release comes with Copilot Free, which allows you to use the full potential of AI in Visual Studio 2026.