Get Started
Follow the steps below to install and use the Pieces for Visual Studio Extension.
Prerequisites
Before installation, you'll need:
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PiecesOS: The main engine that powers Pieces for Visual Studio functionality. Learn more about PiecesOS.
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Visual Studio: Visual Studio is installed on your development machine.
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Windows: Visual Studio is no longer available on macOS and is exclusively designed and maintained for Windows devices.
PiecesOS must be installed to enable the Pieces for Visual Studio Extension. We also recommend the Pieces for Developers Desktop App for enhanced functionality.
Installation
Extensions
Open Visual Studio and navigate to the Extensions view in your toolbar
Search for the Pieces Extension
Search for Pieces for Visual Studio and click Install
Restart
Restart Visual Studio after installing the extension to complete the setup
Use the Pieces for Visual Studio Extension
Once you’ve restarted Visual Studio, the Pieces Account, Pieces Copilot and Pieces Drive view will automatically open as docked tabs in your Solution Explorer view
Alternatively, download the .VSIX installer from the Visual Studio Marketplace and install it manually.
Setting Up PiecesOS
To use the Pieces for Visual Studio Extension, you must install PiecesOS on your operating system.
Follow the specific setup steps below:
Recommended Installation Method
Click here to download the Pieces Suite Installer for Windows.Alternative Installation Methods
Or, you can install PiecesOS using these alternative methods—just click the link on the package that’s right for your system.
- WinGet
Paste the following command into your terminal to install the Pieces Suite via WinGet: winget install "Pieces OS"
For enhanced security and better system integration, we recommend installing the .exe version, as more security protocols recognize and accept .exe files more than .MSIX packages.
Updating
The Pieces for Visual Studio Extension will automatically update when a new version is available.
The Auto Update setting is enabled by default.
Pieces Cloud / Pieces Account
Connecting to the Pieces Cloud is optional. However, it provides additional features like data backups, shareable links, and more. You can enjoy the main functionalities of Pieces without an account.
With the Pieces for Visual Studio Extension, you can log into your account and connect to the Pieces Cloud from the Pieces Account view, a tab which can be found next to the Solution Explorer view in your IDE’s sidebar.
From here, you can click Sign In / Sign Out under the Account section, or Connect / Disconnect under the Cloud section.
Connecting your Pieces account and personal cloud lets you access a range of features, like data backups and shareable links, but is not required.
Uninstallation
To uninstall the Pieces for Visual Studio Extension, follow these steps:
Extensions
Open Visual Studio and navigate to the Extensions view in your toolbar
Search for the Pieces Extension
Search for Pieces for Visual Studio and click Install, or clicked Installed to and find the Pieces Extension in your list of installed extensions
Restart
Restart Visual Studio after uninstalling the extension to complete the uninstallation process