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Settings unexpectedly appearing in the settings.json file #1118
Description
Eleanor reported an issue where certain settings are unexpectedly added to settings.json, for example:
{
"python-envs.defaultEnvManager": "ms-python.python:system",
"python-envs.defaultPackageManager": "ms-python.python:pip",
"python-envs.pythonProjects": []
}
I was able to reproduce the issue using the following steps:
- Open a workspace.
- Ensure
python.useEnvironmentsExtensionis set to true or that the env extension is active. - Open the Command Palette and run “Python: Select Interpreter” or click the interpreter in the status bar.
- Select a System Python interpreter (choose the global Python install).
- Check User Settings, notice
python-envs.defaultEnvManager: "ms-python.python:systemandpython-envs.pythonProjects: []are added.
Will move onto investigating the root cause next.
Activity
netopsengineer commentedon Jan 23, 2026
I can confirm that I too saw this behavior today in Code-Insiders, in my case an interpreter was selected previously, it was removed, and those settings were newly added in my
settings.jsonand un-staged in Git. No messages, questions, or actions were taken by me that I am aware of, my project was simply open in the background for a few hours, and returned with the changes and my linters lighting up the Problems panel (as they were missing an environment now).Enhance environment manager settings updates to avoid unnecessary wri…