Go to the VS Code Download Page and select the Windows ZIP or Linux TAR.GZ version. Do not use the standard "User" or "System" installers, as they do not support portable mode.

The (e.g., VS 2022) is too deeply integrated into the Windows Registry and system components to be truly portable. While some users attempt "portable" workarounds using symlinks ( mklink ), these methods are fragile and often only redirect a portion of the files. Best Workarounds for Full Visual Studio Portable mode - Visual Studio Code

A portable, self-contained version of Visual Studio that allows developers to work on projects from anywhere, without the need for a dedicated development machine.

Since an official portable version does not exist, developers use the following workarounds: