VS Code Run Button Default Action Changes After Using Dropdown Options

[hsdsdddd]

My question is about the default behavior of the Run (triangle) button in the top-right corner of VS Code when running Python files.

Initially, clicking the Run button executes “Run Python File” by default. However, if I use the dropdown menu to select “Run Python File in Dedicated Terminal”, and then repeatedly click the Run button (after selecting it from the dropdown a few times), I notice that the default behavior changes.

Specifically, after repeating this process a few times, clicking the Run button no longer executes “Run Python File” but instead runs “Run Python File in Dedicated Terminal”.

Is this the expected behavior in VS Code, or is it caused by some configuration? Is there a way to keep the default action always as “Run Python File” without being overridden by recent selections?

[hsdsdddd]

just like this, it is supposed to default to “Run Python File.”

[Mustafo Anvarjonov (uzbcoding-Backend)]

This looks like VS Code remembering the most recently selected action from the Run button dropdown.

“Run Python File” and “Run Python File in Dedicated Terminal” are separate commands in the Python extension. After choosing the dedicated-terminal option, the Run button can keep using that command as the recent/default action.

If you always want the normal command, you can run Python: Run Python File in Terminal from the Command Palette, or use its keyboard shortcut instead of relying on the dropdown state.

It may also be worth checking whether this behavior changes after reloading VS Code. If it still keeps switching unexpectedly, it could be worth reporting as a Python extension UX/behavior issue.

[Mahdi Kordian (MahdiKordian)]

Have you tried selecting Run Python File from the dropdown again to see if the main button switches back?

Also, do you have the Code Runner extension installed? It has its own run command, so it might be worth temporarily disabling it to check whether it makes any difference.

If the issue persists, sharing your VS Code and Python extension versions could help narrow it down.

[Shantanu Joshi (theshantanujoshi)]

This is expected behavior. The Run button (triangle icon) in the top-right corner of VS Code is designed to remember your most recent selection. When you pick "Run Python File in Dedicated Terminal" from the dropdown a few times, VS Code treats that as your new preferred action and makes it the default for future clicks.

This "sticky last action" behavior is intentional and applies to several buttons in VS Code, not just the Python run button.

How to Keep "Run Python File" as the Default

Option 1: Just Re-select It

Click the dropdown arrow next to the Run button and select "Run Python File" once. It will become the default again until you change it.

Option 2: Use a Keybinding Instead

You can bind a key directly to "Run Python File" so it always does the same thing regardless of what the button shows:

1. Open Ctrl+Shift+P > Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts (JSON)
2. Add this entry:

{
    "key": "ctrl+f5",  // or whatever key you prefer
    "command": "python.execInTerminal"
}

This will always run the file in a shared terminal, no matter what the Run button currently shows.

Option 3: Use a Task Instead

You can define a custom task in .vscode/tasks.json that always runs the Python file the same way:

{
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "Run Python File",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "${command:python.interpreterPath}",
            "args": ["${file}"],
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            },
            "presentation": {
                "reveal": "always",
                "panel": "shared"
            }
        }
    ]
}

Then use Ctrl+Shift+B to run it. This bypasses the Run button entirely.

Why It Works This Way

The VS Code team designed the Run button as a "smart" button that adapts to your workflow. The idea is that if you keep choosing a specific run mode, you probably want that mode going forward. There is no setting to lock the default action permanently.

Recommendation

Option 2 (keybinding) is the most reliable approach. It gives you a dedicated shortcut that always does "Run Python File" regardless of what you last picked from the dropdown. The Run button will still change its default based on your last dropdown selection, but you can ignore it and use your keybinding instead.