# Change default Settings view

The default Settings view is a UI that sits on top of a JSON file. While the UI is helpful for finding things, it makes it hard to see all your settings at once. For this reason, I set the default Settings view to JSON.

![](https://707761804-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LlvtEHKkq5bvzPq1pJ4%2F-LlvtJMfPaOZK9HU1qdu%2F-Llw_rkFL7bhaZpcM7Ax%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=4516e998-398f-4ad4-b044-26c6c97e7714)

The JSON view shows you every setting you have customized. To make this the default Settings view\...

* Open Settings (**Cmd/Ctrl + ,**)
* Search for "default settings"
* Change the "Workbench > Settings: Editor" to "json"

![](https://707761804-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LlvtEHKkq5bvzPq1pJ4%2F-LlvtJMfPaOZK9HU1qdu%2F-LlwaCLDBvzJWgR4sNPF%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=8f069608-850c-432d-9c89-ad52a1ee8cc9)

If you find that you like the search functionality of the Settings UI (as I sometimes do), you can map a keyboard shortcut that will open that view. I map mine to **Cmd/Ctrl + Opt/Alt + ,**. It's very similar to the default Settings shortcut (**Cmd/Ctrl + ,**), but with the Option/Alt modifier key thrown in.

* Open the Command Palette (**Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P**)
* Select "Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts"

![](https://707761804-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LlvtEHKkq5bvzPq1pJ4%2F-LlvtJMfPaOZK9HU1qdu%2F-LlwbCgxGt53zdlcZ83F%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=7c5308da-1ab0-4323-9838-4da17a343d72)

* Search for "open settings"
* Select "Preferences: Open Settings (UI)

![](https://707761804-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LlvtEHKkq5bvzPq1pJ4%2F-LlvtJMfPaOZK9HU1qdu%2F-LlwbP274ktIzkz73z3W%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=add2166a-e2b3-421e-bb9b-39990e5b813f)

* Press the **Cmd/Ctrl + Opt/Alt .+ ,** all together

![](https://707761804-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LlvtEHKkq5bvzPq1pJ4%2F-LlvtJMfPaOZK9HU1qdu%2F-LlwbfEYmh6NJrPdDCaG%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=aa597f94-a51d-4752-b271-415a66f91498)