Quick Actions in Visual Studio let you easily refactor, generate, or otherwise modify your code with a single action. Quick Actions are available for C#,C++, and Visual Basic code files. Some actions are specific to a language, and others apply to all languages.

Quick Actions can be used to:

• Apply a code fix for acode analyzer rule violation
• Suppress a code analyzer rule violation orconfigure its severity
• Apply a refactoring, such asinline for a temporary variable
• Generate code, such as tointroduce a local variable

Understand Quick Action icons

Visual Studio uses several icons to indicate when Quick Actions are available. The icon type indicates whether the Quick Action is a recommendation or required fix, including refactoring:

• Screwdriver: Suggested action to improve your code.

• Yellow light bulb: Recommended action to address noncritical issues with your code.

• Error light bulb: Critical action to fix an error in your code, or apply necessary refactoring.

For any language, third parties can provide custom diagnostics and suggestions, such as part of an SDK. Visual Studio shows light bulbs based on those rules.

Find available actions

You can check your code for available Quick Actions in Visual Studio by scanning for the light bulb, screwdriver, and error light bulb:

• Move your mouse over your code and notice any Quick Action icons:

  

• Move the insertion cursor (|) into a line of code, and check for Quick Action icons in the left margin of the code editor.

You can also manually check for any available Quick Actions:

• Right-click a line of code and chooseQuick Actions and Refactorings for a list of available Quick Actions and refactoring options.

• Select Ctrl + period (.) anywhere on a line.

Apply recommendations to improve code

When Quick Actions are available, you can select the light bulb or screwdriver icon next to the applicable code.

• To see the available improvements, select the Down arrow next to the icon or use theShow potential fixes link.

  

• To apply the recommended change to your code, select the icon. You can also select Ctrl + period (.) when your cursor is on a line of code that shows an available action.

Apply actions to fix errors

If there's an error in your code, and Visual Studio has a recommended fix, you see a red squiggle under the code with the error. The error light bulb icon also displays next to the marked code.

• To see the available fixes, select the Down arrow next to the icon or use theShow potential fixes link.

  

• To apply the recommended change to your code, select the icon. You can also select Ctrl + period (.) when your cursor is on a line of code that shows an available action.

Related content

• Common Quick Actions
• Code styles and Quick Actions
• Visual Studio IntelliCode