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There are a few different ways to use the Settings Switcher extension, but first you must:
-
Download and install the add-on for Visual Studio 2017.
- Download and install version 1.3 for Visual Studio 2012, 2013 and 2015.
- Make sure that the Settings Switcher toolbar is visible.
Once you have the Settings Switcher toolbar available, choose any of the following common procedures:
Click the 
button at any time to export the current settings to a new or existing .vssettings file. The new settings will automatically appear in the list as the selected item.
- Simply select a settings file from the toolbar's drop-down list and its settings are applied immediately.
- If there's an active solution, press the
button to format all files with the current settings.
- Open an existing solution for which you want to associate specific settings.
- Select the settings that you want from the toolbar's drop-down list and they will be applied immediately.
- When you close the solution or Visual Studio, the current settings are associated with the solution.
- The next time that you open the solution its associated settings are applied automatically.
- Open an existing solution for which you want to associate specific settings.
- Click the
button to export the current settings into a new settings file, Solution_Name.vssettings. It will be placed next to the solution file, Solution_Name.sln, and added to the solution.
- If the solution already has a settings file, then it will be replaced.
- Any time a solution with a solution settings file is opened, its associated settings are applied automatically.
Tip: Check the solution's settings file into source control to share it with other developers.
Tip: Before checking in the solution's settings file, you'll probably want to edit it in Visual Studio's XML editor to remove settings that you don't want to share; e.g., the locations and states of docked windows. various build and environment settings, third-party extensions' settings, etc. Typically, you'll only want to include specific language settings, such as C# formatting rules.
The first time that you open a solution that has a solution settings file, its settings are automatically applied.
You can override these settings by selecting another settings file from the toolbar's drop-down list.
When a solution is closed or Visual Studio is closed, the currently selected settings are associated with the solution. The associated settings are applied automatically whenever the solution is opened.
This feature is enabled by default, but it can be disabled in Tools > Options > Settings Switcher. See Options below for details.
Note: Settings Switcher associates a solution with a settings file by writing the path of the selected .vssettings file to the solution's .suo file. This only occurs if the selected settings file is not the solution's .vssettings file. The solution's .suo file is not typically checked into source control because it's intended for personal preferences only. This feature allows you to override the solution's settings file without modifying it and without affecting other developers. It's also recommended that you create a solution settings file and check it into source control along with your solution. That way you can share common settings with other developers.
An options page is available to configure the Visual Studio Settings Switcher.
Tools > Options > Settings Switcher.
Indicates whether exporting the current settings overwrites the selected settings file or prompts to enter a file path. The default value is false.
Indicates whether the currently selected settings file is associated with the active solution and is automatically applied whenever that solution is opened. The default value is true.
Note: The solution settings file is unaffected by this option. If this option is set to false, then the settings from a solution settings file are still applied when then solution is opened, if the file exists.