VS Code Python Shift+Enter Not Working in Integrated Terminal? Update to the Pre-release Extension

Shift+Enter stopped sending Python in VS Code? It's a Python extension bug. Install the pre-release build to restore Run Selection/Line in Terminal behavior.

When Shift+Enter in VS Code suddenly stops sending Python code to the integrated terminal, it derails even the simplest workflow. The usual Run Selection/Line in Terminal becomes inert, no error, no feedback, and it looks like the terminal is fine because it still opens and activates your environment. That’s exactly what happened here: a previously smooth “Python Smart Send” flow stalled without a visible reason.

What you see in the editor

The workflow is straightforward. You open a Python file, put the cursor on a line, and send it to the terminal. Here’s a tiny snippet that’s perfect for sending bit by bit:

greeting = "hello from smart send"
print(greeting)
num_a = 2
num_b = 3
print(num_a + num_b)

On a healthy setup, sending each line or a highlighted block with Shift+Enter runs it immediately in the integrated Python terminal. In the broken state, nothing happens. The terminal still opens as usual, and on Windows it may even come up as PowerShell, running your conda activation sequence automatically:

(& C:\Users\REDACTED\AppData\Local\miniforge3\shell\condabin\conda-hook.ps1) ; (conda activate base)

Changing terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.Windows to Command Prompt doesn’t move the needle. Reinstalling VS Code and Python also doesn’t help. The integrated terminal keeps opening in PowerShell, the conda environment activates, and Shift+Enter stays silent.

Root of the problem

The behavior tracks back to the version of the VS Code Python extension. The precise trigger for the breakage isn’t clear, but the extension version was the deciding factor. Routines like checking keybindings, flipping default shells, or reinstalling the editor and interpreter don’t address it because the issue isn’t in those layers.

Based on testing, the problem was present from 2025.0.0 to 2025,13.2025082101 inclusive. There’s also a data point that the issue couldn’t be reproduced on Windows with VS Code 1.104.0-insiders, where both “run python” and “run in interactive window” worked as expected.

Fix that restores Smart Send

Switching the VS Code Python extension to a pre-release version resolves the issue. Once the extension is on a pre-release build, Shift+Enter and Run Selection/Line in Terminal return to normal behavior in the integrated terminal, even with PowerShell and automatic conda activation.

After applying the fix, the same minimal snippet runs line by line as intended:

greeting = "hello from smart send"
print(greeting)
num_a = 2
num_b = 3
print(num_a + num_b)

Why this matters

For many developers and data folks, iterative execution is the fastest way to probe state, validate assumptions, and move through a script without context switching into a full debugger or notebook. When Smart Send breaks, it impacts daily productivity far more than a cosmetic glitch. Knowing that the culprit can be the VS Code Python extension version saves hours otherwise spent chasing terminals, shells, and environment settings. It also highlights the importance of checking extension channels when a previously working workflow goes quiet.

Takeaways and practical advice

If Shift+Enter or Run Selection/Line in Terminal stops responding and your integrated terminal still opens and activates conda like before, consider the VS Code Python extension as the primary suspect. Updating to a pre-release version can restore functionality. The issue was observed across versions from 2025.0.0 to 2025,13.2025082101, while a Windows setup with VS Code 1.104.0-insiders did not reproduce the problem. Keep an eye on the extension channel you’re using, and before reinstalling tools or reshaping your terminal profiles, try switching the extension version.