VS Code 1.85 JavaScript IntelliSense Dead: Real Fix

You update Visual Studio Code to 1.85, open a JavaScript file, and suddenly the autocomplete is silent. You type document. and nothing pops up. No suggestions for getElementById, no console.log hints, nothing. The status bar might even show the TypeScript language server as running, but that's a lie. This usually happens right after the update, sometimes after reopening a project folder. You didn't change any settings, didn't touch your jsconfig.json — it just broke.

The root cause is a known regression in VS Code 1.85 that affects how the built-in TypeScript language server handles JavaScript files. The update changed something in the way the server caches project diagnostics, and it ends up stuck in a state where it thinks your file is fine but won't emit any suggestions. Microsoft patched it in later versions, but if you're stuck on 1.85, you need to force the language server to restart and clear its cache.

Step-by-Step Fix

1. Close all JavaScript and TypeScript files. Seriously, close every tab that has a .js, .ts, .jsx, or .tsx extension. This forces the language server to stop working on those files.
2. Open the Command Palette. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac).
3. Type “TypeScript: Restart TS Server”. You'll see it in the list. Click it or press Enter. Wait a few seconds. You'll see a little notification at the bottom right that says “Restarting TS server…” and then it disappears.
4. Reopen your JavaScript file. Double-click it in the Explorer. Give it a second — the suggestions should start appearing as you type. If they do, you're done.

That fixes it for most people. But if you're still staring at an empty suggestion list, move on to the next step.

Clear the Cache Manually

Sometimes the restart isn't enough because the language server's cache is corrupt. Here's how to wipe it clean.

1. Close VS Code completely. Not just the window — make sure the process is fully exited. On Windows, check the system tray for the VS Code icon and quit from there. On Mac, press Cmd+Q.
2. Open your user folder. This is where VS Code stores its data. The path depends on your OS:
   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Code
   • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Code
   • Linux: ~/.config/Code
3. Find the Cache folder. Inside the Code folder, there's a subfolder called Cache. Delete that entire folder. Don't worry, VS Code rebuilds it on next launch. It's just temporary data.
4. Also delete the CachedData folder. It's right next to Cache. Delete it too. This one holds compiled versions of the editor's own code, so it's safe to remove.
5. Restart VS Code. Open a JavaScript file and test. The suggestions should be back.

If you're on a corporate machine and can't delete folders, try the next fix instead.

Switch to the JavaScript Language Features Extension

VS Code ships with a built-in extension called JavaScript and TypeScript Nightly? No, that's a separate one. The one you want is JavaScript Language Features. It's what powers IntelliSense for JS. Sometimes after an update, this extension gets disabled without you knowing. Here's how to check it.

1. Open the Extensions view by pressing Ctrl+Shift+X (or Cmd+Shift+X on Mac).
2. In the search box, type @builtin JavaScript.
3. Look for JavaScript Language Features. It should be listed as “Enabled”. If it says “Disabled”, click the “Enable” button.
4. If it's already enabled, click the gear icon and choose “Disable”, then immediately click the gear icon again and “Enable”. This forces a reload of the extension.

After doing that, restart VS Code (just reload the window with Ctrl+Shift+P and type “Reload Window”). Test your JavaScript file again.

Still Broken? Check Your Settings

If none of that worked, you might have a setting that's overriding the language server. Open your Settings (Ctrl+, or Cmd+,) and search for javascript.suggest.enabled. Make sure it's checked. Also look for editor.quickSuggestions and confirm it's set to on for strings, comments, and other. Sometimes an update flips these to off.

One more thing: check if you have any extensions installed that might conflict — like older versions of ESLint or JSDoc generators. Disable all extensions by running Developer: Disable All Extensions from the Command Palette, then test. If IntelliSense works with extensions off, re-enable them one by one until you find the culprit. Then either update or remove that extension.

Last Resort: Downgrade to 1.84

If you're still stuck, and you're not on a managed environment, you can downgrade back to 1.84.2. That version didn't have this bug. Go to the VS Code releases page, download the 1.84.2 installer, and install it over your current version. Your settings and extensions will stay. It's not a permanent fix (you'll want to update eventually), but it gets you working today.

In short: restart the TS server, clear the cache, re-enable the built-in JS extension, check your settings, and if all else fails, downgrade. That order has saved me more than once.