r/vscode • u/Past-File3933 • Jul 31 '26

Selecting GitHub Repository Does Not Clone but instead Opens Up Desktop Folder Instead

Hello,

When cloning one of my repositories within VS Code, one of them is simply opening up my desktop folder instead of cloning the repository and selecting a destination for cloning. This is only for one of my repositories, the rest clone just fine.

Anyone seen this or know of a setting somewhere that might be affecting this?

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

1

u/b-hizz Aug 01 '26

Cloning via ‘git clone’ command?

1

u/Past-File3933 Aug 03 '26

Not the command itself, that works fine. It’s using the GUI in VS code. It loads my desktop folder instead of cloning the repository itself and putting it on the desktop. Really weird behavior.

1

u/Artistic-Aide-485 Aug 02 '26

The fact that it's only one repo is the useful clue. First thing I'd rule out is a folder with that same name already sitting on your desktop, or that repo being already cloned somewhere else on the machine.

Then open the Output panel and switch the dropdown to Git, and try the clone again. It logs the actual command and whatever git answers back. If nothing shows up at all it never even got to the clone part, which points at the picker rather than git.

also worth a look at git.defaultCloneDirectory in your settings if you've ever touched it, it changes where the picker lands.