How to Replacing iTerm2’s Password Manager in VS Code

Here is the fast track to setting up a secure, native, and searchable password picker directly inside VS Code using macOS Keychain.

Password Copy Screen

Step 1: Save Secrets to macOS Keychain

Run these commands in your terminal to save your passwords securely. The -U flag updates the password if the item already exists.

security add-generic-password -a "$USER" -s "dev-pass" -w "dev123" -U
security add-generic-password -a "$USER" -s "db-pass" -w "database789" -U
security add-generic-password -a "$USER" -s "git-pass" -w "token_xyz" -U

Step 2: Configure the Searchable Dropdown

Open the Command Palette (Cmd ⌘ + Shift + P), select Preferences: Open User Tasks, and paste this JSON. This creates a hidden task that copies the selected keychain password to your clipboard.

{
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "Get Saved Password",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "security find-generic-password -s '${input:passwordChoice}' -w | pbcopy",
            "presentation": {
                "reveal": "never",
                "echo": false,
                "focus": false,
                "panel": "dedicated",
                "showReuseMessage": false,
                "close": true
            }
        }
    ]…