Complete LaTeX Setup Guide for Windows with VS Code

This guide will help you set up a complete LaTeX environment on Windows with MiKTeX, VS Code, and automatic formatting with latexindent.

Prerequisites

Windows 10/11
Package manager (Chocolatey, Winget, or Scoop)
VS Code (or install it during this process)

Step 1: Install MiKTeX

Choose one of the following methods:

Option A: Using Winget (Recommended)

winget install MiKTeX.MiKTeX

Option B: Using Chocolatey

choco install miktex -y

Option C: Using Scoop

scoop install miktex

Step 2: Update MiKTeX and Configure

Open a new terminal and update MiKTeX:

miktex packages update

Or use MiKTeX Console (GUI):
- Open MiKTeX Console from Start menu
- Go to "Updates" tab and install all updates
- In Settings > General, set "Package installation" to "Always install missing packages on-the-fly"

Step 3: Install Strawberry Perl

latexindent requires Perl. Install Strawberry Perl:

winget install StrawberryPerl.StrawberryPerl

Important: Close and reopen your terminal after installation!

Step 4: Configure Perl Environment

If you have multiple Perl installations, you might need to prioritize Strawberry Perl:

Check which Perl is being used:

where perl
perl --version

If the wrong Perl is being used, temporarily set the correct path:

set PATH=C:\Strawberry\perl\bin;C:\Strawberry\c\bin;%PATH%

Step 5: Install Required Perl Modules

Install the modules needed by latexindent:

cpan YAML::Tiny
cpan File::HomeDir
cpan Log::Log4perl
cpan Log::Dispatch

Step 6: Install MiKTeX Packages

Install the required LaTeX packages:

miktex packages install latexindent
miktex packages install latexmk

Step 7: Create latexindent Wrapper Script

Create a directory for scripts (if it doesn't exist):

mkdir C:\dev\scripts

Create C:\dev\scripts\latexindent.bat:

@echo off
C:\Strawberry\perl\bin\perl.exe "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\MiKTeX\scripts\latexindent\latexindent.pl" %*

Add the scripts directory to your PATH:

setx PATH "%PATH%;C:\dev\scripts"

Note: Close and reopen your terminal after this step!

Step 8: Install and Configure VS Code

Install VS Code (if not already installed):

winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode

Install LaTeX Workshop extension:

code --install-extension James-Yu.latex-workshop

Step 9: Configure VS Code Settings

Open VS Code settings (Ctrl+,), click the JSON icon in the top right, and add:

{
  "editor.wordWrap": "on",
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  
  // LaTeX Workshop configuration
  "latex-workshop.latex.tools": [
    {
      "name": "latexmk",
      "command": "latexmk",
      "args": [
        "-synctex=1",
        "-interaction=nonstopmode",
        "-file-line-error",
        "-pdf",
        "%DOC%"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "latex-workshop.latex.recipes": [
    {
      "name": "latexmk",
      "tools": [
        "latexmk"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "latex-workshop.view.pdf.viewer": "tab",
  "latex-workshop.latex.clean.fileTypes": [
    "*.aux",
    "*.bbl",
    "*.blg",
    "*.idx",
    "*.ind",
    "*.lof",
    "*.lot",
    "*.out",
    "*.toc",
    "*.acn",
    "*.acr",
    "*.alg",
    "*.glg",
    "*.glo",
    "*.gls",
    "*.fls",
    "*.log",
    "*.fdb_latexmk",
    "*.snm",
    "*.nav",
    "*.dvi"
  ],
  "latex-workshop.latex.autoBuild.run": "onSave",
  
  // LaTeX formatting configuration
  "latex-workshop.formatting.latex": "latexindent",
  "latex-workshop.formatting.latexindent.path": "latexindent",
  "latex-workshop.formatting.latexindent.args": [
    "-c", "%DIR%/", "%TMPFILE%", "-y=defaultIndent: '%INDENT%'"
  ],
  
  // Language-specific formatting settings
  "[latex]": {
    "editor.defaultFormatter": "James-Yu.latex-workshop",
    "editor.formatOnSave": true
  },
  "[json]": {
    "editor.defaultFormatter": "vscode.json-language-features"
  },
  "[jsonc]": {
    "editor.defaultFormatter": "vscode.json-language-features"
  }
}

Step 10: Test Your Setup

Create a test file test.tex:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}

\begin{document}
\title{LaTeX Test}
\author{Your Name}
\maketitle

\section{Introduction}
This is a test document.

\subsection{Math Test}
Here's an equation:
\begin{equation}
E = mc^2
\end{equation}

    \begin{itemize}
\item First item
        \item Second item
    \item Third item
\end{itemize}

    \begin{enumerate}
  \item One
      \item Two
   \item Three
    \end{enumerate}

\end{document}

Open the file in VS Code
Save it (Ctrl+S) - it should auto-format the indentation
Build it (Ctrl+Alt+B) - it should create a PDF

Troubleshooting

Issue: `latexindent` not found

Make sure Perl is in your PATH: perl --version
Check if latexindent works directly: C:\Strawberry\perl\bin\perl.exe "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\MiKTeX\scripts\latexindent\latexindent.pl" --version
Ensure C:\dev\scripts is in your PATH: echo %PATH%

Issue: Multiple Perl installations conflicting

Check which Perl is being used: where perl
Temporarily override PATH: set PATH=C:\Strawberry\perl\bin;%PATH%
Or uninstall conflicting Perl installations

Issue: LaTeX packages missing

Enable automatic installation in MiKTeX Console
Or install manually: miktex packages install <package-name>

Issue: "LaTeX formatter is set to 'none'"

Ensure your settings.json includes: "latex-workshop.formatting.latex": "latexindent"
Restart VS Code after changing settings

Additional Tips

Keep MiKTeX updated regularly:
```
miktex packages update
```
For manual formatting in VS Code:
- Right-click and select "Format Document"
- Or use keyboard shortcut: Shift+Alt+F
View LaTeX Workshop output for debugging:
- View → Output → Select "LaTeX Workshop" from dropdown

Common LaTeX packages you might want to install:

miktex packages install amsmath amssymb graphicx hyperref babel geometry

References

Last updated: January 2025 Tested on: Windows 11, MiKTeX 24.1, VS Code 1.85+, LaTeX Workshop 10.0+

Foadsf/latex-windows-vscode-setup.md