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- Medium\u00a0<\/strong>– Balanced reasoning and speed, and usually the default. A solid fit for typical coding tasks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- High\u00a0<\/strong>– Deeper reasoning for complex problems. Reach for it when\u00a0you’re\u00a0staring down a tricky algorithm, an architecture decision, or a bug that\u00a0won’t\u00a0let go.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Extra High\u00a0and\u00a0Max<\/strong>\u00a0– The most reasoning some models offer, for the gnarliest problems where you want the model to leave nothing on the table.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Which levels\u00a0show up\u00a0depends on the model\u00a0you’ve\u00a0picked, so the list you see is tailored to what that model\u00a0actually supports. A few models\u00a0don’t\u00a0expose\u00a0a thinking\u00a0control at all, and\u00a0that’s\u00a0fine too:\u00a0they’ll\u00a0show a dash and keep working as they always have.<\/p>\n
Set it where you already work<\/h2>\n
Setting it is quick. Open the model picker and click\u00a0Manage models\u00a0to bring up the expanded model management window, then adjust the thinking level for each model from there.<\/p>\n
![\"Manage](\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/visualstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/07\/model-picker-manage-models-option.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIn the management view, thinking effort sits in its own column, next to each model’s capabilities, context size, and cost.\u00a0So\u00a0the same place you go to compare models is now the place you tune how they think. Pick a model, glance at what it can do and what it costs, and set how hard it should work, all in one pass.<\/p>\n
- Extra High\u00a0and\u00a0Max<\/strong>\u00a0– The most reasoning some models offer, for the gnarliest problems where you want the model to leave nothing on the table.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- High\u00a0<\/strong>– Deeper reasoning for complex problems. Reach for it when\u00a0you’re\u00a0staring down a tricky algorithm, an architecture decision, or a bug that\u00a0won’t\u00a0let go.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n