VS2022: How to exclude fonts from setting synchronization? Bonus: finer-grained setting sync in general

Question

I am running VS17.7.2, the same Pro ed. on both my main workstation and on my notebook. I would like to keep settings in sync on both machines via the MS Account. However, synchronizing font sizes is out of question. I have a 27" 5K monitor¹ on one and a 15" 4K panel on the other, . And I'm slightly myopic, just ‒1. Thus, I set font sizes on the notebook 1 to 3 point smaller, as I'm naturally closer to the screen. Take glasses off, and increase your screen real estate area by the factor of ×1.5. Both screens are set to 200% scaling—this is a good size, and produces the crispest typography across wide range of apps.² I'm happy with that, and uhappy with other scale factors, so tweaking this isn't a solution.

I found only one setting, but it's all-or-nothing: a checkbox in the Tools/Options... dialog, on the Environment/Accounts page. Either synchronize a predefined set, or synchronize nothing. That's a real bummer: I can't use it, I need to keep smaller fonts on the little 15" screen, larger on the desktop! Still, I turned the 'Net inside out, and found no information on this. Zilch. Nada. Nyet. Nothing at all.

However, the section starts with the two tantalizing words “By default...”

Question: how to set up the synchronization setting not “by default,” so that everything but Environment/Fonts and colors from this list is excluded? There must be a way, otherwise who'd waste expensive ink writing these two words?

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Oh, and to set the communication register right and straight, in case the answer exist: My first Windows was Windows 3.0, and my first VC was VC6.0 (switched from DOS Borland C), and I'm cozily comfortable with registry or config file tweaks etc. If there is a way to control synchronization, a short answer up to the point and with explanation is much preferred to a “magic recipe.” What I mean is,

• ✅“1. Add a REG_DWORD value to the key X. This value is a bitmask that controls Y. Bit Z disables synchronization of fonts. Other bits control these exclusions: bit 0x0002 excludes A, bit 0x0004 excludes B...”✅
• ❌ …is much preferable to “1. Press Win-R, type "regedit" (without the quotes) and click on the OK button. Be very extremely solemnly super-duper careful when editing the registry, and follow these magic steps exactly!“.❌ :-) Of course I do backup the keys or files before mauling them.⁴

Thanks! Sheesh, terseness has never been among my virtues, sorry.

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¹ For Macs, Thunderbolt video only. No, LG don't make them anymore, so eBay's your uncle. Really high PPI monitors for PC desktops isn't a thing, albeit they're nearly standard on higher-end notebooks. And you get addicted to their crispiness! So why not make them for PC desktops, then, you ask? Because marketing!

² E.g.: Modern native apps; native apps with The Long History; native apps written by Very Busy Folks who had no time to read MS guidelines; Multiplatform GTK native apps; Store UWP1 apps; Store UWP2 apps; MAUI apps... Maybe in Windows 13... or 17… they all look chick, but for now, it's either 100% or 200%, lest half of your programs set the text reminiscing the '80 and X Windows…

³ 'Cus I'm a typography OCD freak aficionado.

⁴ And worst come worst, do the grandfather full-diff-inc backup of all machines to a NAS with a lazy upload from NAS to a cloud bucket.

Answer 1

Hello @Cy 'kkm' K'Nelson,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

I’m afraid, currently, there are no separate options which control to customize that which setting needs to be synchronized with account which not.

There’s a similar suggestion thread(for VS 2019): Account Synchronization Options Needed which is under review. I may suggest you submit a new ticket on our Developer Community about this feature.

Besides, do you consider exporting and importing Visual Studio settings(Tools > Import and Export Settings… > Export selected environment settings/import select environment settings)?

Best Regards,

Tianyu

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