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Change the Work Items page experience

Azure DevOps Services | Azure DevOps Server | Azure DevOps Server 2022 | Azure DevOps Server 2020

Visual Studio 2019 | Visual Studio 2022

Visual Studio 2019 and later versions allow you to switch between the default and legacy views of the Team Explorer Work Items page. The default view aligns with the web portal's Boards > Work Items page, offering a modern and consistent interface for managing work items. The legacy view retains the familiar layout from previous versions of Visual Studio, supporting users who prefer the traditional Work Items page experience.

Important

We strongly recommend using the default view as it provides the latest features and aligns with the Azure DevOps web experience. Microsoft no longer enhances the legacy view and expects to remove it in a future release of Visual Studio.

Why choose the default view

The default view offers several advantages over the legacy experience:

  • Modern interface: Features an updated, streamlined design that improves productivity
  • Feature parity: Includes the latest Azure DevOps features and capabilities
  • Consistent experience: Matches the web portal interface, reducing context switching
  • Better performance: Optimized for faster loading and improved responsiveness
  • Future-proof: Receives ongoing updates and new feature additions

Prerequisites

Before you switch between work item views in Visual Studio 2019, ensure you meet the following requirements:

Category Requirements
Permissions - To view, follow, and edit work items: View work items in this node and Edit work items in this node permissions set to Allow. By default, the Contributors group has these permissions. For more information, see Set work tracking permissions.
- To add tags to work items: Project-level Create new tag definition permission set to Allow. By default, the Contributors group has this permission.
Access levels - Project member.
- To add new tags to work items or to view or follow pull requests: At least Basic access.
- To view or follow work items: At least Stakeholder access. For more information, see About access levels.
- All project members, including members in the Readers group, can send emails containing work items.

Note

  • Provide Stakeholder access to members who want to contribute to the discussion and review progress. These members typically don't contribute to code, but want to view work items, backlogs, boards, and dashboards.
  • By default, all Contributors and Stakeholders in public projects can add new and existing tags. In private projects, Stakeholders can only add existing tags. To control the ability to create new tags, set the Create tag definition permission at the project level. For more information, see Change project-level permissions.

Note

  • Provide Stakeholder access to members who want to contribute to the discussion and review progress. These are typically members who don't contribute to code, but want to view work items, backlogs, boards, and dashboards.
Category Requirements
Tools Visual Studio 2019 or later versions with the latest updates.
Extensions Team Explorer extension enabled in Visual Studio.
Connection Active connection to your Azure DevOps project.

Work item views comparison

Visual Studio provides flexibility in how you interact with work items by offering two distinct views:

Feature Description Benefits
Web portal consistency Mirrors the Boards > Work Items page in Azure DevOps Familiar interface across platforms
Modern interface Updated design with improved usability Enhanced productivity and user experience
Latest features Access to newest Azure DevOps capabilities Stay current with platform updates
Performance optimizations Faster loading and better responsiveness Improved development workflow

Legacy view (Deprecated)

Feature Description Considerations
Traditional layout Maintains the Work Items page from earlier Visual Studio versions Limited feature updates
Familiar interface Consistent with previous Visual Studio experiences might lack newer capabilities
Transition support Helps users migrate from older versions Temporary solution during migration

Warning

The legacy view is deprecated and will be removed in future Visual Studio releases. Plan to transition to the default view to ensure continued access to work item management features.

Switch work item views

To switch between the default and legacy views of the Work Items page in Visual Studio:

Method 1: Using the toggle switch

  1. Open Visual Studio and connect to your Azure DevOps project.

  2. Navigate to View > Team Explorer in the Visual Studio menu.

  3. In Team Explorer, select Work Items to open the Work Items page.

  4. Look for the toggle switch at the top of the Work Items page:

    • Select Switch to Legacy View to use the traditional interface
    • Select Use Default View to return to the modern interface

Method 2: Using Visual Studio options

  1. In Visual Studio, navigate to Tools > Options.

  2. Expand Source Control and select Team Explorer.

  3. Find the work item view settings and select your preferred option.

  4. Select OK to apply the changes.

  5. Restart Team Explorer or reconnect to your project to see the changes.

Troubleshooting view switching

If you experience issues when switching between views:

Common problems and solutions

Issue Possible Cause Solution
Toggle not visible Visual Studio needs updates Update to the latest Visual Studio 2019 version
View doesn't change Cache or connection issues Restart Visual Studio and reconnect to your project
Features missing Using legacy view Switch to default view for full feature access
Performance issues Outdated Visual Studio version Update Visual Studio and Azure DevOps extensions

Verification steps

  1. Check Visual Studio version: Ensure you're using Visual Studio 2019 version 16.6 or later
  2. Verify connection: Confirm you're connected to your Azure DevOps project
  3. Update extensions: Check for and install any available Azure DevOps extension updates
  4. Clear cache: Clear Visual Studio cache if switching doesn't work properly

Best practices for work item management

When using either view, consider these best practices:

Workflow optimization

  • Use queries: Create and save custom queries for frequently accessed work items
  • Organize work: Use tags, area paths, and iteration paths to organize work effectively
  • Batch operations: Use bulk edit features for efficient work item management
  • Stay synchronized: Regularly refresh to see the latest updates from team members

Team collaboration

  • Follow work items: Use the follow feature to stay informed about important items
  • Use discussions: Leverage work item discussions for team communication
  • Share queries: Share useful queries with team members for consistent reporting
  • Document processes: Maintain team documentation for work item workflows

Migration from legacy to default view

If you're currently using the legacy view, plan your migration:

Preparation steps

  1. Familiarize yourself: Explore the default view in a test environment first
  2. Train team members: Ensure your team understands the new interface
  3. Update documentation: Revise any team processes that reference the legacy view
  4. Test workflows: Verify that your current workflows work in the default view

Migration timeline

  • Immediate: Switch to default view for new projects
  • Short-term: Gradually transition existing projects to default view
  • Long-term: Complete migration before legacy view removal

Integration with new Git tool experience

Visual Studio 2019 and later versions include an improved Git tool that provides better integration when working with Git repositories:

New Git tool benefits

  • Enhanced Git operations: Improved performance for Git commands and operations
  • Better branch management: More intuitive branch creation and switching
  • Integrated conflict resolution: Built-in tools for resolving merge conflicts
  • Visual Git history: Enhanced visualization of repository history

Impact on Team Explorer

When you enable the new Git tool, Team Explorer functionality changes:

  • Git operations: Moved to the new Git tool interface
  • Work item management: Remains available through Team Explorer
  • Project connection: Maintained through existing Team Explorer connections

To enable the new Git tool, see Git experience in Visual Studio.

Related content

More resources

For additional information on managing work items and customizing your experience:

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