InfoBars and Notifications

InfoBars are non-modal notification banners that appear at the top of documents, tool windows, or the main VS window. They’re ideal for suggestions, warnings, or actions that don’t require immediate attention.

Quick Start with Community Toolkit

// Simple InfoBar in a document
var docView = await VS.Documents.GetActiveDocumentViewAsync();
var infoBar = await VS.InfoBar.CreateAsync(docView, "NuGet packages need to be restored.");
await infoBar.TryShowInfoBarUIAsync();

InfoBar with Actions

var model = new InfoBarModel(
    new[]
    {
        new InfoBarTextSpan("This file has been modified outside the editor. "),
        new InfoBarHyperlink("Reload", "reload"),
        new InfoBarTextSpan(" | "),
        new InfoBarHyperlink("Ignore", "ignore")
    },
    KnownMonikers.StatusWarning,
    isCloseButtonVisible: true);

var infoBar = await VS.InfoBar.CreateAsync(docView, model);
infoBar.ActionItemClicked += (s, e) =>
{
    switch (e.ActionItem.ActionContext)
    {
        case "reload":
            ReloadDocument();
            break;
        case "ignore":
            // Do nothing
            break;
    }
    e.InfoBarUIElement.Close();
};

await infoBar.TryShowInfoBarUIAsync();

InfoBarModel

The InfoBarModel class defines the content and appearance:

var model = new InfoBarModel(
    textSpans: new[]
    {
        new InfoBarTextSpan("Your message here"),
        new InfoBarHyperlink("Click Me", "action1")
    },
    image: KnownMonikers.StatusInformation,
    isCloseButtonVisible: true);

Text Spans

Type	Description
InfoBarTextSpan	Plain text
InfoBarHyperlink	Clickable link with action context
InfoBarButton	Button-styled action (VS 2019+)

new InfoBarTextSpan("Regular text. "),
new InfoBarHyperlink("Link text", actionContext: "myAction"),
new InfoBarButton("Button", actionContext: "buttonAction")

Icons

Use KnownMonikers for standard icons:

Icon	Usage
KnownMonikers.StatusInformation	General information
KnownMonikers.StatusWarning	Warnings
KnownMonikers.StatusError	Errors
KnownMonikers.StatusOK	Success/confirmation
KnownMonikers.StatusHelp	Help/tips

Showing InfoBars in Different Locations

In a Document

// Get the active document
var docView = await VS.Documents.GetActiveDocumentViewAsync();
var infoBar = await VS.InfoBar.CreateAsync(docView, "Message for this document");
await infoBar.TryShowInfoBarUIAsync();

In a Tool Window

// In your tool window class
var model = new InfoBarModel("Update available for this extension.");
var infoBar = await VS.InfoBar.CreateAsync(MyToolWindow, model);
await infoBar.TryShowInfoBarUIAsync();

In the Main Window (Global)

var model = new InfoBarModel(
    new[] { new InfoBarTextSpan("A new version of this extension is available.") },
    KnownMonikers.StatusInformation);

var infoBar = await VS.InfoBar.CreateAsync(model);
await infoBar.TryShowInfoBarUIAsync();

Handling Actions

var model = new InfoBarModel(
    new[]
    {
        new InfoBarTextSpan("Configuration file is missing. "),
        new InfoBarHyperlink("Create", "create"),
        new InfoBarHyperlink("Learn More", "help")
    },
    KnownMonikers.StatusWarning);

var infoBar = await VS.InfoBar.CreateAsync(model);

infoBar.ActionItemClicked += async (sender, args) =>
{
    var action = args.ActionItem.ActionContext as string;

    switch (action)
    {
        case "create":
            await CreateConfigFileAsync();
            args.InfoBarUIElement.Close();
            break;

        case "help":
            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("https://docs.example.com/config");
            // Don't close - user might want to create after reading
            break;
    }
};

await infoBar.TryShowInfoBarUIAsync();

Closing an InfoBar

// User clicks close button (automatic)
// Or programmatically:
infoBar.ActionItemClicked += (s, e) =>
{
    e.InfoBarUIElement.Close();
};

// Or track the UI element
IVsInfoBarUIElement _infoBarUI;

var infoBar = await VS.InfoBar.CreateAsync(model);
infoBar.ActionItemClicked += (s, e) => _infoBarUI = e.InfoBarUIElement;
await infoBar.TryShowInfoBarUIAsync();

// Later...
_infoBarUI?.Close();

Traditional Approach

Using IVsInfoBarUIFactory directly:

public class InfoBarService
{
    private readonly IServiceProvider _serviceProvider;

    public InfoBarService(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
    {
        _serviceProvider = serviceProvider;
    }

    public async Task ShowInfoBarAsync(IVsWindowFrame frame, string message)
    {
        await ThreadHelper.JoinableTaskFactory.SwitchToMainThreadAsync();

        var factory = (IVsInfoBarUIFactory)_serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(SVsInfoBarUIFactory));
        var host = frame as IVsInfoBarHost;

        if (factory == null || host == null) return;

        var model = new InfoBarModel(
            new[] { new InfoBarTextSpan(message) },
            KnownMonikers.StatusInformation,
            isCloseButtonVisible: true);

        var uiElement = factory.CreateInfoBar(model);
        uiElement.Advise(new InfoBarEvents(), out _);
        host.AddInfoBar(uiElement);
    }
}

public class InfoBarEvents : IVsInfoBarUIEvents
{
    public void OnClosed(IVsInfoBarUIElement infoBarUIElement)
    {
        // InfoBar was closed
    }

    public void OnActionItemClicked(IVsInfoBarUIElement infoBarUIElement, IVsInfoBarActionItem actionItem)
    {
        ThreadHelper.ThrowIfNotOnUIThread();

        var context = actionItem.ActionContext as string;
        // Handle action...
    }
}

Complete Example

An extension that suggests enabling a feature:

public class FeatureSuggestionService
{
    private IVsInfoBarUIElement _currentInfoBar;
    private const string SettingKey = "FeatureXEnabled";

    public async Task SuggestFeatureAsync()
    {
        // Don't show if already enabled or dismissed
        if (await IsFeatureEnabledAsync() || await WasDismissedAsync())
            return;

        var model = new InfoBarModel(
            new IVsInfoBarTextSpan[]
            {
                new InfoBarTextSpan("Feature X can improve your productivity. "),
                new InfoBarHyperlink("Enable", "enable"),
                new InfoBarTextSpan(" | "),
                new InfoBarHyperlink("Learn More", "learn"),
                new InfoBarTextSpan(" | "),
                new InfoBarHyperlink("Don't show again", "dismiss")
            },
            KnownMonikers.StatusInformation,
            isCloseButtonVisible: true);

        var infoBar = await VS.InfoBar.CreateAsync(model);

        infoBar.ActionItemClicked += async (sender, args) =>
        {
            var action = args.ActionItem.ActionContext as string;

            switch (action)
            {
                case "enable":
                    await EnableFeatureAsync();
                    await VS.StatusBar.ShowMessageAsync("Feature X enabled!");
                    args.InfoBarUIElement.Close();
                    break;

                case "learn":
                    await VS.Commands.ExecuteAsync(
                        "View.WebBrowser",
                        "https://example.com/feature-x");
                    break;

                case "dismiss":
                    await SaveDismissedAsync();
                    args.InfoBarUIElement.Close();
                    break;
            }
        };

        if (await infoBar.TryShowInfoBarUIAsync())
        {
            // Track so we can close programmatically if needed
            _currentInfoBar = null; // Get from event if needed
        }
    }

    private Task<bool> IsFeatureEnabledAsync() => Task.FromResult(false);
    private Task<bool> WasDismissedAsync() => Task.FromResult(false);
    private Task EnableFeatureAsync() => Task.CompletedTask;
    private Task SaveDismissedAsync() => Task.CompletedTask;
}

InfoBar in Solution Explorer

Show an InfoBar for the entire solution:

public async Task ShowSolutionInfoBarAsync(string message)
{
    await ThreadHelper.JoinableTaskFactory.SwitchToMainThreadAsync();

    var shell = (IVsShell)await VS.Services.GetShellAsync();
    shell.GetProperty((int)__VSSPROPID7.VSSPROPID_MainWindowInfoBarHost, out var hostObj);

    if (hostObj is IVsInfoBarHost host)
    {
        var factory = (IVsInfoBarUIFactory)
            await VS.Services.GetInfoBarUIFactoryAsync();

        var model = new InfoBarModel(message);
        var uiElement = factory.CreateInfoBar(model);

        host.AddInfoBar(uiElement);
    }
}

Best Practices

1. Be concise - InfoBars should be scannable at a glance
2. Provide actions - Don’t just inform; help users act
3. Allow dismissal - Always include a close button or “Don’t show again”
4. Don’t spam - One InfoBar at a time per location
5. Use appropriate icons - Match the severity/type of message
6. Remember preferences - If dismissed, don’t show again (persist the choice)

When to Use InfoBars vs Other UI

Scenario	Recommended UI
”Feature X is available”	InfoBar
”File modified externally”	InfoBar with Reload action
”Build failed with errors”	Error List
”Operation in progress”	Progress Indication
”5 files processed”	Status Bar message
”Are you sure you want to delete?”	Modal Dialog
”Extension updated, restart required”	InfoBar

See Also

• Output Window - Detailed logging
• Error List - Errors and warnings
• Status Bar - Brief status messages
• Progress Indication - Long-running operations