---
schema_version: "1"
id: 89e6cdf1193583a79a117075650d9bc9803599789869dc0f74d354bcbdb9cb9c
title: Use a Manifest File
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/salesforcedx/sfvscode/guides/deploy-retrieve/manifestbuilder.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/sfvscode-extensions/guide/manifestbuilder.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 413c5737150c3d32828bb0403b50f97c6a3a00e4983a0f137a93df79a87a992d
products:
  - Salesforce Extensions for Visual Studio Code
  - salesforcedx
---
# Use a Manifest File

If your sandbox isn’t source tracked, or you want to retrieve metadata that hasn’t changed, or you want to retrieve many changes, use a manifest (`package.xml`) file.

Use the manifest builder tool to create a new project with a given manifest. Also generate a manifest file for your project for a given a set of metadata components instead of editing the `package.xml` file manually.

## Manifest Builder

Automatically generate a manifest file for a given a set of metadata components instead of editing the `package.xml` file manually:

1.  In the Explorer view, right-click to select the components you want to use to generate the manifest.
2.  Run **SFDX: Generate Manifest File**
3.  Enter a unique name (without an xml extension) for the manifest file.

A new file is created and added to the manifest folder.

Use the new manifest file to deploy and retrieve source from the org using **SFDX: Deploy Source in Manifest to Org** or **SFDX: Retrieve Source in Manifest from Org** command.