How to fix 'importsNotUsedAsValues' is deprecated in favor of 'importsNotUsedAsValues' in TypeScript

What this error means

The "importsNotUsedAsValues is deprecated" warning indicates you're using an outdated TypeScript compiler option that controls how imports are handled when they only reference types. This option was deprecated in TypeScript 5.0 in favor of the newer, more consistent 'verbatimModuleSyntax' option. The 'importsNotUsedAsValues' flag had three modes: 1. **remove** (default): Drop import statements that only reference types 2. **preserve**: Keep all import statements even if values/types are never used 3. **error**: Keep all imports but error when a value import is only used as a type The new 'verbatimModuleSyntax' provides clearer rules: imports/exports without 'type' modifier are preserved, while anything with 'type' modifier is dropped entirely. This makes the behavior more predictable and aligns better with modern JavaScript tooling. You'll see this warning when: - Your tsconfig.json still contains 'importsNotUsedAsValues' - You're using TypeScript 5.0 or newer - The compiler detects the deprecated option during compilation

Typical symptoms

• TypeScript compiler shows warning: 'importsNotUsedAsValues' is deprecated in favor of 'verbatimModuleSyntax'
• Build logs contain deprecation warnings about the compiler option
• IDE may show warnings in tsconfig.json file
• The warning appears regardless of the value set for importsNotUsedAsValues
• Code compiles successfully but with deprecation warnings
• Newer TypeScript features may not work optimally with the deprecated option

Common causes

1. Using TypeScript 5.0+ with tsconfig.json containing the deprecated 'importsNotUsedAsValues' option
2. Upgrading TypeScript without updating tsconfig.json configuration
3. Copying tsconfig.json from older projects or examples
4. Using build tools or frameworks that haven't updated their TypeScript configuration templates
5. The project was set up before TypeScript 5.0 was released
6. Mixing TypeScript versions across dependencies (some use old, some use new)

How to fix "'importsNotUsedAsValues' is deprecated in favor of 'importsNotUsedAsValues'"

// OLD - deprecated
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "importsNotUsedAsValues": "preserve"
  }
}

// NEW - use verbatimModuleSyntax instead
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "verbatimModuleSyntax": true
  }
}

// OLD - TypeScript inferred this was type-only
import { User } from "./types";
const user: User = { name: "John" };

// NEW - Add explicit 'type' modifier
import { type User } from "./types";
const user: User = { name: "John" };

// OLD - Mixed import
import { User, getUser } from "./api";

// NEW - Separate value and type imports
import { getUser } from "./api";
import { type User } from "./api";

// OLD - Namespace import for types
import * as Types from "./types";
const user: Types.User = { name: "John" };

// NEW - Use 'import type' for namespace imports
import type * as Types from "./types";
const user: Types.User = { name: "John" };

// OPTION 1: Separate imports (clearer)
import { getUser, updateUser } from "./api";
import { type User, type UserPreferences } from "./api";

// OPTION 2: Inline type modifiers (more concise)
import { getUser, updateUser, type User, type UserPreferences } from "./api";

// OPTION 3: Namespace import with type modifier
import { getUser, updateUser } from "./api";
import type { User, UserPreferences } from "./api";

// WRONG - This will be removed at runtime with verbatimModuleSyntax
import { User, getUser } from "./api";
// User is a type, so the import will be dropped, breaking getUser

// OLD - TypeScript inferred this was type-only
export { User } from "./types";

// NEW - Add explicit 'type' modifier
export { type User } from "./types";

// OLD - Mixed export
export { User, createUser } from "./api";

// NEW - Separate or use inline type modifiers
export { createUser, type User } from "./api";

// OLD - Re-exporting types
export * from "./types";

// NEW - Use 'export type' for type-only re-exports
export type * from "./types";
// OR export specific types
export type { User, Product } from "./types";

# Run TypeScript compiler
npx tsc --noEmit

# Or run your build command
npm run build

// WRONG - getUser is a value, not a type
import { type getUser } from "./api";
const user = getUser(); // Error: getUser is not defined at runtime

// CORRECT
import { getUser } from "./api";
const user = getUser();

npm install --save-dev @types/library-name

// .eslintrc.json
{
  "rules": {
    "@typescript-eslint/consistent-type-imports": "error"
  }
}

// babel.config.json
{
  "presets": [
    ["@babel/preset-typescript", {
      "onlyRemoveTypeImports": true
    }]
  ]
}

// next.config.js
module.exports = {
  experimental: {
    typedRoutes: true
  }
};

Advanced notes

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "verbatimModuleSyntax": true,
    "importsNotUsedAsValues": "preserve"
  }
}

npm install --save-dev @typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin

// .eslintrc.json
{
  "plugins": ["@typescript-eslint"],
  "rules": {
    "@typescript-eslint/consistent-type-imports": [
      "error",
      {
        "prefer": "type-imports",
        "disallowTypeAnnotations": false
      }
    ]
  }
}

# Using jscodeshift
npx jscodeshift -t https://example.com/type-imports-codemod.ts src/

# Type checking
npx tsc --noEmit

# Unit tests
npm test

# Integration tests
npm run test:integration

# Build verification
npm run build && node dist/index.js

Frequently asked questions

What does "'importsNotUsedAsValues' is deprecated in favor of 'importsNotUsedAsVa" mean?

The "importsNotUsedAsValues is deprecated" warning indicates you're using an outdated TypeScript compiler option that controls how imports are handled when they only reference types. 0 in favor of the newer, more consistent 'verbatimModuleSyntax' option. The 'importsNotUsedAsValues' flag had three modes: 1.

How do I fix "'importsNotUsedAsValues' is deprecated in favor of 'importsNotUsedAsVa"?

This TypeScript warning appears when using the deprecated 'importsNotUsedAsValues' compiler option, which has been replaced by 'verbatimModuleSyntax' in TypeScript 5.0+. The fix involves updating your tsconfig.json to use the new option and adjusting your import statements to use explicit type-only imports.

What causes "'importsNotUsedAsValues' is deprecated in favor of 'importsNotUsedAsVa"?

Using TypeScript 5.0+ with tsconfig.json containing the deprecated 'importsNotUsedAsValues' option Upgrading TypeScript without updating tsconfig.json configuration Copying tsconfig.json from older projects or examples

Is the "'importsNotUsedAsValues' is deprecated in favor of 'importsNotUsedAsVa" error serious?

It is a low-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.

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Official resources & further reading

• 📚TypeScript Official Documentation
• 📖
  TypeScript TSConfig Reference(Official Docs)
• 📖
  TypeScript Handbook - Modules(Official Docs)
• TypeScript 5.0 Release Notes - verbatimModuleSyntax
• Total TypeScript - Type-Only Imports Guide
• Matt Pocock - Understanding Type-Only Imports
• Stack Overflow - importsNotUsedAsValues Questions
• 🐙
  TypeScript GitHub - verbatimModuleSyntax Implementation(GitHub)
• TypeScript Blog - verbatimModuleSyntax Announcement