A core function of visual working memory (WM) is to sustain mental representations of recent visual inputs, thereby bridging moments of experience. This is thought to occur in part by recruiting early ‘sensory’ cortical regions, via flexible fronto-parietal mechanisms. The nature of visual cortex activity during WM has been elusive, but new evidence suggests that early WM representations can transform from a sensory-like code into a format that is shaped by task context and optimized for behavior. Here, we review evidence for transformations in visual cortical WM coding, the various forms they take, and their functional importance. Visual cortex may be an active workspace during WM, where flexible and ‘good enough’ WM representations serve to interface with perception and action.