Run Command Prompt as Administrator and run the bootstrapper with layout options. Example commands:
vs_Community.exe --layout D:\VS_Offline --lang en-US
vs_Community.exe --layout D:\VS_Offline --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NetWeb --lang en-US
The tool will download required packages into D:\VS_Offline. Allow time — downloads may be tens of GB.
It is a common misconception that one must wait for Microsoft to release a DVD ISO image to install offline. In reality, Microsoft provides a command-line mechanism to generate an offline installation layout using the very same bootstrapper executable used for online installs. visual studio community edition offline installer
The process is as follows:
For a more tailored offline installer, developers can append arguments to this command. For instance, adding --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop ensures the layout only downloads the components necessary for .NET desktop development, significantly reducing the download size compared to the full suite of workloads. Run Command Prompt as Administrator and run the
Because you are asking about the Community Edition, it is crucial to understand the licensing terms.
Creating an offline installer does not circumvent these rules. You must still comply with the EULA. vs_Community
If you need to install Visual Studio Community Edition on machines without reliable internet, an offline installer lets you download all required components once and use them later across multiple devices. Below is a concise, step‑by‑step guide for creating and using an offline layout (verified for Visual Studio 2019/2022; steps are similar across recent versions).