The deployment model of .NET Framework 3.5 for future versions of Windows is changing. Starting with Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27965, .NET Framework 3.5 must be obtained as a standalone installer and is no longer included as an optional Windows component.
.NET Framework 3.5 is now available as a standalone installer for legacy applications that require it on newer major versions of Windows.
This change applies to Insider Preview Build 27965 and future platform releases of Windows. It does not affect Windows 10 or earlier Windows 11 releases through 25H2.
This change aligns with the product’s lifecycle as .NET Framework 3.5 approaches end of support on January 9, 2029, and encourages customers to begin planning migrations to newer supported versions of .NET.
If your application depends on .NET Framework 3.5, we’ve published detailed guidance—including installers, compatibility notes, and recommended migration paths—on Microsoft Learn.
Please ask the Office team to port VSTO from .Net Framework 4 to the latest version.
We rely on VSTO for our Word adding and could really use the newer .Net features.
Now please repeat with .NET Framework 4.8.1
Make it an optional component in win 11 26H2
Would be interesting to get some insight on the plans to stop supporting .NET Framework, even if no end date is decided.
This link https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/download/details.aspx?id=21 is not applicable to 26H1.
I get an install error.
Hi Ben, the correct standalone installer link is provided here (see the link on this post): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/install/dotnet-35-windows-11#windows-11-26h1-build-28000-and-later
The link you shared is for legacy/unsupported versions of Windows, such as Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows XP.
Hope that helps!
Please make sure you always offer this as a fully offline installer. The massive headache for enabling .NET in older servers must not be repeated!
Thanks for your feedback, Tyler. Yes – the .NET Framework 3.5 standalone installer is fully offline installable, and there is no other installer variation. More here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/install/dotnet-35-windows-11#windows-11-26h1-build-28000-and-later