Install .NET Framework 3.5, 3.0, 2.0 on Windows 8/10

If you need to run older programs

With Windows 8/10, .NET Framework 4.5 comes installed by default. Since .NET 4.5 is an in-place upgrade of 4.0, you can automatically run any applications that are geared towards .NET Framework 4.5 or 4.0. That’s fine, but what if you need to run programs that require older versions of .NET Framework? What’s the lowest version you can run?

In Windows 8/10, .NET 3.5, 3.0 and 2.5 come with the OS, you just have to enable it. This is really nice because you don’t have to go and download .NET 3.5 from the Microsoft website. In this post, I’ll show you how to enable the older versions of the .NET Framework in Windows 8/10.

In Windows 8, first go to the Start Screen and start typing “Turn Windows…” and click onSettingsin the Charms bar. You should see an option calledTurn Windows Features On or Off.

In Windows 10, just click on Start and type inturn windows featuresand press Enter.

A dialog box will pop up on the desktop and the first option will be.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0). Just go ahead and check that box and that will install those features without needing to download anything from the Internet.

The only version of .NET Framework that does not come with Windows 8/10 is .NET Framework 1.1. If you want to install that, you’ll have to download it from here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26

.NET Framework 1.1 does install on Windows 8/10, so you can run applications written for that version of the framework. You might get a compatibility warning when you install it, but that’s about it. Otherwise, it should install and work fine.

Also, note that Windows 8/10 is smart and if you go to install an application that needs .NET Framework 3.5, it will pop up a message box asking if you want to install that feature, which is the same thing we did manually above.

For those IT folks who want to install .NET Framework on Windows Server 2012, here’s how you do it.

Go to Server Manager, clickManageand then click onAdd Roles and Features. Then click Next.
You’ll see theSelect installation typescreen and you want to selectRole-based or feature-based installationand click Next.
Now on theSelect destination serverscreen, choose your target server and click Next.
You’ll see theSelect server rolesscreen and you have to click Next again.
Finally, on the Select features screen, you can check the box for.NET Framework 3.5 Features.

Whew! That’s a long process, but that’s how you do it on Windows Server 2012. Another thing to note is that if you upgrade Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 to Windows 8/10 or Windows Server 2012, .NET Framework 3.5 is enabled automatically. That’s about it. Enjoy!

Founder of Help Desk Geek and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications.Read Aseem’s Full Bio

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Install .NET Framework 3.5, 3.0, 2.0 on Windows 8/10#

Install .NET Framework 3.5, 3.0, 2.0 on Windows 8/10