One of the biggest advantages of the --layout command is the ability to customize the download to suit your exact needs. By default, if you just use vs_community.exe --layout <folder> , it will download every available component, which can take up over 40 GB of disk space. To save time and storage space, you can use the --add parameter to specify individual .
If you are creating a new offline deployment, always choose VS2022. VS2019 mainstream support ended in April 2024.
Before downloading the offline installer, make sure your machine meets the system requirements for Visual Studio 2022:
Community: Free for students, open-source contributors, and individual developers.
: Microsoft frequently updates Visual Studio 2022. Creating a localized repository captures a precise snapshot of a specific minor version, ensuring that every developer on a team builds code using identical compiler sets, components, and tools. Step 1: Download the Bootstrapper File
Engineered for end-to-end engineering, advanced architectural modeling, and complex automated testing pipelines.
Ensure your path is less than 80 characters to avoid errors. 3. Install on the Offline Machine
vs_enterprise.exe --layout C:\VS2022Offline --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NativeDesktop --includeRecommended --lang en-US Minimal to Moderate
C:\VSLayout\VS2022Offline\vs_setup.exe --noWeb --passive --norestart Use code with caution.
This downloads every single component, workload, and language pack available in the Visual Studio ecosystem. It is only necessary if your offline users require absolute flexibility to switch between distinct development environments (e.g., swapping from game development to data science without notice).
If you require a completely comprehensive offline archive containing every possible workload (including C++, Python, Game Development, and Mobile tools), execute the basic layout command without specific workload exclusions: vs_community.exe --layout C:\VS2022Offline --lang en-US Use code with caution. Breakdown of the Command Flags:
: Use the --layout parameter to specify where to save the files.
vs_enterprise.exe --layout D:\VS2022_Offline --verify --fix
: Visual Studio Community requires signing in within 30 days. For truly air-gapped machines, Professional or Enterprise editions are recommended as they support activation via product keys. Microsoft Learn specific workload IDs
vs_professional.exe --layout C:\VSLayout --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NetWeb --lang en-US Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard 💻 Step 3: Install on the Offline Machine C:\VSLayout folder to the offline computer. Install Certificates: Certificates