Visual Studio 2022 version 17.14 (and later, according to 2026 projections) on the Current Channel will be supported for the remainder of the 10-year product lifecycle, until .

C:\VS2022_Offline\ │ ├── vs_setup.exe # Offline installer executable ├── vs_installer.opc # Catalog / manifest data ├── ChannelManifest.json # Component versions & dependencies ├── certificates/ # Microsoft signing certs (for offline trust) ├── packages/ # Actual payload │ ├── Win10SDK, Win11SDK │ ├── DotNetCore, DotNetFramework │ ├── MSVC_v143, CMake │ ├── SQLServerExpress, SSDT │ └── ... ├── resources/ # UI resources (license, EULA) └── Response.json (if you use --passive config)

By default, Microsoft provides a lightweight online web installer (a "bootstrapper"). When you run it on a machine connected to the internet, it dynamically downloads the specific components and workloads needed for your setup. However, for environments with strict security protocols (like defense or finance), unstable internet connections, or if you need to install the same development environment on dozens of identical machines, the offline method is essential.

Unlike the web installer, an offline-installed VS2022 does check for updates automatically. You must either:

Press the , type cmd or PowerShell , and select Run as administrator .

Copy the entire VS2022OfflineLayout folder to the target offline machine (e.g., via a large USB drive or network share). On the offline machine, open the folder. Run the vs_community.exe file inside that folder.

A single offline folder can contain (e.g., English, German, Japanese) and all workloads – ideal for organizations with diverse developer needs.

On the target machine, navigate to the C:\VS2022Offline folder. Launch Setup: Run VisualStudioSetup.exe .

The ChannelManifest.json (inside layout) replaces online channel queries. This makes the offline installer fully self-describing – the bootstrapper knows all available workloads, component dependencies, and version constraints.