.NET Desktop Runtime

ApplicationMicrosoft Corporation

Dem still dey call am dotnet desktop, net desktop runtime, .net 8 desktop, .net 6 desktop

Microsoft CorporationSystem

One page for modern .NET desktop runtimes wey dey run WPF and Windows Forms apps. Apps dey ask for specific major version. E no be .NET Framework 4.x and e no be every SKU.

Wetin you need know

One Desktop Runtime page. Apps still need dia named major version.

Dis na di modern .NET desktop pack for WPF and WinForms. E no be Framework 4.x, e no be ASP.NET hosting bundle, and e no be catalog for every SKU wey support don end for.

Wetin e be?: Modern .NET pack for WPF and WinForms
Di same as Framework 4.x?: No. Different product
Every SKU?: No. One page. Install di named major

Feex tok say

If di dialog say Desktop Runtime 8, I dey download dat major from Microsoft. I no dey install Framework 4.8 as substitute, and I no dey pack every SKU wey dey di page.

Wetin be .NET Desktop Runtime?

Di .NET Desktop Runtime get di base .NET runtime plus WPF and Windows Forms. Microsoft still dey ship smaller .NET Runtime and ASP.NET Core Runtime. One article dey cover di desktop family. You still need to install di major version wey di app dey ask for.

If you never use am before

If app talk say "install .NET Desktop Runtime 8" (or 6, or 9), dis na dat shared runtime for WPF and WinForms. Download di major version wey di app name from dotnet.microsoft.com. Dis page no be .NET Framework 4.8, no be ASP.NET hosting bundle, and no be separate article for every SKU.

Wetin dem dey use am for?

Run desktop apps wey depend on framework

WPF and WinForms apps wey no carry di runtime join bodi. Dem dey name one major version.

Side-by-side majors

6, 8, and 9 fit stay togeda. To install 8 no go satisfy app wey require 6.

No be Framework 4.x

Apps wey dey ask for .NET Framework 4.8 dey find di older Windows-only product, no be dis page.

Na who e dey for?

People wey dia app installer stop on top missing Desktop Runtime
Admins wey dey keep 6 LTS and 8 LTS side by side
Anybody wey nearly install Framework 4.8 for .NET 8 app

Current status

.NET Desktop Runtime (2016) na current modern .net desktop runtime from Microsoft Corporation. Di vendor still dey direct Windows users go https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet.

How old e be?

.NET Core 1.0 drop for 2016. Desktop packs come out as Windows UI stack comot from Framework-only. Framework 4.x still dey live for Windows. Na different product with different installer.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers no dey all verified here.

8 LTS (typical current)

9 / current STS

6 LTS (dem still dey see am)

System requirements

Values dey follow wetin di publisher release publicly. Workload still dey change di real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	Windows release wey Microsoft list for dat .NET major on learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/core/install/windows
RAM	Di runtime light. Na di desktop app dey determine di real RAM need

Resource profile

CPU demand: Dey follow wetin you open inside di app
RAM demand: Dey follow documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

Dese executables belong to dis product when e dey installed.

Installed processes
corehost.exe	Host wey plenti framework-dependent desktop apps dey use. Di window wey you dey see na usually di app exe.

Startup components

Di runtime no need Startup Apps entry. App wey dey use am dey start corehost or im own apphost when you open dat app.

File locations

Common .NET Desktop Runtime locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App\

Common wahala dem

Install Framework 4.8 for .NET 8 app

Wrong product. Framework 4.x and modern .NET Desktop get different installers.

Wrong major version

App wey dem build for 6 no go run for 8 alone unless di vendor talk say e go run. Install di version wey di error name.

How to get unstuck

Read di major version inside di error, den open dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet

Pick Desktop Runtime for dat major. Skip ASP.NET and SDK unless na developing you dey do.

Run dotnet --list-runtimes

Dat one dey list installed Microsoft.NETCore.App and Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App packs. Framework 4.x no go show dia.

No gather every old SKU

Unsupported 5.0 or 7.0 packs no be cleanup strategy. Install wetin di current app name.

Alternatives

Di .NET SDK dey carry dis runtime plus compilers. Self-contained apps dey come with dia own runtime. Framework 4.8 na di older Windows product.

Official help and downloads

Start with di vendor. Random exe sites no be support channel.

Official contacts
Download	dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet Official installer or vendor page
Help	learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/core/install/windows Vendor support
Official site	dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet Start here, no be random exe host
.NET Framework install	learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/framework/install/ 4.8.x na different product

Related hardware

Di runtime small. Di desktop app wey you launch dey determine CPU and RAM. Any current Windows 10 or 11 PC wey di vendor list go fit run di pack.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers dey change. Dis article no pin down any build.

Sources and verification

Recorded source label: August 2026. Dis label no establish independent verification. How we dey do research.

.NET Desktop Runtime official site · Vendor product page
.NET Desktop Runtime help · Vendor support
.NET Framework na different product · 4.x Framework install no be dis runtime
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on top Windows PCs. No be lab benchmark.

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