How to Install .Net Framework on Windows + Updating Guide

You may encounter some errors, like “0x800f0954” while installing applications on a Windows machine or Windows VPS. Some of these errors emerge because certain software or packages are not installed on your machine. .NET Framework is one of these software and some applications require certain versions of the .NET Framework to run. This issue can be solved if you install .Net Framework on Windows.

The .NET Framework, created by Microsoft, is a versatile software development platform that facilitates the creation and running of various applications, including desktop, web, and web services. It offers a rich class library, a strong runtime environment, and supports multiple programming languages, which streamline the development process and boost application performance.

How to Install .Net Framework on Windows

Installing the .NET Framework on Windows is very simple and straightforward, thanks to the built-in features of both Windows 10 and 11.

To install .NET Framework on Windows 10-64 bit or 11, follow these steps:

Step 1:  Go to the Search section and type this phrase: “Turn Windows features on or off” and select the result as shown in the picture below:

Step 2: In the Windows Features Windows, the first option is “.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)” which is not checked. check that box and click on the OK button.

Step 3: In the new windows, select the “Let Windows Update download the files for you” option. Wait until the download and installation process is complete. It will take some time.

Once the installation is done, close the Window.

Step 4: Now, head over to the Windows Features window. The box behind the “.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)” option should now be checked.

How to Update .NET Framework on Windows 10

Updating the .NET Framework on Windows 10 and 11 can be done in two ways:

1. If you are using an original version of Windows 10 or 11, updating your Windows will also update the .NET Framework.

2. But if you are using a cracked version of Windows 10 or Windows 11, you have to update it manually:

• Type “Turn Windows Features on or off” in the search bar and select it.
• Select the .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)
• Click on OK.
• In case the window prompts, select “Let Windows Update download the files for you”.
• Windows will download and install it completely.

How to Repair .NET Framework?

If the .NET Framework has run into troubles on your Windows machine, there are three ways to repair it:

First method: Repair the .NET Framework via .NET Framework Repair Tool

The Microsoft company has developed a .NET Framework repair tool that automatically diagnoses and resolves any issues. You can download it from Microsoft’s official website.

Step one: Download the tool

Step two: Run the downloaded .exe file.

Step three: Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the tool to thoroughly detect and fix the issues.

Second method: Repair the .NET Framework using Command Prompt

To repair the .NET Framework using cmd or PowerShell on Windows 10 and 11, follow the steps below:

Step one: Open cmd as administrator.

Step two: Check the health of your Windows image by running this command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Step three: If there are any issues, run this command to solve them:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Step four: When the DISM process is complete, run the System File Checker tool:

sfc /scannow

The System File Checker tool will scan and detect issues or corrupted files, if there are any, and solve them.

Third method: Repair the .NET Framework through Windows Features

You can repair the .NET Framework using the Windows Features. All you have to do is to follow the instructions given in this article in the “How to Install .Net Framework on Windows” section. You can have a look at the four steps provided earlier in that section, or to put it simply, you can repair the .NET Framework by going to the Windows Features and checking the box of any .NET Framework version you need to enable and repair it.

How to install .NET Framework on Windows 7?

Similar to the method we learned on how to install .NET Framework on Windows 10 and 11, we can install .NET Framework on Windows 7.

Step 1: Go to the start and search for “Turn Windows features on or off” and select it. This will open the “Windows Features” window.

Step 2: In this window, search for the “Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1” and click on the box.

Now click on OK to finish the process.

How to uninstall .NET Framework?

Like repairing the .NET Framework, there are three ways to uninstall it on Windows:

First method: Uninstall .NET Framework through the Control Panel

You can uninstall .NET Framework from Windows 10 or 11 through the Windows Features in the Control Panel.

Step one: Type the “Windows Features” phrase in the search bar and select “Turn Windows Features on or off”.

Step two: In the Windows Features window, the “.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)” and “.NET Framework 4.8 Advanced Services” are usually the first and second ones on the list. Uncheck the boxes behind each option you want to uninstall or disable.

Step three: Click OK to confirm and restart your computer.

Second method: Uninstall .NET Framework using Command Prompt

This method requires coding knowledge and is a suitable choice for advanced users and a hard one for newbies.

Step one: Open the command prompt or PowerShell as administrator.

Step two: Run the command below to uninstall the .NET Framework:

DISM /Online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /Remove

If you want to uninstall .NET Framework 4.x, run this command:

DISM /Online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx4

Step three: Restart your computer for the effects to take place.

Third Method: Uninstall .NET Framework using Third-Party Tools

You can use third-party tools to manage installed features and programs, including the .NET Framework. Tools such as “Revo Uninstaller” or “IObit Uninstaller” offer more control over uninstalling software and can often remove stubborn programs that the standard Windows uninstaller cannot handle.

Can you install multiple versions of .NET Framework?

Yes, multiple versions of the .NET Framework can be installed on Windows 10 and 11. Applications require various versions of the .NET Framework, and you can install multiple versions of .NET Framework without any issues.

Does .NET Framework come preinstalled on Windows?

Windows 10 and Windows 11 come with .NET Framework 4.8 preinstalled. Additionally, .NET Framework 3.5 is available as an optional component that you can enable if needed.

How do I install .NET Framework 2.0 on Windows?

.NET Framework 2.0 comes preinstalled on Windows 10, 11, and 8. All you have to do is to enable it in the Windows Features, under the “.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)” option.

How to install .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0) in Windows 10 offline?

You need the Windows Installation Media to install .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0) in Windows 10 offline if your Windows is licensed.

Step One: Insert the Windows Installation Media. If you don’t  have Windows Installation Media DVD, you can download it with another device and create a bootable USB drive or mount it directly

Step two: Open the Command Prompt (cmd) or Powershell as administrator.

Step three: Run the following command to install .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows:

dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3 /All /Source:D:\sources\sxs /LimitAccess

If your installation drive’s letter is different than D, replace it in the command with “D” in ” /Source:D:\ “.

Step four: Wait for the installation process to complete. Then, you will see a message indicating the completion of the installation. Now, go to the “Windows Features> Turn Windows Features on or off” and  Make sure to check the box behind the “.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)” option.

How to identify which versions of .NET Framework are installed on your Windows 10 and 11?

You can easily identify the installed versions of the .NET Framework on your Windows 10 and 11. There are four ways to confirm the successful installation of the .NET Framework versions, which are:

First method: Use Command Prompt or PowerShell

• Command Prompt:

  Open Command Prompt and run this code:

  reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP" /s

  The command will display a list of installed .NET Framework versions. You can see the versions in the “Version” entry under the subkeys.

• PowerShell:

  Open PowerShell as administrator and run the following command:

  Get-ChildItem "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP" -Recurse | Get-ItemProperty -Name Version -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Where-Object { $_.PSChildName -match '^(?!S)\p{L}'} | Select-Object PSChildName, Version

  The output of this command will list the installed .NET Framework versions.

Second method: Use the .NET Framework Setup Verification Tool

To identify the installed versions of the .NET Framework, download the .NET Framework setup verification tool from Microsoft Official Website and run the tool to check the installed versions of .NET Framework.

Third method: Use File Explorer

Open the file explorer and go to the “C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework”. In this directory, you will see some folders with numbers as their names. These numbers are the versions of the installed .NET Framework.

Fourth method: Use Visual Studio

If you have installed Visual Studio, open it and go to “File > New > Project”, then select a template. Now, check the .NET Framework dropdown list to see which versions of it are installed on your machine.

Conclusion

So far, you learned to download and install .NET Framework on Windows 10 and 11, verify the installation, and repair, update, or uninstall .NET Framework.

The .NET Framework comes preinstalled on Windows 10,11, and 8 and you can easily enable it through the Windows Features.