Window Desktop Runtime Official

Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 6.0.25 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App] Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 8.0.0 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]

[ Your WinForms/WPF App ] (exe + .dlls) || depends on [ Windows Desktop Runtime ] (Shared Framework) - System.Windows.Forms.dll - PresentationFramework.dll - System.*.dll (BCL) || runs on [ CoreCLR (JIT, GC) ] + [ Windows OS Subsystem (User32, GDI, DirectX) ]

Visual Studio 2022 (17.8+) includes the Windows Desktop Runtime when selecting the ".NET Desktop Development" workload.

Without this runtime, programs built using technologies like or Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) cannot function because they rely on these pre-written instructions to interact with the Windows operating system. Why Is It on My Computer? window desktop runtime

The Windows Desktop Runtime is the reconciliation of this conflict. It is the vehicle for "Desktop Bridge" technologies and, more specifically, the delivery mechanism for .NET Core and later .NET 5/6/7+ applications. Unlike the traditional .NET Framework, which was deeply integrated into the OS and updated rarely, the Windows Desktop Runtime is decoupled from the operating system. It can be updated independently, much like a web browser.

Historically, Windows desktop applications relied on the .NET Framework (versions 1.0 through 4.8.1), which was tightly integrated with the OS. Microsoft introduced a paradigm shift with .NET Core 3.0, bringing WinForms and WPF to the modern, cross-platform .NET stack. The "Windows Desktop Runtime" emerged as the specialized runtime for these UI technologies.

: You may see several versions installed (e.g., 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0). This is normal because different apps are built for different versions of the runtime; removing an "old" one might cause an older app to crash. Desktop Runtime vs. Other .NET Runtimes Microsoft

: The Desktop Runtime includes the standard .NET Runtime , so you don’t need to install both separately to run desktop apps.

<PropertyGroup> <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows</TargetFramework> <UseWindowsForms>true</UseWindowsForms> <SelfContained>true</SelfContained> <RuntimeIdentifier>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifier> </PropertyGroup>

You likely have it installed because a program you use—such as a video game, enterprise tool, or utility—required it during its own installation. The Windows Desktop Runtime is the reconciliation of

The legacy .NET Framework (4.x) is in maintenance mode; no new features are added. All new Windows desktop development should target Modern .NET with the Windows Desktop Runtime.

The installation location can be found under: