How to Install Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 Runtime Manually

Microsoft has finally announced the release of the  .NET framework version 4.8. This version will be available through optional updates in Windows 10 through automatic updates in upcoming days. But if you want to install the .NET runtime for this version manually without waiting for the automatic update, then you can manually download the runtime installer and have it on your Windows 10 PC right now.

Here is how you can install .NET framework 4.8 runtime in Windows 10:

  1. Visit https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download in your web browser. From this webpage you can download both .NET core and .NET framework.Microsoft .NET version 4.8
  2. The webpage will auto-detect your operating system (Windows) and show you the appropriate link, but this link downloads the web installer. Scroll down and find “Other Windows Downloads” and click on Offline installer runtime link to download the full offline installer for .NET framework version 4.8.Microsoft .NET version 4.8
  3. Launch the downloaded offline installer ndp48-x86-x64-allos-enu.exe and follow on-screen directions to begin the installation. You may have to reboot your Windows PC to complete the installation.Microsoft .NET version 4.8

Once you have rebooted your Windows computer, you can check the version of .NET framework installed using a number of ways. A good old method is through the use of ASoft .NET version detector app that can display all the versions of .NET framework runtime installed in your PC.

Another method to check which versions of .NET frameworks are installed is through the registry. You can launch Registry Editor and navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full

You will find sub-keys under this key with the versions of all the .NET versions (above version 4.0) installed on your PC. After the installation of version 4.8, you can find the sub-keys belonging to version 4.5, 4.51, 4.52, 4.6, 4.61, 4.62, 4.7, 4.71, 4.72 and 4.8.

There is no need to hurry up and install this new version of .NET framework runtime in Windows 10. This is because of two reasons – first, the May 2019 update of Windows 10 will come with .NET framework 4.8 pre-installed and second, there are hardly any publicly available apps that depend on version 4.8 at present time.