Share this article
Latest news
With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low
Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app
Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities
Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount
Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier
Microsoft plans to roll out Visual Studio updates via Windows Update
The new update experience can be previewed right now by configuring specific registry key
3 min. read
Published onJune 8, 2024
published onJune 8, 2024
Share this article
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
We can’t shy away from the fact that Visual Studio is one of the most popular IDEs available worldwide. Microsoft whichrecently revamped Resource Explorer in Visual Studiois now planning to push future updates for the program via Windows update.
The Redmond giant recently said it will be revamping the update experience for Visual Studio by integrating it with the Windows Update system.
Visual Studio updates will soon be delivered via Windows Update
Mads Kristensen, from Microsoft’s Visual Studio team, took to X to inform the intentions of the company. He adds Microsoft wants to make this change for easier security and maintenance automatically in the background.
Wouldn’t it be cool if Windows Update could handle updating Visual Studio for you and your organization automatically – keeping you secure and up to date? We think so too. Coming soon…pic.twitter.com/65s32N7mSx
So, how would that work? Well, instead of manually updating the Visual Studio, you can simply click onCheck for updateson the Windows Update page. Then, all the available updates will be installed automatically in the background.
A Developer Community post for the Visual Studio website quoted byNeowinfurther talksabout the new update mechanism. It reads:
Starting in August 2024, Visual Studio security updates will be delivered through the Microsoft Update (MU) system, which is designed to run in the background in a non-intrusive manner. This means that Visual Studio will automatically receive and install monthly security updates on any computer that has opted into “receiving updates from other Microsoft products”.
Per the post, it is the easiest way to stay updated and secure. Microsoft further encourages users to enroll in this feature. Not to forget, the new update mechanism applies to supported releases and LTSC Channels of Visual Studio 2022, 2019, and 2017. Notably, the ability to update Visual Studio via Windows update doesn’t apply to Visual Studio Previews.
That said, Microsoft is quite cautious this time, especially after theRecall controversy, and isn’t planning to force the new update mechanism from day one. Rather, there’ll be a choice for developers to opt for the feature.
Once the new update mechanism is rolled out, Visual Studio settings’ will feature an option to opt in to receive updates via the Windows Update system. As pointed out by Kristensen, you’ll need to enable the option. And, toggle to receive updates of other Microsoft products on the Windows settings page.
Correct
Previewing the new update experience is possible, but it’s not straightforward
You can try to preview the new Visual Studio update experience right away, but there’s a catch. The only way to do so is by configuring the given registry key:
HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\VisualStudio\Setup\PreviewAutomaticUpdates (REG_DWORD) = 1
Worth noting that the preview phase of the new Visual Studio update experiencewill last until July. Post that, you won’t need to configure the registry after the specified month. As we write, there’s no date committed when it’ll be out of preview.
However, we do know that the new update experience for Visual Studio will roll out to users starting this August.
Will you opt-in to update Visual Studio via Windows Update when it is available? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
More about the topics:visual studio,Windows Update
Vlad Turiceanu
Windows Editor
Passionate about technology,Windows, and everything that has a power button, he spent most of his time developing new skills and learning more about the tech world.
Coming from a solid background in PC building and software development, with a complete expertise in touch-based devices, he is constantly keeping an eye out for the latest and greatest!
User forum
0 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Vlad Turiceanu
Windows Editor
Coming from a solid background in PC building and software development, he’s a Windows 11 Privacy & Security expert.
