We will use the command line. Do not worry – it is easier than it looks.
The basic syntax is as follows:
vs_enterprise.exe --layout <DownloadPath> --lang <LanguageCode>
Alternatively, you can use the --layout option with the installation media to create an offline installer:
vs_community.exe --layout C:\VS2019OfflineInstaller --lang en-US
Replace C:\VS2019OfflineInstaller with the path to your USB drive or network share, and en-US with your desired language.
Step 3: Install Visual Studio 2019 Offline
To install Visual Studio 2019 using the offline installer:
vs_community.exe
The installation process will begin, and Visual Studio 2019 will be installed without requiring an internet connection.
Conclusion
Creating an offline installer for Visual Studio 2019 is a straightforward process that requires some basic command-line operations. By following these steps, you can install Visual Studio 2019 without an internet connection, making it easier to set up development environments in areas with limited or no internet connectivity.
Code Snippets
Here is a PowerShell script that automates the process of creating an offline installer:
# Define the installation media and layout directory
$installationMedia = "vs_community.exe"
$layoutDirectory = "C:\VS2019OfflineInstaller"
# Extract the installation files
Start-Process -FilePath $installationMedia -ArgumentList "--layout $layoutDirectory" -Wait
# Install Visual Studio 2019
Start-Process -FilePath "$layoutDirectory\$installationMedia" -Wait
Example Use Cases
Title: The Bandwidth Savior
The clock on the wall read 11:30 PM. Outside, the city was quiet, but inside the cramped server room, the air conditioning hummed a tense soundtrack. Marcus, the newly hired DevOps engineer, stared at the glowing screen in disbelief.
"Three hours?" he whispered to the empty room. "It’s downloading at 150 kilobytes per second. At this rate, the intern will retire before this finishes."
The task seemed simple enough: configure ten development workstations for the new engineering team arriving Monday morning. The workstation machines were built, the OS was cloned, but the main event—installing Visual Studio 2019—was turning into a logistical nightmare.
Their office internet was acting up, throttling downloads to a crawl. Installing the IDE on one machine was a test of patience; installing it on ten, one by one, was impossible.
Marcus rubbed his temples. There had to be a better way. He didn't want to just install the software; he needed to conquer it. He opened a browser and typed the magic words: Visual Studio 2019 offline installer.
The official documentation appeared like a holy text. Marcus wasn't dealing with a simple .exe anymore. He was entering the realm of the Command Line.
He plugged in a rugged, 128GB USB drive he kept for emergencies. He opened PowerShell with a deep breath. He didn't want the default installation; he wanted everything. He needed the .NET desktop development workload, the Azure tools, and the C++ game development kits.
He began to type the incantation, a string of text that felt more like a spell than a software command:
vs_enterprise.exe --layout c:\VS2019Offline --lang en-US
He hit Enter. For a moment, nothing happened. The cursor blinked. Then, a console window flashed open.
Initializing...
This wasn't just a download; it was a harvesting operation. The tool began pulling down packages. Marcus watched as folders began to populate on his USB drive. He wasn't just downloading an installer; he was building a repository. He realized the power of the --add switch. He didn't have to download the kitchen sink. He could curate.
He refined his command.
vs_enterprise.exe --layout D:\VS2019Offline --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NetWeb --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.Azure --includeRecommended
The download speed was still slow, but it didn't matter. He was creating a local cache. A standalone installer that required no internet connection once it was finished. He wasn't fighting the bandwidth; he was beating it by decoupling the process.
At 2:00 AM, the process finally spat out the final log lines. Operation completed successfully.
Marcus unplugged the USB drive. It felt heavy in his hand, loaded with gigabytes of development potential.
The next morning, the office was buzzing. The new team was due in an hour. Marcus walked over to the first workstation, inserted the USB drive, and navigated to the VS2019Offline folder. visual studio 2019 offline installer
He didn't need to connect the machine to the spotty Wi-Fi. He simply double-clicked the setup executable located right there in the folder.
The familiar Visual Studio installer window popped up instantly. No "Downloading..." bar. No "Waiting for network." The packages were right there on the stick. The installation ran purely from the local files.
He walked from machine to machine, plugging in the drive, clicking 'Install', and moving on. What would have taken twenty hours of cumulative download time was reduced to a few minutes of initialization.
By the time the lead developer, Sarah, walked in with her coffee, all ten machines were humming with the quiet potential of fresh IDEs.
"Everything ready?" Sarah asked, glancing at the screens.
Marcus held up the USB drive, a small smile playing on his lips. "Offline installer," he said. "Internet or no internet, the code runs."
Sarah nodded, impressed. "Good work. You just saved us a week of headaches."
Marcus sat back. The offline installer wasn't just a file; it was freedom. It was the freedom to develop anywhere, anytime, tethered to nothing but the code.
Introduction
Visual Studio 2019 is a powerful integrated development environment (IDE) for building a wide range of applications, including Windows, web, mobile, and cloud-based apps. While the online installer is convenient, it requires a stable internet connection, which can be a challenge in some environments. That's where the offline installer comes in – it allows you to install Visual Studio 2019 without an internet connection.
Benefits of Using the Offline Installer
Downloading the Offline Installer
To download the Visual Studio 2019 offline installer, follow these steps:
The offline installer file is named vs_Community.exe (or vs_Professional.exe or vs_Enterprise.exe depending on the edition you chose). The file size is around 1.5 GB.
Creating an Offline Installation Media
To create an offline installation media, you'll need to extract the installation files from the offline installer executable. Here are the steps:
Creating an Offline Installer ISO File
Alternatively, you can create an ISO file that contains the offline installer files. Here's how:
oscdimg -n -d -bC:\Path\To\vs_Community.exe -oC:\Path\To\output.iso
Replace C:\Path\To\vs_Community.exe with the path to the offline installer executable and C:\Path\To\output.iso with the desired output path.
Installing Visual Studio 2019 from an Offline Installer
To install Visual Studio 2019 from an offline installer, follow these steps:
Tips and Troubleshooting
By following this guide, you should be able to successfully download, create, and use a Visual Studio 2019 offline installer to install the IDE on machines without an internet connection.
To develop a report in Visual Studio 2019 using an offline installer, you must first create a "local layout" that includes the specific reporting workloads and then install the required extensions. Since Visual Studio 2019 does not provide a single ISO file, you must build this layout on a machine with internet access before moving it to your offline environment. 1. Create the Offline Layout
You need to download the Visual Studio bootstrapper (e.g., vs_community.exe) and run a command to download only the components required for reporting to save space.
Download the Bootstrapper: Get the Visual Studio 2019 bootstrapper from Microsoft.
Run the Layout Command: Open a command prompt and run the following to include the "Data storage and processing" workload, which contains basic reporting tools:vs_community.exe --layout C:\VS2019Offline --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.Data --includeOptional --lang en-US
Total Size: A full offline layout can exceed 20 GB, but limiting it to specific workloads like .NET desktop development or Data processing can reduce this significantly. 2. Install in the Offline Environment We will use the command line
Once the files are downloaded, move the C:\VS2019Offline folder to your offline machine.
Install Certificates: Navigate to the certificates folder within your layout and install all certificates (right-click -> Install Certificate) to prevent installation errors on the offline machine.
Run Setup: Run the installer with the --noWeb flag to ensure it does not try to connect to the internet:vs_community.exe --noWeb 3. Add Reporting Tools
Standard Visual Studio installations do not always include advanced reporting designers by default. You will likely need additional components: How to Make Offline Installer Visual Studio 2019
How to Create a Visual Studio 2019 Offline Installer Whether you are working in a secure environment with no internet access or simply want to save bandwidth when installing on multiple machines, creating an offline installer (or "local layout") for Visual Studio 2019 is a must-have skill for any developer.
Since Microsoft no longer provides direct .ISO images, you must build your own local cache using the Visual Studio bootstrapper. Here is your step-by-step guide to getting it done. Step 1: Download the Visual Studio Bootstrapper
First, you need the small "bootstrapper" file that initiates the download process. Go to the Visual Studio older downloads page and sign in.
Download the bootstrapper for your preferred edition: Community, Professional, or Enterprise.
For easier commands, rename the downloaded file to something simple like vs_community.exe. Step 2: Create Your Local Layout
Now, use the command line to download the actual installation files to a local folder. This "layout" will become your offline installer. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Run the following command to download the full English version (replace the path with your preferred drive): vs_community.exe --layout C:\vslayout --lang en-US Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard
Tip: If you only need specific features (like .NET desktop or web development), you can use the --add parameter to reduce the download size. Step 3: Install on the Offline Machine
Once the download is complete (this may take a while as it can exceed 20GB), copy the vslayout folder to your target offline machine via a USB drive or network share.
Install Certificates: Before running the installer, navigate to the certificates folder within your layout and install each certificate one by one to ensure the installer is trusted by the offline system.
Run the Installer: From the layout folder, run the bootstrapper with the --noWeb flag to prevent it from trying to reach the internet: vs_community.exe --noWeb Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Troubleshooting Quick Tips
Create an offline installation - Visual Studio (Windows) - Microsoft Learn
How to Create a Visual Studio 2019 Offline Installer A Visual Studio 2019 offline installer is essential for developers working in secure environments without internet access or for IT administrators managing bulk deployments. Since Microsoft no longer provides direct ISO images for Visual Studio 2019, you must create a local layout by downloading the necessary installation files to a local folder first. Step 1: Download the Visual Studio Bootstrapper
To start, you need the "bootstrapper" file for your specific edition. These can be found on the Visual Studio Older Downloads page.
Visual Studio Community 2019: Download Community Bootstrapper
Visual Studio Professional 2019: Download Professional Bootstrapper
Visual Studio Enterprise 2019: Download Enterprise Bootstrapper Step 2: Create a Local Layout
Once the bootstrapper is downloaded (e.g., vs_community.exe), use the command line to download the actual installation packages into a local directory. Open Command Prompt as an administrator. Navigate to the folder where you saved the bootstrapper.
Run the layout command. You can download everything or just specific "workloads" to save space. Common Command Examples:
Download everything (approx. 45GB+):vs_community.exe --layout C:\VSLayout
Download only .NET Web and Desktop development (English):vs_community.exe --layout C:\VSLayout --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NetWeb --lang en-US
Download C++ Desktop development (with recommended components):vs_community.exe --layout C:\VSLayout --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NativeDesktop --includeRecommended --lang en-US Step 3: Install Visual Studio on the Offline Machine
After the download finishes, copy the entire C:\VSLayout folder to your target offline computer via a USB drive or network share. On the offline machine, open the folder.
Run the bootstrapper (e.g., vs_community.exe) from that folder using the --noWeb parameter to ensure it doesn't try to connect to the internet.vs_community.exe --noWeb Alternatively, you can use the --layout option with
The Visual Studio Installer will launch, allowing you to select and install the components you downloaded. Minimum System Requirements
Before installing, ensure your target machine meets these Visual Studio 2019 System Requirements: Create an offline installation - Visual Studio (Windows)
The Ghost in the Machine: Mastering the Visual Studio 2019 Offline Installer
In an era where "always-on" connectivity is the default, the humble offline installer feels like a secret weapon. Whether you’re working in a high-security "air-gapped" environment, battling a sluggish office Wi-Fi, or just need to standardize an environment across twenty developer machines without killing your bandwidth, the Visual Studio 2019 offline installer is your best friend.
But here’s the thing: Microsoft doesn’t just give you a single .iso file and a "Good luck!" anymore. Modern Visual Studio is modular, which makes "going offline" a bit of a strategic operation. Why go "Dark Mode" with your installation?
Speed: Installing from a local SSD or a fast USB 3.0 drive is significantly faster than streaming gigabytes of data over a network.
Reliability: No "Download Failed" errors halfway through a 20GB install because the router decided to reboot.
Control: You decide exactly which "Workloads" (like .NET desktop development or C++ gaming) are included in your installer package, keeping the file size lean. Step 1: The Bootstrapper
First, you need the "seed" for your offline forest. Head over to the Visual Studio Download Page to grab the small bootstrapper file (e.g., vs_community.exe, vs_professional.exe, or vs_enterprise.exe).
Note: You must have an internet connection for this specific step to download the actual files into your offline layout. Step 2: Creating the Layout (The Command Line Magic)
This is where the magic happens. You’ll use the command line to tell that bootstrapper to download everything you need into a folder (we'll call it C:\VSLayout).
To download a complete layout (warning: this can be over 40GB!), run:vs_enterprise.exe --layout C:\VSLayout.
Pro-Tip: Keep it LeanDon't need everything? Just download the workloads you actually use. For standard .NET desktop and web development in English, use:vs_community.exe --layout C:\VSLayout --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NetWeb --lang en-US. Step 3: Installing in the "Dark"
Once your folder is ready, move it to your offline machine via a portable drive. To install without the installer trying to "call home" for updates, run the setup from inside your new folder with the --noWeb flag: C:\VSLayout\vs_community.exe --noWeb. Common Gotchas (and how to dodge them)
Create an offline installation - Visual Studio (Windows) - Microsoft Learn
Creating an offline installer for Visual Studio 2019 involves downloading a bootstrapper and using the command-line
option to create a local, portable cache of the necessary packages. Once transferred to the offline machine, installation is completed using the
flag to prevent internet reliance. For detailed instructions, see the Microsoft Learn guide Microsoft Learn How to download Visual studio 2019 offline installer 15 Mar 2021 —
Here’s a sample review for the Visual Studio 2019 Offline Installer, written from the perspective of a developer who has used it in a restricted or unreliable network environment.
Title: A Lifesaver for Restricted Networks – But Prepare for the Initial Download
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Review:
If you work in an environment with a slow, unreliable, or completely air-gapped network, the official Visual Studio 2019 offline installer is an absolute must-have. Unlike the web installer, which fails miserably with intermittent connectivity, this lets you download all required workloads, language packs, and components once, then deploy to multiple machines without re-downloading.
The Good:
The Not-So-Good:
Final Verdict:
For individual developers with decent internet, the web installer is simpler. But for IT admins, lab managers, or anyone supporting offline development environments, the VS2019 offline installer is worth the initial hassle. Just set aside a few hours (or overnight) for the first download and keep a USB drive ready.
Recommended for:
Not ideal for:
Sometimes you need a specific SDK. Use the --includeRecommended and --includeOptional flags.
vs_professional.exe --layout F:\VS2019_Offline --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NetWeb --includeRecommended --includeOptional --lang en-US