Visual Studio Community
v18.11.3 (Visual Studio 2026)FreeReleased 29 Oct 2026
Microsoft's full IDE for C#, C++, .NET and Windows app development. By Microsoft Corporation
- Windows
By the ToolsBharat teamUpdated 29 Oct 2026How we check
Quick answer
Visual Studio Community is free software for Windows from Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft's full IDE for C#, C++, .NET and Windows app development. Download it only from visualstudio.microsoft.com. The latest version we track is 18.11.3 (Visual Studio 2026) (29 Oct 2026). ToolsBharat links straight to the publisher's own download page, with no bundled offers.
- Latest version:
- 18.11.3 (Visual Studio 2026) (29 Oct 2026)
- Publisher:
- Microsoft Corporation
- Official site:
- visualstudio.microsoft.com
- Licence:
- Free — Microsoft Software License Terms (free for individuals, students and open-source contributors)
- Requirements:
- Windows 11 (64-bit) or Windows Server 2019/2022/2025
Our verdict
The heavyweight choice for C#, .NET and C++ work on Windows, with a debugger and profiler that lighter editors cannot match. Community is free for individuals, students and open-source work, but organisations above Microsoft's limits need a paid edition. Expect a large install; pick only the workloads you need.
Screenshots
Key features
- Workload-based installer for .NET, C++, game and desktop development
- Integrated debugger, profiler and unit-test runner
- IntelliSense and refactoring for C#, C++ and more
- Built-in Git tooling
Pros
- Pro: Best-in-class debugging for .NET and C++
- Pro: Free for individuals and students
Cons
- Con: Very large download and disk footprint
- Con: Windows only
- Con: Licence limits use inside larger companies
What's new in 18.11.3 (Visual Studio 2026)
See what changed in 18.11.3 (Visual Studio 2026) in the official release notes
Version history
Version 18.11.3 (Visual Studio 2026)Latest
29 Oct 2026- SHA-256
- The developer does not publish one
- Source
- Release notes
Requirements
- OS
- Windows 11 (64-bit) or Windows Server 2019/2022/2025
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64 (Windows 11 on Arm)
Licence
- Type
- Free
- Licence
- Microsoft Software License Terms (free for individuals, students and open-source contributors)
- Publisher
- visualstudio.microsoft.com
Where these facts come from
Checked 30 Oct 2026
FAQ
Is Visual Studio Community really free?
Yes for individual developers, students, classroom use and open-source projects. Microsoft's licence terms restrict use inside larger organisations, which need Professional or Enterprise.
Is this the same as VS Code?
No. Visual Studio is a full IDE for Windows; Visual Studio Code is a separate, lighter cross-platform editor.
User reviews
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Used Visual Studio Community? Reviews appear after moderation; we never import or invent ratings.
Alternatives
- Visual Studio Code1.144.0 · FreeFree code editor with debugging, Git and a huge extension library. Official Developer SHA-256 No bundlesAvailable on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web app
- IntelliJ IDEA2026.2.4 · FreemiumJetBrains' Java and Kotlin IDE, now one download with a free core. Official No bundlesAvailable on Windows, macOS, Linux
Visual Studio Community
18.11.3 (Visual Studio 2026) · Not stated