How to install Visual C++ Build tools?

Question

I need to install Visual C++ Build Tools. When I've download installer, I've tried to install it, however it's telling me I need to uninstall VS 2015!

How can I solve it? Why is Visual C++ Build tools telling me it needs to remove current VS 2015 installation?

Answer 1

Additionally to Aaron Belchamber's answer, as applied to VS 2022 situation (particularly, after spending hours trying to install PyVizgraph via pip):

• Verify Visual C++ Build Tools Installation
• Ensure you have installed the correct components of the Microsoft Build Tools. For Visual Studio 2022, follow these steps:
  • Open the Visual Studio Installer.
  • Click on Modify for your Visual Studio 2022 installation.
  • Go to the Workloads tab.
  • Under Desktop Development with C++, ensure you have selected:
    • MSVC v143 - VS 2022 C++ x64/x86 build tools [today's latest]
    • C++ CMake tools for Windows
    • Go to the Individual Components tab and check the following: Windows 10/11 SDK (latest version) [normally the latest in the list]
    • C++/CLI support
  • Apply the changes and wait for the installation to complete.

Answer 2

The current version (2023/09/14) is Build Tools for Visual Studio 2022. It's an online installer, you need to include at least the individual components:

• VC++ 2022 version xx.x tools
• Windows SDK to use standard libraries.

For updated Windows 10 or Windows 11: use the new winget cli

Just copy and paste that command in cmd, powershell or Run (WinKey + R).

Windows 10 SDK

winget install Microsoft.VisualStudio.2022.BuildTools --force --override "--wait --passive --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64 --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Windows10SDK"

Windows 11 SDK

winget install Microsoft.VisualStudio.2022.BuildTools --force --override "--wait --passive --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64 --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Windows11SDK.22621"

The above commands will download and run the installer with the switches passed after --override.

The --add will add specific features when installing, in this case:

• Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64
• Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Windows10SDK or
• Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Windows11SDK.22621

Within Microsoft's docs you can find the IDs of the features available for the Visual Studio Build Tools and in this section also learn more about other parameters available for the installer.

Answer 3

I just stumbled onto this issue accessing some Python libraries: Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 is required. Get it with "Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tools". The latest link to that is actually here: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/#build-tools-for-visual-studio-2019

When you begin the installer, it will have several "options" enabled which will balloon the install size to 5gb. If you have Windows 10, you'll need to leave selected the "Windows 10 SDK" option as mentioned here, and if you have Windows 11, you'll need to leave selected the "Windows 11 SDK" option.

I hope it helps save others time!

Answer 4

For the latest Visual Studio 2022:

At any time after installation, you can install workloads or components that you didn't install initially. If you have Visual Studio open, go to Tools > Get Tools and Features... which opens the Visual Studio Installer. Or, open Visual Studio Installer from the Start menu. From there, you can choose the workloads or components that you wish to install. Then, choose Modify.

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/build/vscpp-step-0-installation?view=msvc-170

Answer 5

Sorry for stating what may be very obvious. But it will only work if you install the build tool that matches the version of Visual Studio you are working with. I am using VS Code (sorry if this info is irrelevant), and I got it to work by installing the build tool for VS Code, and setting up VS Code to work with C++ by following this official guide

Answer 6

Here is a link that will only install Build Tools: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/visual-cpp-build-tools/

I have not tried on a system with Visual Studio though but at least it did not try to install gigabytes of stuff.

Answer 7

As of Jan 2022, here are direct, official links to Visual Studio Build Tools:

Visual Studio 2017 Build Tools: https://aka.ms/vs/15/release/vs_buildtools.exe
Visual Studio 2019 Build Tools: https://aka.ms/vs/16/release/vs_buildtools.exe
Visual Studio 2022 Build Tools: https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vs_buildtools.exe

(aka.ms is a Microsoft domain)

Answer 8

You can check Announcing the official release of the Visual C++ Build Tools 2015 and from this blog, we can know that the Build Tools are the same C++ tools that you get with Visual Studio 2015 but they come in a scriptable standalone installer that only lays down the tools you need to build C++ projects. The Build Tools give you a way to install the tools you need on your build machines without the IDE you don’t need.

Because these components are the same as the ones installed by the Visual Studio 2015 Update 2 setup, you cannot install the Visual C++ Build Tools on a machine that already has Visual Studio 2015 installed. Therefore, it asks you to uninstall your existing VS 2015 when you tried to install the Visual C++ build tools using the standalone installer. Since you already have the VS 2015, you can go to Control Panel—Programs and Features and right click the VS 2015 item and Change-Modify, then check the option of those components that relates to the Visual C++ Build Tools, like Visual C++, Windows SDK… then install them. After the installation is successful, you can build the C++ projects.

Answer 9

I had the same issue too, the problem is exacerbated with the download link now only working for Visual Studio 2017, and installing the package from the download link did nothing for VS2015, although it took up 5gB of space.

I looked everywhere on how to do it with the Nu Get package manager and I couldn't find the solution.

It turns out it's even simpler than that, all you have to do is right-click the project or solution in the Solution Explorer from within Visual Studio, and click "Install Missing Components"