| Workload | ID | Typical Size | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | .NET desktop development | Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop | ~4 GB | | Desktop development with C++ | Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NativeDesktop | ~6 GB | | ASP.NET and web development | Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NetWeb | ~3.5 GB | | Universal Windows Platform | Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.Universal | ~3 GB | | Game development with C++ | Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NativeGame | ~2 GB | | Data storage and processing | Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.Data | ~1.5 GB | | Office/SharePoint dev | Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.Office | ~1 GB |
An offline installer is more than just a convenience—it’s a strategic advantage for specific scenarios:
Third-party ISOs can be tampered with. Only download from trusted archival sources if you can verify the hash.
Before diving into the download process, let's address why the offline ISO is often the superior choice for professionals, IT admins, and developers in restricted environments.
After the download completes (may take hours depending on selection), use any DVD burning tool to create an ISO:
To install Visual Studio on a machine without internet access, transfer the folder (or mount your custom ISO) onto the target machine. Open the offline layout folder on the target machine.
If any files are missing or corrupted, you can repair the layout with:
| Parameter | Purpose | | :--- | :--- | | --layout | Target folder path (e.g., C:\VS2019_Offline ) | | --lang | Languages (use en-US , zh-CN , etc.; omit for all) | | --add | Specific workload or component ID (see table below) | | --includeRecommended | Include recommended optional components | | --includeOptional | Include all optional components (increases size drastically) |
Download the web installer (bootstrapper) for your preferred edition: : vs_community.exe Professional Edition : vs_professional.exe Enterprise Edition : vs_enterprise.exe 2. Create the offline layout
Use the --nocache flag to prevent the installer from keeping a redundant copy of the downloaded files (useful if you’re low on disk space while creating the ISO).
Microsoft does not directly hand out a single "VS2019.iso" file on the main download page. Instead, you create your own offline layout using the official bootstrapper. This is the .
Instead, you use the Visual Studio Bootstrapper to generate your own offline cache, which you can then burn to a DVD, copy to a USB drive, or package as an ISO.