Determine Which .NET Framework Versions Are Installed – .Net Instruction Article

Summary

Often when installing software, the new software will require specific versions of .NET Framework to be installed. This document seeks to help simply the process of determining what versions of .NET Framework are currently installed on a Windows based computer.

Instructions

EXTREME CARE should be taken when working with any system registry. Permanent irrecoverable damage can result.

Open the Registry Editor by:
- Pressing the Windows-R keys simultaneously for the “Run” prompt
- Entering “regedit.exe” in the prompt and pressing Enter
Open the correct subkey:
- For .NET Framework v1-4: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP (installed versions are listed under the NDP subkey with the specific long version number stored in the “Version” entry)
- For .NET Framework v4.5 and higher: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full (look for the DWORD value “Release”…the existence of this DWORD indicates that .NET Framework 4.5 or newer has been installed)
Identify the correct versions:
- .NET Framework v1-4 you will see listed in the NDP subkey
- .NET Framework v4.5 and higher you will need to find the DWORD “Release” under the NDP\v4\Full subkey