How to Install .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows 8 10 11

If you are a programmer or app developer, you must have used either “C++”, “C#”, or “F#” at some point. You must have wondered how these apps run on the system. They execute with the help of a Microsoft-developed framework called the “.NET” framework. It has multiple versions, with “NET Framework 4.8.1” being the latest. However, some older apps will need “.NET Framework 3.5” to run, and it may not be installed on your system.

This guide explains installing “.NET Framework 3.5” on Windows 8, 10, and 11 and covers the following points.

• Check if .NET Framework 3.5 is Enabled/Installed?
• How to Install .NET Framework 3.5?

1. From Windows Features
2. From Windows Installation Media?
3. Via Offline Installer?
4. Via Command Prompt?

How to Check if “Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5” is Enabled/Installed?

To determine whether “.Net Framework 3.5” is installed on the system, Press the “Window+R” shortcut keys and type “regedit” to open “Registry Editor”:

In the Registry Editor, follow the path “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE => SOFTWARE => Microsoft => NET Framework Setup => NDP => v3.5” and view the stats:

As seen above, the “Install” has the data “0x00000001 (1),” which means it is installed, and the “Install Path” is also provided.

How to Install/Enable .NET Framework 3.5?

Using the following four methods, you can install/enable “.Net Framework 3.5” on Windows; let’s discuss them individually.

Method 1: Install/Enable “Microsoft .NET Framework” From Windows Features

Sometimes, the discussed framework is disabled even if it is installed. To enable it, type “Turn Windows features on or off” in the start menu’s search bar and navigate to it:

In the next window, the first entity you’d see is “.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)”. Mark the box if it is not enabled. After hitting the “OK” button, the system will install it and may require a reboot:

Method 2: Install/Enable “Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5” From Windows Installation Media

When the system is offline, i.e., with no internet access, “.NET Framework 3.5” is required. It can be installed using the “Windows Installation Media”, such as Windows DVD or a bootable Flash Drive. Once the installation media is connected to the system, run the “CMD” as an administrator by typing “cmd” in the start menu’s search bar:

In the “CMD”, type the following command and replace the letter “F” with the letter of the installation media disk or drive:

As seen, the “.NET Framework 3.5” is now installed/enabled on the system.

Method 3: Install “Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5” Via the Offline Installer

To install “.NET Framework 3.5” using the official offline installer, use this link to download it:

Once the download is completed (232MB Setup), head to the “Downloads” folder and launch the installation that will guide you through the setup.

Method 4: Install/Enable “Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5” Using Command Prompt

To install/enable “.NET Framework 3.5” via the Command Prompt, open the “CMD” as an administrator and enter the following command:

If you are using the PowerShell, use the following command to install/enable “.NET Framework 3.5” instead:

Likewise, the “.NET Framework” is installed/enabled on the system via PowerShell.

Conclusion

There are multiple ways to install “Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5” on Windows 8/10/11, including the “Windows Features”, “Windows Installation Media”, “Offline Installer”, or the “Command Prompt”. The support for “.NET Framework 3.5” ended in 2019, but it is sometimes required when running an older app on the system. This guide helped users to install “.NET Framework 3.5” on Windows 8/10/11.