How to Install Dotnet (.NET)

Last Updated: November 2, 2020

.NET (pronounced "dotnet") is a cross-platform developer software for building and running websites, services, and console apps. This wikiHow will teach you how to download and install the .NET Core Runtime software.

Steps

1
Go to https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download in a web browser. .NET is a Microsoft product that you can download and install on both Windows and Mac.
2
Click Windows or macOS. You'll see these tabs along the top of the page and they change what downloads are offered. Click the appropriate operating system to download the .NET application that will work with your computer.

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3
Click Download .NET Core Runtime (Windows) or Download .NET Core SDK (Mac). It's the first option in the list for Windows, but you'll need to click Download .NET Core SDK for Mac since the Runtime program is not available as a separate download.
- You can also go to https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/ and get Visual Studio to download the appropriate .NET packages.
- If you're building apps for Windows specifically, you'll need to click to download the two .NET Framework 4.8 programs (Runtime and Dev Pack).
- If you're using Windows, you'll need to select if you want the x64 or x86 build, then continue.
4
Click Save. When your file manager opens, you can rename the file as well as change the file's save location.
5
Double-click the downloaded file. After the download finishes, many browsers will show you a notification that the download completed that you can click to open the file. Double-clicking the downloaded .exe file will run an installer to install the program.
- You can use a command-line prompt like Terminal or Command Prompt to use .NET, or, if you have Visual Studio, you can use .NET there.^{[1]
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