Install and manage local content
Applies to: 
Visual Studio 
Visual Studio for Mac
Note
This article applies to Visual Studio 2017. If you're looking for the latest Visual Studio documentation, see Visual Studio documentation. We recommend upgrading to the latest version of Visual Studio. Download it here
By using the Microsoft Help Viewer, you can add, remove, update, and move the Help content that is installed on your computer to fit your software development needs.
To manage content on your local computer, you must log on with an account that has administrator permissions. In addition, you might not be able to manage local content if you work in an enterprise environment, because system administrators might make those decisions for your organization. For more information, see the Help Viewer administrator guide.
Change the content installation source
By default, Help Viewer installs content by using a Microsoft online service as the source. You generally shouldn't change your content source unless you work in an enterprise environment for which a system administrator has already installed content in another location.
To change the content installation source
On the Manage Content tab, choose the Disk option button.
Note
The Disk option isn't available if your administrator has prevented you from modifying the content installation source. For more information, see the Help Viewer administrator guide.
Perform one of the following steps:
Enter the path of an .msha file or the URL of a service endpoint.
Choose the Browse (...) button to navigate to an .msha file.
In the list, choose the entry that was used most recently.
Download and install content locally
If you download and install content on your local computer, you can view topics when you don't have an internet connection.
Important
To install content, you must log on with an account that has administrative permissions.
Note
If the Visual Studio IDE is set to a language other than English, you can install English content, localized content, or both. However, no content appears if you install only the English version and the Include English content in all navigation tabs and F1 requests check box in the Viewer Options dialog box is cleared.
To download and install content
Choose the Manage Content tab.
In the content list, choose the Add link next to the book or books that you want to download and install.
The book is added to the Pending changes list, and the estimated size of the book or books that you specified appears below that list. Because some books share topics, the total download size of multiple books might be smaller than the result of adding together the sizes of every book that you specified.
Choose the Update button.
The book or books that you specified are installed along with any updates for books that you already have on your computer. Installation times vary, but you can view the progress in the status bar.
Remove local content
You can save disk space by removing unwanted content from your computer.
Important
You must have administrative permissions to remove content.
Note
No content appears if the Visual Studio IDE is set to a language other than English, you remove localized content, and the Include English content in all navigation tab and F1 requests check box in the Viewer Options dialog box is cleared.
To remove content
Choose the Manage Content tab.
In the content list, choose the Remove link next to the book or books that you want to remove.
The book is added to the Pending changes list.
Choose the Update button.
The book or books that you specified are removed from your computer.
Update local content
The status bar indicates when updates to your installed content are available.
Important
If you want the Help Viewer to automatically check for online updates, you must open the Viewer Options dialog box and then select the Go online to check for content updates check box.
To update local content
- In the lower-right corner of the status bar, choose the Click here to download now link.
Update times can vary, but you can view the update progress in the status bar.
Move local content
You can save disk space by moving installed content from your local computer to a network share or to another partition on your local computer.
Important
To move content, you must log on with an account that has administrative permissions.
To move local content
On the Manage Content tab, choose the Move button under Local Store Path.
The Move Content dialog box opens.
In the To text box, enter a different location for the content, and then choose the OK button.
Choose the Close button when the content has been moved.