Lifecycle FAQ - Visual C++ Redistributable and runtime libraries

Please go here to search for your product's lifecycle.

What is the Lifecycle Policy for Visual C++ Redistributable and MSVC toolset?

The Microsoft C and C++ toolset (MSVC), Visual C++ Redistributable, and the MSVC runtime libraries follow the Fixed Lifecycle Policy. They are supported according to the support lifecycle of the version of Visual Studio (including the Visual Studio Build Tools) in which they first ship, even if they ship in a subsequent version of Visual Studio.

How is the Visual C++ Redistributable updated?

The Visual C++ Redistributable installs the MSVC runtime libraries. Starting with Visual Studio 2015, the Visual C++ Redistributable is an in-place cumulative update. Each subsequent release of the Redistributable is compatible with programs compiled by using prior versions of the MSVC toolset between Visual Studio versions 2015 and 2022.

What are the support dates of the Visual C++ Redistributable, MSVC runtime libraries, and MSVC toolset?

Listing Start date Mainstream end date Extended end date
Visual C++ Redistributable and MSVC 2002 Feb 12, 2002 July 10, 2007 July 9, 2012
Visual C++ Redistributable and MSVC 2003 Jul 10, 2003 Oct 14, 2008 Oct 8, 2013
Visual C++ Redistributable and MSVC 2005 Jan 27, 2006 Apr 12, 2011 Apr 12, 2016
Visual C++ Redistributable and MSVC 2008 Feb 19, 2008 Apr 9, 2013 Apr 10, 2018
Visual C++ Redistributable and MSVC 2010 Jun 29, 2010 Jul 14, 2015 Jul 14, 2020
Visual C++ Redistributable and MSVC 2012 Oct 31, 2012 Jan 9, 2018 Jan 10, 2023
Visual C++ Redistributable and MSVC 2013 Jan 15, 2014 Apr 9, 2019 Apr 9, 2024
Visual C++ Redistributable and MSVC 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022 See version list below See version list below See version list below

What are the support dates for Visual C++ Redistributable, MSVC runtime libraries, and MSVC toolset versions 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, and later?

Starting with Visual Studio 2015, the runtime libraries and apps built with the toolsets from Visual Studio versions 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022 are binary-compatible with the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable. For these versions, we recommend customers use the latest available version of the C++ Redistributable. For more information, see C++ binary compatibility 2015-2022 and Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads.

MSVC version C++ Redistributable & runtime libraries version Shipped with Start date End date
V140 - 14.00 Visual Studio 2015 GA Jul 20, 2015 Jul 11, 2017
V140 - 14.00 14.0.24212.0 Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 Jul 20, 2015 Oct 14, 2025 (Supported version)
V141 - 14.00 Visual Studio 2017 v15.0 LTSC Mar 7, 2017 Jan 14, 2020
V141 - 14.16 14.16.27052.0 Visual Studio 2017 v15.9 final Nov 13, 2018 Apr 13, 2027 (Supported version)
V142 - 14.20 Visual Studio 2019 v16.0 LTSC Apr 2, 2019 Jan 12, 2021
V142 - 14.24 Visual Studio 2019 v16.4 LTSC Dec 3, 2019 Oct 12, 2021
V142 - 14.27 Visual Studio 2019 v16.7 LTSC Aug 5, 2020 Apr 12, 2022
V142 - 14.28 Visual Studio 2019 v16.6 LTSC Apr 2, 2019 Oct 11, 2022
V142 - 14.29 14.29.30157.0 Visual Studio 2019 v16.11 final Apr 2, 2019 Apr 10, 2029 (Supported version)
V143 - 14.30 Visual Studio 2022 v17.0 LTSC Nov 8, 2021 Jul 11, 2023
V143 - 14.32 Visual Studio 2022 v17.2 LTSC May 10, 2022 Jan 9, 2024
V143 - 14.34 Visual Studio 2022 v17.4 LTSC Nov 8, 2022 Jul 11, 2024
V143 - 14.36 14.36.32547.0 Visual Studio 2022 v17.6 LTSC May 16, 2023 Jan 9, 2025 (Supported version)
V143 - 14.38 14.38.33142.0 Visual Studio 2022 v17.8 LTSC Nov 14, 2024 Jul 8, 2025 (Supported version)
V143 - 14.40 14.40.33816.0 Visual Studio 2022 v17.10 LTSC May 21, 2024 Jan 13, 2026 (Supported version)
V143 - 14.41 14.40.33816.0 (same as 17.10) Visual Studio 2022 v17.11 August 13, 2024 Nov 12, 2024
V143 - 14.42 14.42.34433 Visual Studio 2022 v17.12 LTSC Nov 12, 2024 July 14, 2026 (Supported version)
V143 - 14.43 TBD Visual Studio 2022 v17.13 TBD TBD
V143 - 14.xx
TBD future version
TBD version Visual Studio 2022 v17.xx Nov 8, 2021 Jan 13, 2032 (Supported version)

Note

  • The version of the Visual C++ Redistributable that shipped with the final update for Visual Studio 2015, 2017, and 2019 will be supported for the duration of the respective Visual Studio lifecycle. Users must be on the latest serviced release of that version to be supported.
  • Non-LTSC versions of the Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2017, 2019, and 2022 were not supported past the subsequent minor version release. For example, v17.5 was supported only until v17.6 released. For more information, see Visual Studio Channels and Release Rhythm.

Will there be support for legacy Visual C++ Redistributables for Microsoft products?

There are a few specific instances where we continue to support the Visual C++ Redistributable beyond the underlying Visual Studio product lifecycle. This support is for security fixes only, and only in the context and timeframe of the Microsoft product(s) that depend on it. The following table indicates the Microsoft product and the corresponding Visual C++ Redistributable supported for that product. See the product's lifecycle information page for details on the support lifecycle.

Product Version Visual C++ Redistributable version
.NET 3.5 included in Windows 3.5 VC++ 2008 (v9.x)
System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2016 VC++ 2012 (v11.x)
VC++ 2013 (v12.x)
System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2019 VC++ 2012 (v11.x)
VC++ 2013 (v12.x)
System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2022 VC++ 2012 (v11.x)
VC++ 2013 (v12.x)
SharePoint Server 2016 VC++ 2012 (v11.x)
SharePoint Server 2019 VC++ 2012 (v11.x)
*SQL Server 2012 (11.x) VC++ 2010 (v10.x)
*SQL Server 2014 (12.x) VC++ 2010 (v10.x)
*SQL Server 2016 (13.x) VC++ 2010 (v10.x)
SQL Server 2017 (14.x) VC++ 2015-2022
SQL Server 2019 (15.x) VC++ 2015-2022
SQL Server 2022 (26.x) VC++ 2015-2022
Office 2016 VC++ 2015-2022
Office 2019 VC++ 2015-2022
Office 2021 VC++ 2015-2022

* For SQL Server versions 2012, 2014, and 2016 see Visual C++ Redistributable installed with SQL Server alerts end of life or obsolete - SQL Server.

More information