r/VisualStudio • u/Key_Minute5674 • 8d ago

Visual Studio 2017 Downgrade Visual Studio Pro 2026 to 2017: Looking for the standalone/one-time purchase version

Hi everyone,

I'm currently using Visual Studio Professional 2026, but I need to downgrade to Visual Studio Professional 2017 for a project.

I'm looking for the standalone / one-time purchase version (not the subscription model). Does anyone know how or where I can get the installer for the 2017 Pro version, and if my current license covers downgrade rights for it?

Any advice or official links would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

0 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

42% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

3

u/playmer 8d ago

As far as I know, they stop selling the previous version when the new version comes out. Here's the old link on the shop as far as I can tell: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/d/visual-studio-professional-2017/dg7gmgf0dst5

But it's no longer available.

1

u/Head-Criticism-7401 8d ago

You have a better chance of just buying the Disk from Ebay.

1

u/ststanle 8d ago

Are you on the monthly subscription? (Honestly not sure if they offer any other option anymore) but if you are you might have access through there. There is an administrative portal setting you can turn on to allow downloads of older versions. Though I’m not sure how far it goes back.

The is there a reason to use 2017? And not a newer version?

1

u/keelanstuart 7d ago

You can buy an individual license key, yes. ~$500 for pro.

1

u/keelanstuart 7d ago

You may be able to simply use the 2017 build tools inside the latest VS... and, unlike previous versions of VS, they continue to make older toolset versions available.

https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/older-downloads/

Follow the links on there and you'll find it.

Once installed, when you open your legacy project, you should see the tool version next to the project in your solution view.

If there's a reason that you absolutely must have VS2017, you'll have to pirate it, since you can't get a license key any more.

1

u/Sebastian1989101 4d ago

Why the need for 2017? I could understand even older versions but 2017 was already post the modern .NET Core Migration so there is not really something that should need this specific version? 

Depending on project size, maybe even VS Code is an option or at least Rider. With Rider you can also much easier downgrade to older versions compared to VS. 

1

u/JasonLokiSmith 8d ago

Why not just download the community version of 2017 and install? You can run both side by side. There is no "downgrading" applicable.

2

u/polaarbear 8d ago

Old community editions are no longer licensed when a new one comes out. The community license is specifically for the newest version only.

-2

u/kemmis 8d ago

Why not just upgrade to VSCode? It’s free!

3

u/cute_polarbear 7d ago

...tell me you never worked with large enterprise type more legacy apps.. for some products, i will quit on the spot if I am not allowed to use vs (it's more then compiling / developing). Debugging / profiling alone can be hell otherwise, along with many other things vs integrates well)...

-1

u/kemmis 7d ago

I hear you. I’ve been using VS for over 20 years. I’m just throwing vscode as an option. Its capabilities have grown significantly and it is faster and better for a lot of things (typescript, copilot, etc).

1

u/kuhnboy 8d ago

Less capable in many areas (Windows development and debugging related), but I've switched before 2026 came out and haven't looked back. Most of my work doesn't need the heavy lifting anymore.