Microsoft Windows users who have installed Microsoft .NET versions 4.5.2, 4.6, or 4.6.1 will need to install newer versions of the Microsoft framework if they want Microsoft to support the framework with future product updates.
All three frameworks will be out of support on April 26, 2022 according to Microsoft. Products will not receive “security fixes or technical support” after the end of support date is reached.
Most home devices are kept up to date through Windows Update. These devices have a newer version of the framework, for example, the .NET Framework 4.8, already installed.
Devices that do not update automatically may require a manual update to go from one of the unsupported versions to a supported version.
System administrators can update the installed version of the Microsoft .NET Framework to a newer version, at least Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2 before April to continue receiving support and security updates. Version 4.6.2 of the framework comes pre-installed on version 1607 of Windows 10. Newer versions of Windows 10 include newer versions of the framework, for example, version 1903 of Windows 10 includes version 4.8 of the .NET Framework out of the box. default.
Versions 4.6.2 and later of the .NET Framework follow the lifecycle policy of the operating system; this means that it will go out of support when the operating system goes out of support.
The three versions of .NET that were discontinued in April 2022 were affected by Microsoft’s decision to retire SHA-1 in all company products.
Microsoft is making this change because the .NET Framework was digitally signed with certificates that use the Secure Hash Algorithm 1 (SHA-1), and we are prioritizing support for newer digital certificates.
Check the installed .NET Framework versions
You might want to know what versions of the .NET Framework are installed on your Windows devices. It’s relatively easy to find out, as you can check it in the Registry like this:
- Open Start, type regedit.exe and select Windows Registry Editor from the list of results.
- Confirm the UAC prompt.
- Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftNET Framework SetupNDP. In Windows 10 and later, you can paste the path into the address field to go directly to it.
- Check the version folders starting with v and there the client or full folders. The version of the registry string value shows the version of the .NET Framework installed.
If you see one of the frameworks listed that will be out of support, you may want to consider updating it to keep the framework supported on your devices.
Now you: What versions of the .NET Framework do you have installed on your devices?
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