I Cant Install Visual Studio 2026 Or Any Other

If you're encountering the error "Couldn't Download Microsoft.VisualStudio.MinShell.Auto.Resources" while trying to install Visual Studio 2026, it could be related to network issues or permissions. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Check Network Connection: Ensure that your internet connection is stable and that there are no firewall or proxy settings blocking the download.
2. Run as Administrator: Make sure you are running the Visual Studio Installer with administrator permissions. Right-click on the installer and select "Run as administrator."
3. Repair Installation: If you have previously installed Visual Studio, try repairing the installation. This can be done through the Visual Studio Installer.
4. Delete Installer Folder: Sometimes, deleting the Visual Studio Installer folder can resolve issues. Close the installer, delete the folder located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer, and then restart the installation process.
5. Check Known Issues: Visit the known issues page for Visual Studio 2026 to see if there are any ongoing problems that might be affecting your installation.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider reaching out for support through the installation chat option provided by Microsoft.

References:

• Troubleshoot Visual Studio installation and upgrade issues
• Troubleshoot network-related errors when you install, update, or use Visual Studio

Thank you for reporting this behavior. I can confirm that what you're seeing is based on the current Visual Studio extension and .vsconfig design.

1. .vsconfig Only tracks System wide (Admin) Extensions Visual Studio currently exports to .vsconfig only those extensions that are installed system-wide, because per-user extensions are stored under the individual user profile and are not considered part of the machine-level configuration. Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/install/import-export-installation-configurations?view=visualstudio
2. Visual Studio UI does not expose a per-user vs System-wide Option The Visual Studio installer and the in-product Extension manager do not provide a toggle for choosing installation scope. The behavior is:
   1. If Visual Studio is launched with Administrator privileges, the extension installs system-wide.
   2. if run normally (non-admin), the extension installs per-user. This is currently the only supported wat to control installation scope.
   Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/ide/finding-and-using-visual-studio-extensions?view=visualstudio
3. Recommended Workaround If you need the extension to appear in .vsconfig and be exported/imported across machines:
   1. Close Visual Studio
   2. Reopen Visual Studio as Administrator.
   3. Install the extension again (it will install system-wide).
   4. Re-export .vsconfig.

At this time, the installation scope cannot be explicitly selected from the UI.

Please let us know if you require any further assistance we’re happy to help. If you found this information useful, kindly mark this as "Accept Answer".