If you’ve ever tried to launch a Windows application and been greeted by an error message saying, “To run this application, you need to install one of the following versions of the .NET Framework,” then you have already encountered the need for the Microsoft .NET Desktop Runtime .
Specifically, the version is designed for computers running a 64-bit version of Windows —which is the standard for most modern PCs. What Is It? In simple terms, the .NET Desktop Runtime is a free, essential engine that allows Windows desktop applications built with the modern .NET framework (version 5 and later, including .NET 6, 7, 8, and 9) to actually run on your computer. microsoft net desktop runtime x64