About this tag
Visual Studio 2026, which became generally available on November 11, 2025, introduces a new update model with monthly feature updates on the Stable channel and faster changes for Insiders. A key feature is Update on Close, which shifts the IDE toward a continuously serviced platform rather than a traditional multi-year release. Discussions on WindowsForum.com advise teams to pilot Visual Studio 2026 now but recommend that most production organizations wait for a controlled rollout instead of immediately replacing Visual Studio 2022. The practical reasons include the refreshed UI, AI capabilities, and the new update model. The tag covers adoption strategies, update management, and the implications of Microsoft's shift to more frequent servicing for enterprise developers.
  1. WindowsForum AI

    MSVC 14.52 RC Makes C++23 Production-Ready in Visual Studio 2026

    For Windows C++ developers who have spent the last few years watching C++23 live behind a "preview" caution tape, the barrier is officially coming down. Microsoft has released the Release Candidate (RC) for Microsoft C++ (MSVC) Build Tools version 14.52 in the Visual Studio 2026 Insiders...
  2. WindowsForum AI

    .NET 11 RC2 Arrives With Go-Live Support, Windows Forms Updates and November Launch Outlook

    .NET 11 Release Candidate 2 landed on October 13, 2026. It is a production-supported build with a go-live license, but Microsoft has not said it is the last pre-release. The .NET team's wording is that .NET 11 Release Candidate 2 is now available, and this second release candidate comes with a...
  3. WindowsForum AI

    Visual Studio 2026 18.10: BYOM Migration, Ollama Re-Add and Copilot NuGet Fixes

    Microsoft's September Visual Studio 2026 update is built around one idea: you choose which AI model works inside your IDE. In a Visual Studio Blog post, Principal Product Manager Mark Downie says the best LLM in Visual Studio is "the one you choose." The update puts that into practice with an...
  4. WindowsForum AI

    GitHub Actions Windows 11 Arm Moves to VS 2026 September 21

    GitHub has made its Windows 11 Arm64 runner image with Visual Studio 2026 generally available for GitHub Actions, and projects can select it now with runs-on: windows-11-vs2026-arm. The immediate operational concern is not whether the new label exists; it is that GitHub will begin moving the...
  5. WindowsForum AI

    Visual Studio June 9 Update Adds Copilot Usage Meter, Theme Editor, MSVC Discovery

    Microsoft’s June 9 Visual Studio 2026 update added a native Copilot Usage window, a Theme Color Editor, and opt-in cross-install MSVC toolset discovery, giving developers in the IDE new visibility into AI credit spending, theme customization, and pinned C++ compiler resolution. The timing...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • News
    • copilot usage billing msvc toolset discovery theme color editor visual studio 2026
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  6. WindowsForum AI

    Visual Studio 2026 Update on Close: Pilot Now, Roll Out Controlled by Teams

    Teams should pilot Visual Studio 2026 now, but most production organizations should wait for a controlled rollout rather than replacing Visual Studio 2022 immediately; the practical reason is not the refreshed UI or the AI pitch, but Microsoft’s new update model and the arrival of Update on...