How to Download Visual Studio on Mac | VS Code & Full IDE

Visual Studio Code is the only Microsoft development IDE available for native download on macOS, and it installs in under a minute.

The typical search for how to download Visual Studio on Mac now leads to a different installer than it did a year ago, because the full IDE no longer runs natively on macOS. Microsoft retired Visual Studio for Mac on August 31, 2024, and the Windows version of Visual Studio is compiled exclusively for x64 Windows. That leaves you with two distinct paths: install the lightweight, cross-platform VS Code directly on your Mac, or spin up a Windows virtual machine to run the full Visual Studio 2022 IDE. This guide covers both routes so you can pick the one that fits your project.

Is the Full Visual Studio IDE Available on Mac?

No, the full Visual Studio 2022 IDE does not run natively on macOS. Microsoft officially ended support for Visual Studio for Mac on August 31, 2024, and the download links for that product have been removed. The current Visual Studio 2022 is a Windows-only application that requires the x64 Windows runtime. If you absolutely must use the full Visual Studio IDE, the only supported path from Microsoft is to run a Windows virtual machine on your Mac.

Setting Up Visual Studio Code on macOS

The only Microsoft IDE you can install directly on a Mac is Visual Studio Code. It is a free, open-source code editor that runs natively on both Intel and Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) Macs. It supports thousands of extensions for virtually every programming language, making it the go-to choice for most web, Python, and Node.js development on macOS. The entire setup takes less than two minutes.

1. Navigate to the official Visual Studio Code download page and click the macOS button to download the .dmg installer package.
2. Locate the downloaded .dmg in your Downloads folder and double-click to open it.
3. Drag the Visual Studio Code.app icon into the Applications folder.
4. Open the Applications folder and double-click Visual Studio Code to launch the editor.
5. (Optional) Right-click the VS Code icon in the Dock, select Options, then Keep in Dock for quick access.

Configure the Terminal PATH

To launch VS Code from your terminal using the code command, open VS Code and press Cmd+Shift+P to open the Command Palette. Type Shell Command, select Shell Command: Install ‘code’ command in PATH, then restart your terminal. You should now be able to type code . from any folder to open it in VS Code.

How to Run the Full Visual Studio IDE on a Mac (The Workaround)

If your project depends on the full Visual Studio IDE — for example, legacy .NET Framework applications or enterprise solutions — running a Windows virtual machine is the only supported method. Microsoft explicitly recommends this approach for macOS users who need the full IDE. You will need a virtualization tool and a valid Windows license.

The most reliable options are Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion. Both support Windows 11 on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and both integrate tightly with macOS. Once your Windows VM is running, you can download and install Visual Studio 2022 directly from Microsoft’s official website. Expect the VM to use 8–16 GB of RAM, so a Mac with at least 16 GB of memory is recommended for smooth performance. Microsoft’s official answer on this topic confirms that a VM under Parallels or VMware is the supported path for running Visual Studio 2022 on a Mac.

What Alternative IDEs Work on Mac?

Several full-featured IDEs run natively on macOS and can replace the Visual Studio workflow. JetBrains Rider is the most popular cross-platform .NET IDE, though it requires a paid subscription. Visual Studio Code with the C# Dev Kit extension comes close to the full IDE experience for most .NET Core and .NET 8+ projects. For front-end and Python work, VS Code is already the standard.

Start with VS Code for most development work. Only invest in a Windows VM or JetBrains Rider when your project specifically demands the full Visual Studio 2022 IDE or legacy .NET Framework tooling that VS Code cannot provide. For the vast majority of modern development on a Mac, VS Code combined with the right extensions covers everything you need.