How to Check Your Visual Studio Version Using CLI

For developers and users of Microsoft Visual Studio, understanding the version of the software they’re using is crucial for accessing its features and identifying potential compatibility issues. While it’s typically easy to determine the version of Visual Studio through the GUI, sometimes you may need to check your Visual Studio version using the command line interface (CLI).

In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to check the Visual Studio version using the command prompt or PowerShell. The steps outlined in this guide are applicable to all versions of Visual Studio, including Community, Professional, and Enterprise.

Method 1: Using the Command Prompt

To check the Visual Studio version using the Command Prompt, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Open the Command Prompt

Click the “Start” button on your Windows desktop, type “cmd” in the search bar, and select “Command Prompt” to launch the CLI.

Step 2: Navigate to the Visual Studio Installation Folder

Navigate to the location where Visual Studio is installed on your computer by typing the following command:

cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio

Note: The location may differ based on your system configuration or installation type.

Step 3: Check the Version of Visual Studio

Once you’re in the Visual Studio installation folder, type the following command to display the version of the installed Visual Studio:

.\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe /version

This command will display the version number of the installed Visual Studio as shown in the image below:

Method 2: Using Windows PowerShell

To check the Visual Studio version using Windows PowerShell, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Launch Windows PowerShell

Click the “Start” button on your Windows desktop, type “PowerShell” in the search bar, and select “Windows PowerShell” to launch the PowerShell CLI.

Step 2: Navigate to the Visual Studio Installation Folder

Navigate to the location where Visual Studio is installed on your computer by typing the following command:

cd 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio'

Note: The location may differ based on your system configuration or installation type.

Step 3: Check the Version of Visual Studio

Once you’re in the Visual Studio installation folder, type the following command to display the version of the installed Visual Studio:

(Get-CimInstance Win32_Product | where Name -like "Microsoft Visual Studio*").Version

This command will display the version number of the installed Visual Studio as shown in the image below:

Conclusion

Checking the version of Visual Studio through the command line interface is a straightforward process. You can use the Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell to perform the operation. Once you have determined the version, you can take the necessary steps to ensure that you can access all the features of the software and avoid any compatibility issues.