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Before installing .NET Framework 3.5, check your Windows 11 release. The installation method changes at Windows 11 version 26H1, build 28000:

  • Windows 11 25H2 and earlier: install .NET Framework 3.5 as a Windows optional component through Windows Features, DISM, or Windows installation media.
  • Windows 11 26H1, build 28000, and later: use Microsoft’s standalone, version-specific .NET Framework 3.5 installer. Windows Features and DISM cannot install it on these releases.

Check the version first at Settings > System > About. Look under Windows specifications for the version and OS build.

Install .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows 11 25H2 or earlier

On these releases, .NET Framework 3.5 is a built-in optional Windows component. It includes .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0, which is why older applications may request “.NET 3.5” even when they were built for an earlier framework version.

Method 1: Use Windows Features

  1. Open Start.
  2. Type Turn Windows features on or off.
  3. Open the matching Control Panel result.
  4. Select the checkbox for .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0).
  5. Select OK.
  6. If Windows asks to download files from Windows Update, choose the option to allow the download and installation.

Restart Windows if prompted, then run the application that requested the framework.

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Method 2: Install it with DISM

If the graphical method fails, use an elevated Command Prompt. “Elevated” means that Command Prompt has been opened with administrator privileges.

  1. Open Start.
  2. Type Command Prompt.
  3. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
  4. Run this command:
DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All

The switches mean:

Switch Purpose
/Online Targets the Windows installation currently running.
/Enable-Feature Enables a Windows component.
/FeatureName:NetFx3 Identifies .NET Framework 3.5.
/All Enables required parent features as well.

DISM may contact Windows Update to obtain the required feature files. Leave the Command Prompt window open until the operation finishes.

Method 3: Install from Windows installation media

Use this method when Windows Update cannot provide the .NET Framework payload, or when the computer is restricted from accessing Microsoft update services.

  1. Mount a Windows 11 ISO or connect compatible Windows installation media.
  2. In File Explorer, note the drive letter assigned to the media. The example below uses X:.
  3. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
  4. Run:
DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All /Source:X:sourcessxs /LimitAccess

Replace X: with the actual drive letter. The path must point to the media’s sourcessxs folder; pointing only to the root of the ISO or USB drive is not sufficient.

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The media must contain a complete, readable source that matches the Windows version being serviced. /LimitAccess tells DISM not to contact Windows Update or configured update services while looking for the files.

Install .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows 11 26H1 or later

Windows 11 26H1, beginning with build 28000, no longer includes .NET Framework 3.5 as a Windows component. Consequently, these older commands and procedures do not apply:

  • The .NET Framework 3.5 checkbox will not provide the installation path used by earlier releases.
  • DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All cannot install the framework.
  • Using sourcessxs from installation media is not a replacement for the new installer.

Download Microsoft’s standalone package named .NET Framework 3.5 for Windows 11 26H1 from Microsoft’s Windows 11 .NET Framework 3.5 installation documentation. Select the installer specifically marked for your Windows 11 release. Microsoft also provides a separate .NET Framework 3.5 Language Pack for Windows 11 26H1 if localized framework resources are required.

  1. Confirm the computer is running Windows 11 26H1/build 28000 or later at Settings > System > About.
  2. Open Microsoft’s .NET Framework 3.5 for Windows 11 documentation.
  3. Download the standalone installer for Windows 11 26H1.
  4. Run the downloaded installer and approve the User Account Control prompt.
  5. Complete the installer, then restart Windows if requested.

The standalone packages are version-specific. Do not assume that an installer for one Windows 11 release will work on another release.

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Troubleshoot installation errors

The error code usually indicates whether Windows could not reach the source, could not find it, or was prevented by policy.

Error Meaning What to check
0x800F0906 CBS_E_DOWNLOAD_FAILURE: Windows could not download the required files. Check Windows Update access, proxy settings, firewall rules, network restrictions, and whether a corporate policy blocks update traffic.
0x800F081F CBS_E_SOURCE_MISSING: the required source files were not found. Check the sourcessxs path, media completeness, Windows-version compatibility, and read permissions.
0x800F0907 CBS_E_GROUPPOLICY_DISALLOWED: policy prevents Windows from obtaining optional-component files. Review the Group Policy named Specify settings for optional component installation and component repair, or ask your administrator to check the policy.
0x800F0922 A documented .NET Framework 3.5 installation failure. Investigate source availability, access restrictions, and policy configuration.

For a computer running Windows 11 25H2 or earlier, first retry with the compatible installation source. If the source is correct but error 0x800F081F appears because the Windows component store is damaged, repair Windows from an elevated Command Prompt:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
SFC.exe /Scannow

Restart Windows after both commands complete, then retry the .NET Framework 3.5 installation. DISM records diagnostic information in:

C:WindowsLogsDISMdism.log

Do not use component-store repair as a substitute for the standalone installer on Windows 11 26H1 or later. Those releases do not contain .NET Framework 3.5 as an enableable Windows component.

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Important IIS limitation on Windows 11 26H1 and later

Windows 11 26H1 removes these .NET Framework 3.5-related optional components from Windows Features on Demand:

  • ASP.NET 3.5
  • .NET Extensibility 3.5
  • WCF HTTP Activation
  • WCF non-HTTP Activation

Installing the standalone .NET Framework 3.5 package does not recreate those optional components. If an IIS application requires ASP.NET 3.5 on Windows 11 26H1 or later, follow Microsoft’s instructions for the Enable-ASPNet35.ps1 PowerShell script. The script restores ASP.NET 3.5 and .NET Extensibility 3.5 functionality for IIS, but DISM will not report the removed optional components as installed.

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Which method should you use?

Windows 11 release Correct method
25H2 or earlier Windows Features, DISM, or compatible installation media in sourcessxs.
26H1/build 28000 or later Microsoft’s standalone, version-specific .NET Framework 3.5 installer.

FAQ

How do I know which .NET Framework 3.5 installer to use?

Open Settings > System > About and check Windows specifications. Use Windows Features, DISM, or matching installation media on Windows 11 25H2 and earlier. Use Microsoft’s standalone .NET Framework 3.5 package for Windows 11 26H1 on build 28000 and later.

Why does DISM say that NetFx3 cannot be found on Windows 11 26H1?

On Windows 11 26H1 and later, .NET Framework 3.5 is no longer included as a Windows component. DISM cannot enable it, so install the version-specific standalone package instead.

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Can I install .NET Framework 3.5 without an internet connection?

On Windows 11 25H2 and earlier, yes. Mount compatible Windows installation media and use its sourcessxs folder with DISM and the /LimitAccess switch. Windows 11 26H1 and later requires the appropriate standalone installer package.

Does .NET Framework 3.5 include .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0?

Yes. On releases where it is available through Windows Features, the feature is labeled “.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0).”

Will installing .NET Framework 3.5 enable ASP.NET 3.5 in IIS?

Not completely on Windows 11 26H1 and later. ASP.NET 3.5 and .NET Extensibility 3.5 require Microsoft’s Enable-ASPNet35.ps1 script, while several older WCF and ASP.NET optional components are no longer present in Windows Features on Demand.

The Bottom Line

Use Windows Features or DISM for Windows 11 25H2 and earlier. For Windows 11 26H1/build 28000 and later, skip those procedures and install Microsoft’s version-specific standalone .NET Framework 3.5 package. The build number is the deciding factor.

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