The is an essential tool for developers working in air-gapped environments, on machines with restricted internet access, or across multiple workstations where repeated multi-gigabyte downloads are impractical. Microsoft does not provide a single, monolithic ISO file for Visual Studio 2019; instead, you must create a "local layout"—a curated folder containing all the installation files needed for your specific development needs. Why Use an Offline Installer?

Essential for secure environments that are never connected to the public internet.

Avoid installation failures caused by unstable or slow connections during the setup process.

Open a Command Prompt with and navigate to your download folder. Use the --layout parameter followed by the path where you want to store the offline files. Create an offline installation - Visual Studio (Windows)