SDK 2.9.6 is not designed for newer VS versions. You can install it side-by-side, but Azure tools will only work in VS 2015. Use Developer Command Prompt for VS 2015 for command-line builds.

Before downloading, the feature must ensure the environment supports this SDK.

Yes, but only via direct download links, not through the Visual Studio installer’s “individual components” tab. Microsoft’s official policy is to keep legacy SDKs available for existing customers, but they offer no technical support.

Here is a code snippet demonstrating how to programmatically download the SDK installer and execute it silently.

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
namespace AzureSdkInstaller
public class SdkDownloadFeature
// The specific URL for Azure SDK 2.9.6 for VS 2015
        // Note: Microsoft changes legacy links occasionally. This is the standard archive link format.
        private const string SdkDownloadUrl = "https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=746594"; 
        private const string InstallerFileName = "MicrosoftAzureSDK.2.9.6.exe";
public void Execute()
Console.WriteLine("Starting Azure SDK 2.9.6 Acquisition...");
if (!IsVisualStudio2015Installed())
Console.WriteLine("Error: Visual Studio 2015 is required for this SDK version.");
                return;
string downloadPath = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), InstallerFileName);
try
DownloadFile(SdkDownloadUrl, downloadPath);
                RunInstaller(downloadPath);
catch (Exception ex)
Console.WriteLine($"Installation failed: ex.Message");
private bool IsVisualStudio2015Installed()
// Simple registry check for VS2015
            string regPath = @"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\VisualStudio\14.0";
            using (var key = Microsoft.Win32.Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(regPath))
return key != null;
private void DownloadFile(string url, string path)
Console.WriteLine($"Downloading SDK to path...");
// Using WebClient for legacy framework compatibility
            using (WebClient client = new WebClient())
// The URL is a redirect link (fwlink), WebClient usually follows, 
                // but HttpClient is preferred if available.
                client.DownloadFile(url, path);
Console.WriteLine("Download complete.");
private void RunInstaller(string path)
Console.WriteLine("Launching Installer...");
            var processInfo = new ProcessStartInfo
FileName = path,
                Arguments = "/quiet /norestart", // Silent install arguments
                Verb = "runas", // Run as Administrator
                UseShellExecute = true
            ;
using (Process proc = Process.Start(processInfo))
proc.WaitForExit();
                Console.WriteLine($"Installation process exited with code: proc.ExitCode");

Yes, but you must enable .NET Framework 3.5/4.8 and install Visual Studio 2015 (which is unsupported on Windows 11). Use at your own risk – no official compatibility.

Microsoft Azure SDK 2.9.6 was part of the older Azure .NET SDK family. It was designed primarily for Visual Studio 2015 and 2013, enabling developers to:

The SDK included:

  • If you cannot find the official Microsoft link, prefer Microsoft-hosted archives (MSDN or Download Center) to third-party mirrors to avoid tampered installers.

    • Important: do not install old SDKs from untrusted third-party sites. Prefer Microsoft links or NuGet for libraries.