A: Mainstream support ended in April 2024, but Extended Security Updates (ESU) are available for enterprise. However, the runtime itself will continue to work for years without issue.
In simple terms, the Visual C++ 2019 Redistributable is a package of runtime components required to run applications developed with Microsoft’s Visual C++ 2019 programming toolset.
When a developer writes a program in C++ using Visual Studio 2019, they often rely on standard libraries (DLL files) that are not built directly into Windows. Instead of forcing every user to install the entire Visual Studio development environment (which is several gigabytes), Microsoft packages these essential runtime files into a small, reusable "redistributable" package. microsoft visual c 2019 redistributable
A: Yes. While they are binary compatible in code, the installer registry keys are different. Some apps check specifically for the presence of the 2019 GUID. Keep both.
One of the most confusing aspects for users is the overlapping version numbers. A: Mainstream support ended in April 2024, but
| Visual Studio Release | Redistributable Year | Runtime Version | Binary Compatible? | |----------------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------| | VS 2015 | 2015 | 14.0 | Yes (with 2017/2019/2022 via updates) | | VS 2017 | 2017 | 14.1 | Yes | | VS 2019 | 2019 | 14.2x | Yes | | VS 2022 | 2022 | 14.3x-14.4x | Mostly (not fully backward) |
Key takeaway: An app built with VS 2019 can run on a system that only has the VS 2015–2022 combined runtime installed, but for maximum compatibility, many experts recommend installing all major versions separately (2015, 2017, 2019, 2022). In simple terms, the Visual C++ 2019 Redistributable
However, if you have the latest Visual C++ 2022 Redistributable, it covers 2015, 2017, and 2019 apps (unless an app specifically checks for the exact 2019 version GUID).