Detect if Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012 is installed

Question

It depends on what version you are using. These two 2012 keys have worked well for me with their corresponding versions to download for Update 4. Please be aware that some of these reg locations may be OS-dependent. I collected this info from a Windows 10 x64 box. I'm just going to go ahead and dump all of these redist versions and the reg keys I search for to detect installation.:

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Visual C++ 2005

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable (x64)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\1af2a8da7e60d0b429d7e6453b3d0182
Configuration: x64
Version: 6.0.2900.2180

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/8/B/4/8B42259F-5D70-43F4-AC2E-4B208FD8D66A/vcredist_x64.EXE

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable (x86)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\c1c4f01781cc94c4c8fb1542c0981a2a 
Configuration: x86
Version: 6.0.2900.2180

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/8/B/4/8B42259F-5D70-43F4-AC2E-4B208FD8D66A/vcredist_x86.EXE

---

Visual C++ 2008

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x64 9.0.30729.6161 (SP1)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\67D6ECF5CD5FBA732B8B22BAC8DE1B4D 
Configuration: x64
Version: 9.0.30729.6161 (Actual $Version data in registry: 0x9007809 [DWORD])

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/2/d/6/2d61c766-107b-409d-8fba-c39e61ca08e8/vcredist_x64.exe

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.6161 (SP1)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\6E815EB96CCE9A53884E7857C57002F0
Configuration: x86
Version: 9.0.30729.6161 (Actual $Version data in registry: 0x9007809 [DWORD])

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/d/d/9/dd9a82d0-52ef-40db-8dab-795376989c03/vcredist_x86.exe

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Visual C++ 2010

Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable (x64)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\1926E8D15D0BCE53481466615F760A7F 
Configuration: x64
Version: 10.0.40219.325

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/5/165255E7-1014-4D0A-B094-B6A430A6BFFC/vcredist_x64.exe

Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable (x86)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\1D5E3C0FEDA1E123187686FED06E995A 
Configuration: x86
Version: 10.0.40219.325

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/5/165255E7-1014-4D0A-B094-B6A430A6BFFC/vcredist_x86.exe

---

Visual C++ 2012

Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable (x64)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Dependencies\{ca67548a-5ebe-413a-b50c-4b9ceb6d66c6} 
Configuration: x64
Version: 11.0.61030.0

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/B/16B06F60-3B20-4FF2-B699-5E9B7962F9AE/VSU_4/vcredist_x64.exe

Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable (x86)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Dependencies\{33d1fd90-4274-48a1-9bc1-97e33d9c2d6f} 
Configuration: x86
Version: 11.0.61030.0

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/B/16B06F60-3B20-4FF2-B699-5E9B7962F9AE/VSU_4/vcredist_x86.exe

version caveat: Per user Wai Ha Lee's findings, "...the binaries that come with VC++ 2012 update 4 (11.0.61030.0) have version 11.0.60610.1 for the ATL and MFC binaries, and 11.0.51106.1 for everything else, e.g. msvcp110.dll and msvcr110.dll..."

Additional Caveat -- 2012 Update 4: Per user Krptodr VC++ 2012 Update 4 (x86) shows under GUID {95716cce-fc71-413f-8ad5-56c2892d4b3a}

VC++ 2012 Update 4 (x64) shows under GUID {a1909659-0a08-4554-8af1-2175904903a1}

^^ The GUID's provided are for the installer package. However, these branch off into two other GUID's respective of their arch type. For further information please see the following source How to check if the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime is installed

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Visual C++ 2013

Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (x64)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Dependencies\{050d4fc8-5d48-4b8f-8972-47c82c46020f} 
Configuration: x64
Version: 12.0.30501.0

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/2/E/6/2E61CFA4-993B-4DD4-91DA-3737CD5CD6E3/vcredist_x64.exe

Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (x86)
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Dependencies\{f65db027-aff3-4070-886a-0d87064aabb1} 
Configuration: x86
Version: 12.0.30501.0

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/2/E/6/2E61CFA4-993B-4DD4-91DA-3737CD5CD6E3/vcredist_x86.exe

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Visual C++ 2015

_{^{Consider using the 2015-2019 bundle as an alternative}}

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable (x64) - 14.0.24215
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Dependencies\{d992c12e-cab2-426f-bde3-fb8c53950b0d}
Configuration: x64
Version: 14.0.24215.1

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/6/A/A/6AA4EDFF-645B-48C5-81CC-ED5963AEAD48/vc_redist.x64.exe

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable (x86) - 14.0.24215
Registry Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Dependencies\{e2803110-78b3-4664-a479-3611a381656a}
Configuration: x86
Version: 14.0.24215.1

Direct Download URL: https://download.microsoft.com/download/6/A/A/6AA4EDFF-645B-48C5-81CC-ED5963AEAD48/vc_redist.x86.exe

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Visual C++ 2017

_{^{Consider using the 2015-2019 bundle as an alternative}}

Caveat: There's either a new 2017 registry convention being used, or it hasn't been finalized, yet. As I'm guessing the upper-most keys of: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Dependencies\,,amd64,14.0,bundle] and [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Dependencies\,,x86,14.0,bundle]

are subject to change, or at least have different nested GUIDs, I'm going to use list the key that ends with a GUID.

Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 Redistributable (x64) - 14.16.27012
Registry Key: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Dependencies\VC,redist.x64,amd64,14.16,bundle\Dependents\{427ada59-85e7-4bc8-b8d5-ebf59db60423}]
Configuration: x64
Version: 14.16.27012.6

Direct Download URL: https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/9fbed7c7-7012-4cc0-a0a3-a541f51981b5/e7eec15278b4473e26d7e32cef53a34c/vc_redist.x64.exe

Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 Redistributable (x86) - 14.16.27012
Registry Key: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Dependencies\VC,redist.x86,x86,14.16,bundle\Dependents\{67f67547-9693-4937-aa13-56e296bd40f6}]
Configuration: x86
Version: 14.16.27012.6

Direct Download URL: https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/d0b808a8-aa78-4250-8e54-49b8c23f7328/9c5e6532055786367ee61aafb3313c95/vc_redist.x86.exe

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Visual C++ 2019 (2015-2019 bundle)

Caveat: There's another new registry convention being used for Visual C++ 2019. There also doesn't appear to be a standalone installer for Visual C++ 2019, only this bundle installer that is Visual C++ 2015 through 2019.

14.21.27702

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (x64) - 14.21.27702
Registry Key: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Dependencies\VC,redist.x64,amd64,14.21,bundle\Dependents\{f4220b74-9edd-4ded-bc8b-0342c1e164d8}]
Configuration: x64
Version: 14.21.27702  

Direct Download URL: https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/9e04d214-5a9d-4515-9960-3d71398d98c3/1e1e62ab57bbb4bf5199e8ce88f040be/vc_redist.x64.exe

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (x86) - 14.21.27702
Registry Key: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Dependencies\VC,redist.x86,x86,14.21,bundle\Dependents\{49697869-be8e-427d-81a0-c334d1d14950}]
Configuration: x86
Version: 14.21.27702

Direct Download URL: https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/c8edbb87-c7ec-4500-a461-71e8912d25e9/99ba493d660597490cbb8b3211d2cae4/vc_redist.x86.exe

14.22.27821

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (x86) - 14.22.27821
Registry Key: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Dependencies\VC,redist.x86,x86,14.22,bundle\Dependents\{5bfc1380-fd35-4b85-9715-7351535d077e}]
Configuration: x86
Version: 14.22.27821

Direct Download URL: https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/0c1cfec3-e028-4996-8bb7-0c751ba41e32/1abed1573f36075bfdfc538a2af00d37/vc_redist.x86.exe

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (x86) - 14.22.27821
Registry Key: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Dependencies\VC,redist.x64,amd64,14.22,bundle\Dependents\{6361b579-2795-4886-b2a8-53d5239b6452}]
Configuration: x64
Version: 14.22.27821

Direct Download URL: https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/cc0046d4-e7b4-45a1-bd46-b1c079191224/9c4042a4c2e6d1f661f4c58cf4d129e9/vc_redist.x64.exe

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Changelog:
October 26th, 2021 -- Updated to further clarify findings on October 21st.
October 21st, 2021 -- Added additional caveat details for VC++2012 Update 4 (x86) and (x64) GUID's per Krptodr's findings.
August 19th, 2019 -- Added a new version of 2015-2019 bundle version
June 13th, 2019 -- Added a new section for the 2015-2019 bundle version 14.21.27702 and added _{^{small notes}} to the 2015 and 2017 sections about considering the usage of the new bundle as an alternative.
December 14th, 2018 -- Updated MSVC2008 for Service Pack 1's 9.0.30729.6161 update per Jim Wolff's findings
November 27th, 2018 -- Updated info for MSVC2017 v. 14.16
September 12th, 2018 -- Added version caveat to 2012 Update 4 per Wai Ha Lee's findings
August 24th, 2018 -- Updated 2017's version for 14.15.26706, the updated Visual C++ dependencies packaged with VS 2017 15.8.1
May 16th, 2018 -- Updated 2017's version for 14.14.26405.0 as the new C++ 2017 entry
September 8th, 2017 -- Updated 2017's version for 14.11.25325.0 as the new Visual C++ 2017 entry
April 7th, 2017 -- Updated 2017's version of 14.10.25008.0 as the new Visual C++ 2017 entry
October 24th, 2016 -- Updated 2015's version info for 14.0.24215.1
August 18th, 2016 -- Updated 2015's version info for 14.0.24212
May 27th, 2016 -- Updated info for MSVC2015 Update 2

Please contact me here if any of these become outdated.

Try

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DevDiv\VC\Servicing\11.0

as a starting point. I will be using this as a check for installing the VC++ 11 (VS 2012) runtime.

You can check for the Installed value to be 1 in this registry location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\VisualStudio\11.0\VC\Runtimes\x86 on 64-bit systems. In code that would result in accessing registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\VisualStudio\11.0\VC\Runtimes\x86. Notice the absence of Wow6432Node.

On a 32-bit system the registry is the same without Wow6432Node: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\VisualStudio\11.0\VC\Runtimes\x86

There is no installcheck element in the bootstrapper package manifest shipped with Visual C++. Guess Microsoft wants to always install if you set it as a prerequisite.

Of course you can still call MsiQueryProductState to check if the VC redist package is installed via MSI, The package code can be found by running

wmic product get

at command line, or if you are already at wmic:root\cli, run

product where "Caption like '%C++ 2012%'"

The answer to this simple questions is unfortunately not a simple one, but working in 100% of all systems, and even extendable to the numerous .net frameworks.

The complexity comes from the fact that there are (and were) many VC runtimes revisions which could lead to the case that although VC10 runtimes were installed, their build number was not recent enough so your EXE wouldn't start unless you either installed the very exact runtimes you required or one of the newer runtimes which enable this and previous versions for the same major version to run with it (the side-by-side hell). Also, if you have a 64 bit EXE, you will have to check for both, the 32 AND 64 bit runtimes.

That said, the only reliable way to determine whether the runtimes for your EXE are installed is to attempt to run the EXE - or a another EXE which is built with the same settings as your main EXE and whose only purpose is to do - nothing. Just run (which means the runtimes are installed) or fail to run (when not installed).

I did the following for an installer which required the VC10 32 and 64 bit runtimes installed: The installer attempts to launch all dummy EXEs and if it succeeds, the corresponding runtime is considered to be installed. This also resolves the 32/64 bit scenario.

This, by the way, works also to determine if the proper .net framework is installed, which is very tricky in Windows 8 and 10, as the downloadable built-in .net 3.5 support also supports the .net versions 3.0 and 2.0 - there are no registry entries for these. (And worse, you cannot even use the standard framework installers here, you must use the built-in support and download it via Windows, or rebuild your app with .net 4, but that's another story).

The C++ dummy EXE can be built using a project with the following code (and another one in a 64 bit configuration if necessary):

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
    return 0;
}

Remember to set the project's properties Use of MFC to Use MFC in a shared DLL. The executables will be around 4KB in size - a small price to pay for a sure result.

To give your users a nice installation experience, you could do the following (sample code is for NSIS):

Function TryLaunchApplication
  Pop $1 ; pathname
  nsExec::Exec $1
  Pop $0

  ${If} $0 == "error"
  ${OrIf} $0 != 0
    Push 0
  ${Else}
    Push 1
  ${EndIf}
FunctionEnd

and call it in a function, e.g. CheckRuntimes

Function CheckRuntimes
  ; Try to execute VC++ 10 application (32 bit)
  Push "Vc10RuntimeCheckerApp.exe"
  Call TryLaunchApplication
  Pop $Vc10RuntimesFound

  ; Add 64 bit check if required.
  ; Remember to try running the 64 bit EXE only on a 64 bit OS,
  ; which requires further checks.

  ; Try to execute .net application
  Push "DotNetRuntimeCheckerApp.exe"
  Call TryLaunchApplication
  Pop $DotNetFrameworkFound
FunctionEnd

Then launch the runtime check e.g. when leaving the Welcome page and cache the result, so you don't have to re-check every time the user clicks on the "Back" and "Next" button.

Next, make a read-only section in the install tree and pre-select or unselect it on the a function which is executed before the Components page is shown.

This will make sure that the installation of each missing runtime component is mandatory, and is skipped if it is already present.

Since Visual Studio 2010 and later stopped using WinSxS, it may be enough to just check for %windir%\system32\msvcr110.dll. If you want to verify you have a new enough version, you can check whether the file version is 11.0.50727.1 (VS2012 RTM) or 11.0.51106.1 (VS2012 Update 1).

I came across this question looking for an answer in the context of checking for the Visual C++ redistributable as part of an MSI installer created by WiX.

I didn't like how the GUID's change with version and operating system, so I ended up creating a custom action written in C# to check for the Visual C++ redistributable.

Everything below is specifically for Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable (x64), but it can be easily modified for any version.

using Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller;
using Microsoft.Win32;

namespace CustomActions
{
    public class DependencyChecks
    {
        [CustomAction]
        public static ActionResult IsVC2015RedistInstalled(Session session)
        {
            session.Log("Begin Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable installation check.");

            var dependenciesKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\\Classes\\Installer\\Dependencies");

            foreach(var subKey in dependenciesKey.GetSubKeyNames())
            {
                var dependency = dependenciesKey.OpenSubKey(subKey);
                var displayName = (string)dependency.GetValue("DisplayName");
                if(displayName != null)
                {
                    if (displayName.Contains("Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable (x64)"))
                    {
                        session.Log("Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable is installed.");
                        return ActionResult.Success;
                    }
                }
            }

            session.Log("Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable is not installed.");
            session.Message(InstallMessage.Error, new Record(1, "This application requires Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable. Please install, then run this installer again. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53587"));
            return ActionResult.Failure;
        }
    }
}

Then in the wxs file

<Binary Id='VC2015RedistCheck' SourceFile='!(wix.ResourcesDir=resources)\CustomActions.CA.dll'/>
    <CustomAction
      Id='VC2015RedistCheckAction'
      Execute='immediate'
      BinaryKey='VC2015RedistCheck'
      DllEntry="IsVC2015RedistInstalled"
      Return='check'/>

<InstallExecuteSequence>
  <Custom Action='VC2015RedistCheckAction' After='InstallInitialize'/>
</InstallExecuteSequence>

Edit I'm updating this answer with some basic info on creating and using a custom action.

To create the custom action in Visual Studio 2017 with the WiX Toolset Visual Studio 2017 extension installed, I used the project template to create a custom action (C# Custom Action Project for WiX v3).

I checked the generated project and it seemed to already have the changes listed at the beginning of this article: https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/132918/Creating-Custom-Action-for-WIX-Written-in-Managed so I picked that article up at the section Adding Custom Action to the Installer and followed it through with some tweaks.

One other thing that I did was change the version of the .NET framework the project is built against to 3.5.

I didn't find it really useful but you can also see http://wixtoolset.org/documentation/manual/v3/wixdev/extensions/authoring_custom_actions.html