You might occasionally be prompted to install an additional program called Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable while installing an application in Windows. You discover that this program has been installed numerous times one day when browsing your installed applications. Each installation has a unique dimension and date of installation.

What is the Redistributable for Microsoft Visual C++? Why are so many copies installed, and can I uninstall Microsoft visual c++? There is much to cover here, so let’s start with the fundamentals.

What Is Microsoft Visual C++?

Programming languages C, C++, and CLI are all supported by the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC). Developers have access to a single program in the MSVC package that allows them to modify, test, and debug their code. Additionally, it supports a range of programming paradigms, including generic programming, object-oriented programming, data abstraction, and program design.

It has always been an independent program, but it is now a component of Microsoft Visual Studio. As a result, to run C++ applications created using the Visual Studio software development environment, the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package is needed.

The MSVC runtime library packages typically come in 2 varieties. First, some programs, like Python, include the Visual C++ package as part of the installation process. The second is that it depends on a common distributable package of shared code.

Microsoft creates the Visual C++ packages, testing and updating them with updates and security fixes for some prevalent problems. Because of this, installing the most recent Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable version is occasionally necessary. Furthermore, a single installation of the Redistributable library enables simultaneous use by numerous apps.

Does Microsoft Visual C++ Use Up Disk Space?

Many people are unsure if the excessive number of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages loaded on their computer takes up valuable hard drive space. They want to delete a few Microsoft Visual C++ packages to save up storage space. Some of them are unwilling to do that, though.

Is Microsoft Visual C++ uninstallable? First, let’s disregard this query. The problem of low disk space must now be resolved because it is more crucial. MiniTool Partition Wizard is a fantastic option if you don’t remove the items that are eating up space on your hard drive. It is a reputable partition manager that can assess disk space, convert NTFS to FAT, transfer OS, and assist in troubleshooting various issues.

Of course, you can expand the whole drive to fix the low space issue if you don’t want to erase any files or uninstall any apps. Even though the Extend Volume option in Windows tools like Disk Management is gray in this case, MiniTool Partition Wizard can still assist you in doing that quickly.

Step 1.

Open the main interface of MiniTool Partition Wizard, choose the complete partition you wish to extend, and then click Extend Partition in the left action pane.

Step 2.

Drag the slider bar to occupy the free space or enter the precise volume, then choose the drive or unallocated space from which you wish to take free space. Click OK to save the modification after that.

Step 3.

To complete the transaction, click Apply.

What Is the Redistributable for Microsoft Visual C++?

It’s important to discuss what “redistributable” means before moving on to the C++ portion of the discussion.

Either a quick online installer or a redistributable is used to deliver software. Since they don’t include the application data, online installers are quite minimal in size. The information is downloaded from the internet when you execute them. The benefit of this strategy is that only the information your specific computer requires will be downloaded.

On the other hand, a redistributable file contains all the information that can be required during the installation. Its main benefit is that it doesn’t require an internet connection. Redistributables are frequently included alongside other programs that use them, and Visual C++ is no exception.

A code compiler for the C programming language family is called Visual C++. C, C++, and C++/CLI code are all included. A common collection of software libraries is required to operate many C programs, particularly those developed in the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment.

The redistributable provides the libraries that a specific program needs and can be packed with its installer; however, the majority of users of the application won’t have the whole Visual Studio development suite installed on their machine.

Do I Need Visual C++ from Microsoft?

Is Microsoft Visual C++ required? Even after reading the definition of MSVC above, you might still need clarification on the answer to this. The answer is undoubted yes. Many programs and games created using the Microsoft Visual Studio runtime library depend on the MSVC package.

Once the MSVC package is deleted or damaged, some applications, like Python, Word Cloud, and Logitech, cannot work properly. For instance, while opening Python or the SetPoint.exe file, you can get the “Logitech SetPoint runtime error,” or the “Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 is required” problem.

Why Do I Have So Many Microsoft Visual C++ Installations?

After installing a brand-new copy of Windows 10, many consumers discover several Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages. Why? Depending on your Windows version, some packages are installed alongside Windows, while other specialized versions are installed separately.

For instance, Windows 10 has Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable versions from 2005, 2012, 2013, and 2015–2019. You’ll note that a 64-bit operating system can install both the 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) versions of the Redistributable, but a 32-bit operating system cannot. This is because a 64-bit Windows OS supports both 32- and 64-bit programs. I’m working with a machine running Windows 10 62-bit. A snapshot of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable is shown below:

Along with some programs that call for them, other versions of the Visual C++ packages are installed on the system. For instance, you might see the Microsoft Visual C++ 2003 Redistributable installed on your computer and the application if it was created with Visual C++ 2003 (or Visual Studio 2003).

Additionally, occasionally when you start a program, you could get a pop-up notice stating that the Visual C++ Redistributable is being installed. If you routinely install games using Steam, you will frequently encounter this. This is a result of the developers’ decision to install the most recent Microsoft package during installation.

Multiple Microsoft Visual C++ versions with the same redistributable packages or some versions from the same year are another unique situation. The Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable, for instance, can appear many times. In this instance, it might mean that one is a service package while the rest are just versions with slightly different numbers.

In other words, while certain Redistributable packages are installed alongside Windows, others are deployed alongside programs. Additionally, if you are using a 64-bit Windows OS, you will discover both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of each Redistributable.

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Can I Uninstall Microsoft Visual C++?

Is it possible to remove Microsoft Visual C++? The answer is indeed, but we do not advise you to take that action. If all you want to do is free up some disk space, you can enlarge the partition like we suggested in the first section or find alternative efficient solutions. The screenshot shows that these packages don’t take up a lot of space (each pack takes up about 10MB to 20MB). So, there won’t be much disk space saved by deleting the Visual C++ package.

On the other hand, when you uninstall the packages, your apps might not run as expected. This is due to the difficulty in determining which applications each Redistributable supports. Even worse, it might interfere with the installation of Windows itself in some situations.

Of course, some recommendations on the internet propose uninstalling older Redistributable pack versions, like 2003, and then keeping the most recent versions’ major releases, like 2012 and after. However, several individuals who tested it discovered that it wasn’t trustworthy. Some programs were unable to execute as a result. There is, therefore, no assurance that it will work for you.

Microsoft Visual C++ can be uninstalled in some circumstances, but you will then need to download it again. The following factors could necessitate its removal:

• During the installation of several programs that need the Visual C++ packages, a problem occurs.

• Corrupting the Redistributable package is indicated by an error message.

• A failure, such as when a program or game crashes.

The Visual C++ Redistributable package can be removed using the instructions below:

Step 1.

Open the Run dialog box by pressing Win + R, then type appwiz.cpl in it and press Enter.

Step 2.

After finding the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package in the list of installed programs in the Programs and Features window, right-click it and choose Uninstall.

Step 3.

To finish the uninstallation, select Yes or Uninstall in the pop-up confirmation window and adhere to the on-screen instructions.

You can re-download and re-install the Redistributable package once it has been uninstalled. You can look at the post titled “Download Visual C++ Redistributable 2015 for Windows (X64/X86)” if you’re unsure how to do that.

If the problem persists even after you reinstall the Visual C++ package, you might try checking for corrupted system files, updating Windows, or restoring your computer to a previous working state.

What Do You Think?

Can I uninstall Microsoft Visual C++? We do not advise uninstalling the software if you only want to make some disk space available. You can expand the whole partition to address the low space issue or try alternative solutions like upgrading to a bigger hard drive and running Disk Cleanup.