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Does Visual Studio VSTO Support ARM64 Laptops for Office Development?
Question details
The user needs to know if Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO) can be used on ARM64 Windows laptops for Office and SharePoint development.
- Product
- Visual Studio Community 2022 / VSTO
- Device & OS
- ARM64 Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to install and use the Office and SharePoint development workload in Visual Studio on an ARM64-based system.
- Observed behavior
- The VSTO workload is unavailable natively on ARM64 devices, and running the x86 version via emulation results in compatibility limitations.
Verify your device's processor architecture (ARM64 vs. x64) in your Windows System Settings to ensure compatibility before attempting to install Visual Studio Office workloads.
Use an x64-Based Computer for VSTO Development
Since VSTO does not natively support ARM64 devices, transitioning your development environment to an x64-based machine is required for reliable Office and SharePoint development.
Currently, the Office and SharePoint development workload, which includes Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO), is not supported on ARM64 devices. While Visual Studio 2022 offers a native ARM64 version, VSTO is excluded from its supported workloads.
Attempting to run the x86 version of Visual Studio through emulation on an ARM64 laptop may lead to severe limitations and stability issues. To ensure a fully functional development environment, you must use an x64 architecture.
Navigate to Windows Settings > System > About and review the 'System type' under Device specifications to confirm if you are on an ARM-based processor.
Acquire or switch to a Windows PC running on an x64 processor (Intel or AMD) to guarantee full compatibility with Microsoft development tools.
Launch the Visual Studio Installer on your x64 machine, modify your Visual Studio 2022 installation, and select the 'Office/SharePoint development' workload to install VSTO natively.
Experience Seamless Document Editing with WPS Office
While advanced VSTO development requires specific Microsoft environments, everyday users and developers looking for a fast, reliable, and highly compatible productivity suite can rely on WPS Office. It handles all standard Office documents without the heavy system requirements.
- 1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button tailored for your operating system.
- 2. Run the setup: Open the downloaded executable file and follow the quick on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- 3. Open your files: Launch WPS Office and directly open any existing Microsoft Office files to start editing immediately with full format retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the x86 version of Visual Studio on an ARM64 laptop to run VSTO?
While you can technically install the x86 version of Visual Studio on an ARM64 device and run it via Windows emulation, Microsoft warns that VSTO workloads may have severe limitations and compatibility issues in this environment.
Will Microsoft add VSTO support for ARM64 in the future?
As of now, VSTO is not a supported workload for the native ARM64 version of Visual Studio 2022. Users should monitor the official Microsoft Learn documentation for any announcements regarding future ARM64 support for Office development.
How do I check if my Windows laptop is running on ARM64?
Open your Windows Settings, go to 'System', and click on 'About'. Look at the 'System type' entry under the Device specifications section. It will specify whether you have a 64-bit operating system running on an ARM-based processor or an x64-based processor.
