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I've been using the Insiders version for a while without any issues but since installing the release version it locks up when I start it and I have to start Task Manager to shut it down. If I run it again it's usually OK. I tried uninstalling it and re-downloading it but it's still doing it.
Also it did not install a shortcut, I had to find c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\18\Community\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe and make my own.
If there was no shortcut, it seems to be a corrupted reinstallation. Did you uninstall the Insider version before?
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Hi Tony
It may be due to incomplete or corrupted components during the upgrade process.
Since reinstalling hasn’t resolved the issue, I recommend performing a deep uninstall using the InstallCleanup.exe tool. This utility removes cached files and residual data that a standard uninstall does not touch.
Steps to run InstallCleanup.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\InstallCleanup.exe
This process ensures that all corrupted or leftover files are removed, giving you a fresh environment for a successful installation.
Hope this helps! If my answer was helpful, kindly follow the instructions here so others with the same problem, can benefit as well.
Maybe I didn't uninstal the Insider version first, I certainly have now.
It seems to be starting up OK now (after an update) but it just locked up while in use so I'm going back to using 2022.
Hi Tony,
I’ve updated my answer and would appreciate it if you could review it and share your feedback. Wishing you a wonderful day!
Hi Tony,
Thank you for your response, and I’m sorry to hear that the issue with Visual Studio 2026 is still persisting. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, and your feedback will be recorded to help guide future improvements.
Since the investigation is ongoing and updating to the latest build hasn’t resolved the problem, returning to Visual Studio 2022 is a great choice for now. It’s stable and will allow you to maintain your workflow without interruptions.
If you’d like to continue working with Visual Studio 2026, You can perform a complete uninstall and reinstall, which can often clear out anything blocking startup. If you’d like step‑by‑step guidance, you can reach out to our Visual Studio live chat support channel.
Finally, thank you again for sharing your experience with us. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
If Visual Studio 2026 is locking up when opened, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:
devenv.exe /resetuserdata from the command line.devenv.exe file and select "Run as administrator."devenv.exe /SafeMode to see if the problem persists.Regarding the missing shortcut, it’s not uncommon for shortcuts to not be created during installation. You can create your own shortcut to devenv.exe as you have done, or try reinstalling Visual Studio and ensuring that all installation options are selected correctly.
If the issue persists after trying these steps, you may want to report the problem through the Visual Studio feedback tool to get further assistance from Microsoft.
References: