Create MSI or setup project with Visual Studio 2012

I create a small application and I would like to create one MSI file.

In Visual Studio 2010 you have this project type under:

Other Project Types -> Setup and Deployment -> Visual studio Installer -> Setup Project

But the only thing you got in Visual Studio 2012 is "Enable InstallShield Limited Edition".

You can change the .NET Framework, but nothing changes.

Why is it not there any more? And how can I get it back? Is there a new way to do this?


To create setup projects in Visual Studio 2012 with InstallShield Limited Edition, watch this video.

The InstallShield limited edition that cannot install services.

"ISLE is by far the worst installer option and the upgraded, read - paid for, version is cumbersome to use at best and impossible in most situations. InnoSetup, Nullsoft, Advanced, WiX, or just about any other installer is better. If you did a survey you would see that nobody is using ISLE. I don't know why you guys continue to associate with InstallShield. It damages your credibility. Any developer worth half his weight in salt knows ISLE is worthless and when you stand behind it we have to question Microsoft's judgment."

By Edward Miller (comments in Visual Studio Installer Projects Extension).

The WiX Toolset, which, while powerful is exceeding user-unfriendly and has a steep learning curve. There is even a downloadable template for installing Windows services (ref. VS2012: Installer for Windows services?).

For Visual Studio 2013, see blog post Creating installers with Visual Studio.


Please see:

Visual Studio setup projects (vdproj) will not ship with future versions of VS

Windows Installer Deployment

It was announced 1 1/2 years ago that the project types were being killed. Alternatives are:

  • Use A VS2008/2010 Solution to build your installer
  • Switch to another tool such as InstallShield or Windows Installer XML

  • Have you tried the "Publish" method? You just right click on the project file in the solution explorer and select "Publish" from the pop-up menu. This creates an installer in a few very simple steps.

    You can do more configuration of the installer from the Publish tab in the project properties window.

    NB: This method only works for WPF & Windows Forms apps.

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