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Set up Visual Studio

  1. Sign in to Visual Studio Online with your Microsoft account to download Visual Studio, if you don't have it.

    If you have an MSDN subscription or a Visual Studio Online license, use the sign-in address for that subscription or license. That way, you can see the Visual Studio editions included with your subscription or license.

    Sign in with your Microsoft account to download Visual Studio

  2. Create your Visual Studio profile, if you don't have one. Select the Visual Studio edition that you want and install it.

    Create your profile 

    What's a Visual Studio Online account and why create one?

  3. When you start Visual Studio, you can sign in with your Microsoft account. Why sign in?

    Sign in page

    If you didn't create a profile, Visual Studio asks you to create it now. Why create a profile?

  4. You can also change your settings here, or change them later in Visual Studio options.

    Visual Studio settings

    Your changes are saved with your profile, and your settings roam with you wherever you sign in.

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Q & A

Q:Why sign in and create a Visual Studio profile?

A:Your Visual Studio settings, like automatic brace completion, are saved with your profile. These settings roam with you when you sign in with your Microsoft account to Visual Studio on any computer, anywhere.

Sign in to Visual Studio during the 30-day trial period for these benefits:

  • Visual Studio Professional or Ultimate: Extend your trial for another 90 days
  • Visual Studio Express: Continue to use this edition for free

Here's more on the benefits of signing in and creating a profile. You can also create a Visual Studio Online account when you create your profile.

Q:What's a Visual Studio Online account and why create one?

A:Store your code, tests, and test results in the cloud with a Visual Studio Online (VSO) account. That way, you can access that code from anywhere with your development tools, build your app, run tests, and deploy. If you're not sure, you can always create a VSO account later. Find out more about how to sign up for Visual Studio Online.

Q:I have Visual Studio 2012. Can I try Visual Studio 2013 side-by-side with Visual Studio 2012?

A:Yes. You can use Visual Studio 2012 and Visual Studio 2013 on the same machine.

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