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MSB8037 diagnostic code

This article describes the MSB8037 error code.

Message text

MSB8037: The Windows SDK version *sdk-version* for Desktop C++ *platform* Apps was not found. Install the required version of Windows SDK or change the SDK version in the project property pages or by right-clicking the solution and selecting "Retarget solution".

Description

This error occurs when your project specifies a Windows SDK version that isn't available.

Common causes for this error include:

  • The specified Windows SDK version isn't installed or can't be found.
  • You ported a project, but didn't update the target Windows SDK version.
  • The Windows SDK path is incorrect, or copied from a custom SDK path for a different machine.

Resolution

The following sections describe options for resolving the MSB8036 error based on your configuration.

Install specific SDK version

To install a specific version of the Windows SDK, use the Visual Studio Installer. For more information, see Modify Visual Studio. In the installer, use the Individual components tab to choose specific Windows SDKs.

Specify target SDK for solution

To specify the target Windows SDK for your solution, follow these steps:

  1. In Solution Explorer, right-click your solution (not your project), and select Retarget solution.

  2. In the Review Solution Actions dialog, expand the Windows SDK Version dropdown list and select a specific Windows SDK.

    You can select 10.0 (latest installed version) to instruct Visual Studio to always use the most recent SDK version, if multiple versions are installed.

Specify target SDK for project

To specify the target Windows SDK for your project, follow these steps:

  1. In Solution Explorer, right-click the project node, and select Properties (Alt+Enter).

  2. In the Property Pages dialog for your project, select the Configuration Properties > General property page.

  3. Modify the value for the Windows SDK Version or Target Platform Version property.

    The dropdown list of values shows the specific versions detected by Visual Studio. The value 10.0 (latest installed version) instructs Visual Studio to always use the most recent SDK version, if multiple versions are installed.

  4. Select OK to save your changes.

Change directory paths for Windows SDK

To verify the SDK path is set to the correct location, follow these steps:

  1. In Solution Explorer, right-click the project node, and select Properties (Alt+Enter).

  2. In the Property Pages dialog for your project, select the Configuration Properties > VC++ Directories property page.

  3. Check the values for the Include Directories and Library Directories properties. Look for custom paths and correct as needed.

    • The default value for the Include directory for your selected Windows SDK is specified with the $(WindowsSDK_IncludePath) macro.
    • The default value for the Library directory is specified with the $(WindowsSDK_LibraryPath_<platform>) macro, where <platform> represents the target architecture.

Applies to

All versions of MSBuild

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