IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2026.3.29.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2026.3.29.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2022 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.

IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2026.1.20.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2026.1.20.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2022 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.

IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

This release implements support for using Markdown for conceptual content rather than MAML. See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2025.12.18.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2025.12.18.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2022 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.

IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

NOTE: From this version onward, only Visual Studio 2022 and later are supported by the Visual Studio extension.

See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2025.9.30.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2025.9.30.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2022 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.

IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2025.3.22.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2025.3.22.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2017 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.

IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2024.12.21.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

NOTE: v2022.8.14 and later contain significant breaking changes related to the new presentation style API. v2021.11.7.0 and later contain significant breaking changes for third-party components which were necessary to implement support for .NET Core builds. See the release notes for details.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2024.12.21.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2017 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.

IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2024.12.15.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

NOTE: v2022.8.14 and later contain significant breaking changes related to the new presentation style API. v2021.11.7.0 and later contain significant breaking changes for third-party components which were necessary to implement support for .NET Core builds. See the release notes for details.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2024.12.15.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2017 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.

IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2024.9.12.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

NOTE: v2022.8.14 and later contain significant breaking changes related to the new presentation style API. v2021.11.7.0 and later contain significant breaking changes for third-party components which were necessary to implement support for .NET Core builds. See the release notes for details.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2024.9.12.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2017 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.

IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2024.2.18.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

NOTE: v2022.8.14 and later contain significant breaking changes related to the new presentation style API. v2021.11.7.0 and later contain significant breaking changes for third-party components which were necessary to implement support for .NET Core builds. See the release notes for details.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2024.2.18.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2017 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.

IMPORTANT: On some systems, the content of the ZIP file is blocked and the installer may fail to run. Before extracting it, right click on the ZIP file, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button if it is present in the lower right corner of the General tab in the properties dialog.

See the Sandcastle Help File Builder 2023.7.8.0 Release Notes for details on all of the changes made to the Sandcastle Help File Builder and tools.

NOTE: v2022.8.14 and later contain significant breaking changes related to the new presentation style API. v2021.11.7.0 and later contain significant breaking changes for third-party components which were necessary to implement support for .NET Core builds. See the release notes for details.

This release uses the Sandcastle Guided Installation package. Download and extract to a folder and then run SandcastleInstaller.exe to run the guided installation of the Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools core components, the Visual Studio extension package, and extras.

What's Included

• Help 1 compiler check and instructions on where to download it and how to install it if needed
• Sandcastle Help File Builder and Tools v2023.7.8.0
• SHFB Visual Studio Extension Package including MAML schemas (VS 2017 or later)
• An option to install MAML snippets in Visual Studio to provide insertion of common MAML elements in topics while editing

This release includes a corresponding NuGet package.