One of the most critical aspects of the .NET runtime is security.
The answer is generally , unless you are certain no app requires it. microsoftnet desktop runtime 80 x64 2021
The runtime supports applications built using (Ahead-of-Time) compilation. While this is mostly a developer feature, it benefits the end-user by allowing apps to start instantly without a "warm-up" period. One of the most critical aspects of the
Microsoft releases monthly security and reliability updates via the .NET Patch Tuesday cycle. Running an outdated runtime (e.g., an old 8.0.0) is — always use the latest patch (8.0.10 or newer as of late 2025). microsoftnet desktop runtime 80 x64 2021