The .NET MAUI Workshop, Part 5: The Alternate Install

[ Updated on August 19, 2025 ]

Here is a detailed step-by-step guide for installing .NET MAUI for .NET 9 using VS Code on both a Windows 11 Pro computer and a macOS (Mac M4 Mini) computer, assuming no prior installations of .NET, .NET MAUI, IDE, or Extensions software. Remember to carefully consider your hardware specifications (especially CPU, RAM, GPU, and Disk Storage) on both your Windows 11 and macOS computers, so that you are not under-powered for developing or deploying your .NET MAUI projects.

Part A: Installing .NET MAUI in .NET 9 using VS Code on Windows 11 Pro

This section outlines the steps to set up your Windows 11 Pro computer for .NET MAUI development targeting .NET 9, using VS Code as your Integrated Development Environment (IDE).

Download and Install .NET 9 SDK with .NET MAUI Workload:
- Navigate to the official .NET website to download the .NET 9 SDK installer for Windows. .NET 9 is crucial as it brings performance features, capabilities, and new controls.
- Once downloaded, run the SDK installer and follow the prompts to complete the installation.
- After the .NET 9 SDK is installed, open a Command Prompt or PowerShell terminal.
- To install the .NET MAUI workload, which provides the necessary components for building multi-platform applications, execute the following command: dotnet workload install maui
- (Optional Verification): You can verify that .NET 9 SDK has been installed by typing dotnet --list-sdks in your terminal and pressing Enter. You should see entries for .NET 9.x.x SDKs listed [conversation history].
Download and Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code):
- Go to the official Visual Studio Code website (code.visualstudio.com).
- Download the installer for Visual Studio Code for Windows.
- Run the downloaded installer and follow the instructions to complete the installation of VS Code.
Install Essential VS Code Extensions:
- Open Visual Studio Code.
- Navigate to the Extensions view by clicking on the Square Icon in the Activity Bar on the side, or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+X.
- Search for and install the “C# Dev Kit” extension. This extension leverages the C# devkit and is essential for C# development in VS Code.
- Search for and install the “.NET MAUI” extension. This specific extension works with the C# Dev Kit to provide IntelliSense, tooltips, hot reload, and other development features for .NET MAUI applications within VS Code.
- Ensure both extensions are enabled after installation.
Supported Platforms on Windows with VS Code:
- Once set up, you will be able to build and run .NET MAUI applications targeting Windows and Android platforms directly from your Windows 11 Pro machine using VS Code. This is because Android SDKs and emulators are available on Windows alongside the Windows SDK.

Part B: Installing .NET MAUI in .NET 9 using VS Code on macOS (Mac M4 Mini)

This section outlines the steps to set up your Mac M4 Mini computer for .NET MAUI development targeting .NET 9, using Visual Studio Code as your IDE.

Download and Install .NET 9 SDK with .NET MAUI Workload:
- Navigate to the official .NET website to download the .NET 9 SDK installer for macOS (ARM64 for M4 Mini). .NET 9 is crucial for leveraging the latest performance features and capabilities.
- Once downloaded, run the SDK installer and follow the prompts to complete the installation.
- After the .NET 9 SDK is installed, open a Terminal application (e.g., iTerm2 or the default macOS Terminal).
- To install the .NET MAUI workload, execute the following command: dotnet workload install maui
- (Optional Verification): You can verify that .NET 9 SDK has been installed by typing dotnet --list-sdks in your terminal and pressing Enter. You should see entries for .NET 9.x.x SDKs listed [conversation history].
Download and Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code):
- Go to the official Visual Studio Code website (code.visualstudio.com).
- Download the installer for Visual Studio Code for macOS (ARM64).
- Run the downloaded installer and drag the VS Code application to your Applications folder to complete the installation.
Install Essential VS Code Extensions:
- Open Visual Studio Code.
- Navigate to the Extensions view by clicking on the Square Icon in the Activity Bar on the side, or by pressing Cmd+Shift+X.
- Search for and install the “C# Dev Kit” extension. This extension is fundamental for C# development within VS Code.
- Search for and install the “.NET MAUI” extension. This extension provides core .NET MAUI development features including IntelliSense, tooltips, hot reload, and Xcode sync support on Mac.
- Ensure both extensions are enabled after installation.
Install Xcode (for iOS and Mac Development):
- Xcode is essential for developing iOS and Mac applications with .NET MAUI on a Mac.
- Open the Mac App Store, search for “Xcode,” and install it. Xcode can be a large download, so ensure you have sufficient disk space and a stable internet connection. However, using this simple Mac App Store download method can make Xcode management difficult, leave you with incorrect Xcode versions on your Mac for your .NET MAUI development.
- (Optional but Recommended): You can also use a tool like "Xcodes" (available via Homebrew or direct download) to manage multiple Xcode installations and set the active version.
- After installation, open Xcode at least once to accept its license agreements and allow it to install any additional necessary components.
Install Android Studio (for Android SDKs and Emulators):
- Android SDKs are required for Android development with .NET MAUI on a Mac. Android Studio simplifies the management of these SDKs and virtual devices. Note: if you are going to do your Android .NET MAUI development from Windows 11 Pro, (which is what I do) then you can skip this step, since macOS will only be involved in building IOS and Mac .NET MAUI applications, and not Android applications.
- Go to the official Android Studio website (developer.android.com/studio).
- Download and install Android Studio for macOS (ARM64).
- Open Android Studio after installation. During its initial setup, it will help you install the necessary Android SDKs and set up virtual devices (emulators) for testing your Android applications.
Supported Platforms on Mac with VS Code:
- With this setup, your Mac M4 Mini will be capable of building and running .NET MAUI applications targeting iOS, Android, and Mac platforms directly from VS Code. This comprehensive support is enabled by the availability of Xcode for iOS/Mac development and the Android SDK for Android development on macOS.