# Installation Guide

> Install TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms: requirements, the full, trial or Express setup, the NuGet package, the toolbox, licenses and upgrades.

- **Product:** TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms
- **Section:** Documentation
- **Kind:** Topic
- **Path:** TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms > Installation Guide
- **1042 words**
- **Web URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/
- **LLMs URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/llms.txt
- **LLMs-Full URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/llms-full.txt

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A development machine for TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 34.0 needs a few things in place before the first form opens in the designer: a supported Windows and Visual Studio, the setup, the NuGet package for .NET projects, and your license in the project. The Installation Guide takes developers through each of them, and through updating to a new service pack or version later.

To build an application right away, start with [Getting Started](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/getting-started/llms-full.txt). Its tutorials link back to the pages here when you need details.

### How You Get the Product

|  | Development machine | Build server or CI/CD pipeline |
|---|---|---|
| What you install | The setup of the full, trial or Express version | Only the NuGet package |
| .NET 8 or higher projects | Install `TXTextControl.TextControl.WinForms.SDK` from the local package source **Text Control Offline Packages** | Install `TXTextControl.TextControl.WinForms.SDK` from the Text Control Private NuGet Feed |
| Visual Studio designer | The setup adds the toolbox tab and the designers | Not needed |

The setup is the starting point on a development machine: the setup of the full version provides the designers, the samples, the assemblies for .NET Framework projects and the local package source. The package from the private feed is meant for compiling only. [Installing the Product](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/setup/llms-full.txt) describes the setups and what they install.

### The Installation Path

Work through the guide in this order:

1. **Check the system requirements.** Development runs on Windows 10 or Windows 11 with Visual Studio. The NuGet package targets .NET 8 or higher, and the setup also supports the .NET Framework 4.x. See [System Requirements](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/llms-full.txt).
2. **Install the product.** Run the setup of the full version, the trial or the Express edition. See [Installing the Product](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/setup/llms-full.txt).
3. **Add the package to .NET projects.** In a .NET 8 or higher project, install `TXTextControl.TextControl.WinForms.SDK`, the one package that contains the controls, the engine and the license. See [NuGet Packages](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/nuget/llms-full.txt).
4. **Use the toolbox.** Drag the controls onto your forms and connect them with the smart tags. See [Visual Studio Toolbox and Designer](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/toolbox/llms-full.txt).
5. **Check your licenses.** Every developer needs an assigned license, and the license is compiled into your application. Applications are distributed royalty-free. See [License Configuration](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/licensing/llms-full.txt).
6. **Stay up to date.** Install new service packs, update the package in your projects, and check the breaking changes of a new version. See [Upgrade Guide](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/upgrading/llms-full.txt).

### Find the Right Page

| If you want to | Read |
|---|---|
| Check the .NET and .NET Framework versions, Windows versions and Visual Studio versions | [System Requirements](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/llms-full.txt) |
| Decide between 32-bit, 64-bit and AnyCPU builds | [32-bit and 64-bit Applications](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/32-bit-64-bit/llms-full.txt) |
| Download and run the setup, or install a service pack | [Installing the Product](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/setup/llms-full.txt) |
| Find out what the NuGet package contains | [Package Overview](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/nuget/packages/llms-full.txt) |
| Add the offline source or the private feed to a project or a build server | [Configuring Package Sources](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/nuget/sources/llms-full.txt) |
| Install or update the package | [Installing and Updating Packages](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/nuget/install-update/llms-full.txt) |
| Find the toolbox tab and use the smart tags | [Visual Studio Toolbox and Designer](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/toolbox/llms-full.txt) |
| Learn how your license reaches your project | [Development Licenses](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/licensing/development/llms-full.txt) |
| Build your application on a build server | [Build Servers](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/licensing/build-servers/llms-full.txt) |
| Move an application from an earlier version or from the .NET Framework | [Upgrade Guide](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/upgrading/llms-full.txt) |

### After Installation

- [Getting Started](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/getting-started/llms-full.txt): step-by-step tutorials for your first application.
- [Deployment Guide](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/deployment/llms-full.txt): the files you ship and how to publish your application.
- [Installation and Package Restore](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/troubleshooting/installation/llms-full.txt): what to check when the setup or a package restore fails.

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## In This Section

- [License Configuration](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/licensing/llms-full.txt): How licenses of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms reach projects, applications and build servers: license file, licenses.licx and EntryAssembly.
- [NuGet Packages](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/nuget/llms-full.txt): The NuGet package of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms for .NET 8 or higher: what it contains, its package sources, and how to install and update it.
- [System Requirements](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/llms-full.txt): Check the requirements of TX Text Control for Windows Forms: .NET 8 to 10 or .NET Framework 4.0 to 4.8, Windows 10, 11 or Server, Visual Studio, C# and VB.
- [Installing the Product](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/setup/llms-full.txt): Download and run the full, trial or Express setup of TX Text Control for Windows Forms: what it installs and where, the samples, and service packs.
- [Visual Studio Toolbox and Designer](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/toolbox/llms-full.txt): Find the TX Text Control toolbox tab in .NET and .NET Framework Windows Forms projects, its items from TextControl to MailMerge, and the designer's smart tags.
- [Upgrade Guide](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/upgrading/llms-full.txt): Bring a Windows Forms project up to TX Text Control 34.0: service packs, earlier major versions, the move from .NET Framework to .NET, and the breaking changes.

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## Nearby

- **Previous:** [Legal Notice](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/overview/legal-notice/llms-full.txt)
- **Next:** [System Requirements](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/llms-full.txt)
