[enhancement]: VS2026 / MSBuild 18 Support

[BlueBSH]

Describe your feature request here

When will the VSTS agent properly recognize the new MSBuild 18 with VS 2026? Feels like this should have been there before the public release, not seeing it in the current releases of the VSTS agents or the preview ones yet.

[drocx]

Already asked for in September #5320

[ehasis]

We have updated couple of our agent servers to VS 2026 (build tools 18) and they are not recognizing the capabilities. Agent v4.264.2

[drocx]

Try this workaround:
microsoft/azure-pipelines-tasks#21319 (comment)

[FreeFrags]

Same issue here.

[romeelian]

Same here as well and existing capabilities can not be corrected; new ones are not a problem ...

[durandt]

I can confirm that azure-pipelines-agent v4.264.2 does not pick up Visual Studio 2026 capabilities on Windows Server 2025.

[codingaddicted]

Same here.
The Azure pipeline executes the vswhere tool with -version [17.0,18.0) -products Microsoft.VisualStudio.Product.BuildTools -latest -format json parameters which returns the vs 2022 build tools only. I checked with -all as suggested here and it correctly returns all versions installed (2022 and 2026).

[
  {
    "instanceId": "45eb6cf7",
    "installDate": "2025-11-09T16:05:27Z",
    "installationName": "VisualStudio/17.14.20+36705.20",
    "installationPath": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2022\\BuildTools",
    "installationVersion": "17.14.36705.20",
    "displayName": "Visual Studio Build Tools 2022",
    "description": "The Visual Studio Build Tools allows you to build native and managed MSBuild-based applications without requiring the Visual Studio IDE. There are options to install the Visual C++ compilers and libraries, MFC, ATL, and C++/CLI support.",
    "updateDate": "2025-11-17T10:21:56.3333216Z",
    "enginePath": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Installer\\resources\\app\\ServiceHub\\Services\\Microsoft.VisualStudio.Setup.Service",
    "resolvedInstallationPath": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2022\\BuildTools",
    "channelId": "VisualStudio.17.Release",
    "installedChannelId": "VisualStudio.17.Release",
    "channelUri": "https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/channel",
    "installedChannelUri": "https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/channel",
    "releaseNotes": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2022/release-notes-v17.14#17.14.20",
    "thirdPartyNotices": "https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=661288"
  },
  {
    "instanceId": "7772d720",
    "installDate": "2025-11-17T10:05:56Z",
    "installationName": "VisualStudio/18.0.0+11205.157",
    "installationPath": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\18\\BuildTools",
    "installationVersion": "18.0.11205.157",
    "displayName": "Visual Studio Build Tools 2026",
    "description": "Essential MSBuild and compiler tools – no IDE required.",
    "updateDate": "2025-11-17T10:05:56.4887323Z",
    "enginePath": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Installer\\resources\\app\\ServiceHub\\Services\\Microsoft.VisualStudio.Setup.Service",
    "resolvedInstallationPath": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\18\\BuildTools",
    "channelId": "VisualStudio.18.Release",
    "installedChannelId": "VisualStudio.18.Release",
    "channelUri": "https://aka.ms/vs/18/stable/channel",
    "installedChannelUri": "https://aka.ms/vs/18/stable/channel",
    "releaseNotes": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/18/release-notes-v18.0#18.0.0",
    "thirdPartyNotices": "https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=661480"
  }
]

The agent capabilities list on DevOps portal shows 2022 tools paths only.

[ehasis]

microsoft/azure-pipelines-tasks#21412

[fernandezja]

With the v4.266.0 release (currently in pre-release), the VS2026 and MSBuild 18 capabilities are now available.
https://github.com/microsoft/azure-pipelines-agent/releases/tag/v4.266.0

[chrisbardon]

@fernandezja , I just tried the new agent, and it doesn't seem to work. The vsbuild task is still running this in my log:

"D:\buildagent-rnd_work_tasks\VSBuild_71a9a2d3-a98a-4caa-96ab-affca411ecda\1.260.0\node_modules\azure-pipelines-tasks-msbuildhelpers\tools\vswhere.exe" -version [17.0,18.0) -latest -format json

Which isn't returning VS2026 because of the upper limit on the version (18.0). This appears to be hardcoded. Is there something else you need to change to get the vsbuild task to work?

Note that this returns the correct tool paths (omit the version, and just use "latest" as configured):

D:\buildagent-rnd>"D:\buildagent-rnd_work_tasks\VSBuild_71a9a2d3-a98a-4caa-96ab-affca411ecda\1.260.0\node_modules\azure-pipelines-tasks-msbuildhelpers\tools\vswhere.exe" -latest -format json
[
{
"instanceId": "516605d4",
"installDate": "2025-11-26T18:41:50Z",
"installationName": "VisualStudio/18.0.2+11222.15",
"installationPath": "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\18\Enterprise",
"installationVersion": "18.0.11222.15",
"displayName": "Visual Studio Enterprise 2026",
"description": "Built for scale, security, and speed – the IDE for complex, high-impact development.",
"updateDate": "2025-11-26T18:41:50.8447463Z",
"expirationDate": "2026-02-05T17:00:00+00:00",
"enginePath": "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\resources\app\ServiceHub\Services\Microsoft.VisualStudio.Setup.Service",
"resolvedInstallationPath": "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\18\Enterprise",
"channelId": "VisualStudio.18.Release",
"installedChannelId": "VisualStudio.18.Release",
"channelUri": "https://aka.ms/vs/18/stable/channel",
"installedChannelUri": "https://aka.ms/vs/18/stable/channel",
"releaseNotes": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/18/release-notes-v18.0#18.0.2",
"thirdPartyNotices": "https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=661480"
}
]

[DaveWhite-BL]

When can we expect an agent version for Azure DevOps Server that supports VS2026? I can't really use a work-around as I need fully supported software as part of my pipeline.