Advanced property page

The Advanced property page is available in Visual Studio 2019 and later. To see the documentation for that version, set the Visual Studio Version selector control for this article to Visual Studio 2019 or later. It's found at the top of the table of contents on this page. In earlier versions of Visual Studio, these properties appear on the General property page:

• Target File Extension
• Extensions to Delete on Clean
• Build Log File
• Enable Managed Incremental Build
• Use of MFC
• Character Set
• Whole Program Optimization
• Common Language Runtime support
• .NET Target Framework Version

The Advanced property page is available in Visual Studio 2019 and later. The specific properties shown depend on the project type. Windows Runtime (Universal Windows Platform, or UWP) projects don't show this page.

Advanced Properties

Target File Extension

Specifies the file extension to use for the build output. Defaults to .exe for applications, .lib for static libraries and .dll for DLLs.

Extensions to Delete on Clean

The Build > Clean menu command deletes files from the intermediate directory where a project's configuration is built. The build system deletes files that have the specified extensions when you run the Clean command or when you rebuild. The build system also deletes any known output of the build, no matter where it's located. Deleted files include any intermediate outputs such as .obj files. Use semicolons (;) to separate extensions. You can specify wildcard characters (*, ?) in the extensions.

To programmatically access this property, see DeleteExtensionsOnClean.

Build Log File

Allows you to specify a non-default location for the log file that's created whenever you build a project. The default location is specified by the macros $(IntDir)$(MSBuildProjectName).log.

You can use project macros to change the directory location. For more information, see Common macros for build commands and properties.

Preferred Build Tool Architecture

Specifies whether to use the x86 or x64 build tools.

Use Debug Libraries

Specifies whether to create a Debug or Release build. Despite the name, Use Debug Libraries is a build system-specific property that is effectively shorthand for "Make a Debug build" or "Make a Release build." It sets several compiler and linker properties for Debug or Release builds, including the library settings. You can use it to create Debug or Release configurations for a new platform or in a new template. We don't recommend you change this property in an existing configuration. Use the individual compiler and linker properties instead.

Enable Unity (JUMBO) Build

Enables a faster build process that combines many C++ source files into one or more files before compilation.

Copy Content to OutDir

Copy the items marked as content in the project to the project's output directory ($(OutDir)). This setting can simplify deployment. This property is available starting in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7.

Copy Project References to OutDir

Copy the executable (DLL and EXE file) project reference items to the project's output directory ($(OutDir)). In C++/CLI (/clr) projects, this property is ignored. Instead, the Copy Local property on each project reference controls whether the items are copied to the output directory. This setting can simplify local deployment. It's available starting in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7.

Copy Project References' Symbols to OutDir

Copy the PDB files for project reference items along with the project reference executable items to the project's output directory ($(OutDir)). This property is always enabled for C++/CLI projects. This setting can simplify debug deployment. It's available starting in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7.

Copy C++ Runtime to OutDir

Copy the C++ runtime DLLs to the project's output directory ($(OutDir)). This setting can simplify local deployment. It's available starting in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7.

Use of MFC

Specifies whether the MFC project statically or dynamically links to the MFC DLL. Non-MFC projects select Use Standard Windows Libraries.

To programmatically access this property, see useOfMfc.

Character Set

Specifies whether the _UNICODE or _MBCS preprocessor macro should be set. Also affects the linker entry point, where appropriate. For _UNICODE, the expected code entry point is wmain or wWinMain. For _MBCS, the expected code entry point is main or WinMain.

To programmatically access this property, see CharacterSet.

Whole Program Optimization

Specifies the /GL compiler option and /LTCG linker option. By default, this property is disabled for Debug configurations, and enabled for Release configurations.

MSVC Toolset Version

Specifies the full version of the MSVC toolset that's used to build the project. You may have various update and preview versions of a toolset installed. You can specify which one to use here.

LLVM Toolset Version

Specifies the full version of the LLVM toolset that's used to build the project. This property is available when LLVM (clang-cl) is selected as the platform toolset, starting in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.9. For more information, see Set a custom LLVM toolset version.

Enable MSVC Structured Output

Specifies whether to enable structured SARIF output, which enables the Problem Details window and hierarchical output in the Output window in Visual Studio.

C++/CLI Properties

Common Language Runtime Support

Causes the /clr compiler option to be used.

To programmatically access this property, see ManagedExtensions.

.NET Target Framework Version

This property only applies when the Common Language Runtime Support property is set to .NET Framework Runtime Support. That is, when the project targets .NET Framework, and it specifies the version of the .NET Framework.

.NET Target Framework

This property only applies when the Common Language Runtime Support property is set to .NET Runtime Support. That is, when the project targets .NET.

This property specifies the .NET 5+ Target Framework Moniker this project targets, for example net6.0-windows or net7.0-windows8.0.

Enable Managed Incremental Build

This property helps dramatically improve build times in large solutions by ensuring dependent projects aren't rebuilt if a change doesn't alter the parts of your code that other assemblies or projects can see and interact with.

Enable CLR Support for Individual Files

This option sets a ManagedAssembly build property that enables building only some files in the project as managed code. You must set Enable CLR Support for Individual Files to Yes if some but not all of your project files are built as managed code. This property is only available in projects that use Visual Studio 2022 or later and the v143 or later platform toolset.

.NET Target Windows Version

This property only applies when the Common Language Runtime Support property is set to .NET Runtime Support. That is, when the project targets .NET.

This property specifies the minimum Windows version that the project supports. This value is used by NuGet to determine the compatibility of projects and NuGet package dependencies. If a project A depends on project B, project A's .NET target Windows version must be greater or equal to project B's.

The Advanced property page is available in Visual Studio 2019 and later. The specific properties shown depend on the project type. Windows Runtime (Universal Windows Platform, or UWP) projects don't show this page.

Advanced Properties

Target File Extension

Specifies the file extension to use for the build output. Defaults to .exe for applications, .lib for static libraries, and .dll for DLLs.

Extensions to Delete on Clean

The Build > Clean menu command deletes files from the intermediate directory where a project's configuration is built. The build system deletes files that have the specified extensions when you run the Clean command or when you rebuild. The build system also deletes any known output of the build, no matter where it's located. Deleted files include any intermediate outputs such as .obj files. Use semicolons (;) to separate extensions. You can specify wildcard characters (*, ?) in the extensions.

To programmatically access this property, see DeleteExtensionsOnClean.

Build Log File

Allows you to specify a non-default location for the log file that's created whenever you build a project. The default location is specified by the macros $(IntDir)$(MSBuildProjectName).log.

You can use project macros to change the directory location. For more information, see Common macros for build commands and properties.

Preferred Build Tool Architecture

Specifies whether to use the ARM64, x86, or x64 build tools.

Use Debug Libraries

Specifies whether to create a Debug or Release build. Despite the name, Use Debug Libraries is a build system-specific property that is effectively shorthand for "Make a Debug build" or "Make a Release build." It sets several compiler and linker properties for Debug or Release builds, including the library settings. You can use it to create Debug or Release configurations for a new platform or in a new template. We don't recommend you change this property in an existing configuration. Use the individual compiler and linker properties instead.

Enable Unity (JUMBO) Build

Enables a faster build process that combines many C++ source files into one or more files before compilation.

Copy Content to OutDir

Copy the items marked as content in the project to the project's output directory ($(OutDir)). This setting can simplify deployment. This property is available starting in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7.

Copy Project References to OutDir

Copy the executable (DLL and EXE file) project reference items to the project's output directory ($(OutDir)). In C++/CLI (/clr) projects, this property is ignored. Instead, the Copy Local property on each project reference controls whether the items are copied to the output directory. This setting can simplify local deployment. It's available starting in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7.

Copy Project References' Symbols to OutDir

Copy the PDB files for project reference items along with the project reference executable items to the project's output directory ($(OutDir)). This property is always enabled for C++/CLI projects. This setting can simplify debug deployment. It's available starting in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7.

Copy C++ Runtime to OutDir

Copy the C++ runtime DLLs to the project's output directory ($(OutDir)). This setting can simplify local deployment. It's available starting in Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7.

Use of MFC

Specifies whether the MFC project statically or dynamically links to the MFC DLL. Non-MFC projects select Use Standard Windows Libraries.

To programmatically access this property, see useOfMfc.

Character Set

Specifies whether the _UNICODE or _MBCS preprocessor macro should be set. Also affects the linker entry point, where appropriate. For _UNICODE, the expected code entry point is wmain or wWinMain. For _MBCS, the expected code entry point is main or WinMain.

To programmatically access this property, see CharacterSet.

Whole Program Optimization

Specifies the /GL compiler option and /LTCG linker option. By default, this property is disabled for Debug configurations, and enabled for Release configurations.

Use C++ Dynamic Debugging

Specifies whether to use C++ Dynamic Debugging. Use this mode for debugging optimized code. If you enable this setting, Whole Program Optimization is turned off. For more information, see C++ Dynamic Debugging.

Enable MSVC Structured Output

Specifies whether to enable structured SARIF output, which enables the Problem Details window and hierarchical output in the Output window in Visual Studio.

C++/CLI Properties

Common Language Runtime Support

Causes the /clr compiler option to be used.

To programmatically access this property, see ManagedExtensions.

.NET Target Framework Version

This property only applies when the Common Language Runtime Support property is set to .NET Framework Runtime Support. That is, when the project targets .NET Framework, and it specifies the version of the .NET Framework.

.NET Target Framework

This property only applies when the Common Language Runtime Support property is set to .NET Runtime Support. That is, when the project targets .NET.

This property specifies the .NET 5+ Target Framework Moniker this project targets, for example net6.0-windows or net7.0-windows8.0.

Enable Managed Incremental Build

This property helps dramatically improve build times in large solutions by ensuring dependent projects aren't rebuilt if a change doesn't alter the parts of your code that other assemblies or projects can see and interact with.

Enable CLR Support for Individual Files

This option sets a ManagedAssembly build property that enables building only some files in the project as managed code. You must set Enable CLR Support for Individual Files to Yes if some but not all of your project files are built as managed code. This property is only available in projects that use Visual Studio 2022 or later and the v143 or later platform toolset.

.NET Target Windows Version

This property only applies when the Common Language Runtime support property is set to .NET Runtime Support. That is, when the project targets .NET.

This property specifies the minimum Windows version that the project supports. This value is used by NuGet to determine the compatibility of projects and NuGet package dependencies. If a project A depends on project B, project A's .NET target Windows version must be greater or equal to project B's.