How To: Determine and Update the Required .NET / .NET Core Version

Version Affected: All

 

Overview

This article explains which .NET / .NET Core version each SecureAuth Identity Platform release requires, and how to update it and remove old versions. Upgrading the IdP to a new release can require a different .NET or .NET Core version as a prerequisite, and the required version must be adhered to — it cannot be upgraded on its own to a newer major version without also upgrading the IdP itself.

Once you know the required version, there are two ways to update it:

• Method 1 - Recommended: remove all existing .NET / .NET Core versions first, then install the required version.
• Method 2 - When the required version is already installed and older versions are still on the appliance: remove the older versions, then repair the newer version.
   

In this article

• Determine the Required .NET / .NET Core Version
• Method 1: Remove All .NET / .NET Core Versions Before Installing the Required Version (Recommended)
• Method 2: Remove Older Versions After the Required Version Is Installed

Determine the Required .NET / .NET Core Version

Find the IdP release in the list below to see which .NET / .NET Core and .NET Framework versions it requires (also available in the SecureAuth Compatibility Guide):

• Identity Platform 26.2 and later: .NET 10, .NET Framework 4.8 or later.
• Identity Platform 26.1: .NET 8, .NET Framework 4.8 or later.
• Identity Platform 26.0: .NET 8, .NET Framework 4.8 or later.
• Identity Platform 24.04: .NET 8, .NET Framework 4.8 or later.
• Identity Platform 23.07: .NET 6, .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later.
• Identity Platform 22.12: .NET Core 3.1, .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later.
• Identity Platform 22.02: .NET Core 3.1, .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later.
• Identity Platform 21.04: .NET Core 2.1, .NET Framework 4.7.2.
• Identity Platform 20.06: .NET Core 2.1, .NET Framework 4.7.2.
• Identity Platform 19.07: .NET Core 2.1, .NET Framework 4.7.1.

For 22.12 and later, SecureAuth Support will work with you on the appropriate .NET updates as part of the upgrade process.

Method 1: Remove All .NET / .NET Core Versions Before Installing the Required Version (Recommended)

This is the recommended approach: every existing .NET / .NET Core version is removed before the required version is installed, so no older version is left behind on the appliance. Take a snapshot or backup of the server before you start.

1. Open Add or Remove Programs and uninstall every .NET / .NET Core entry — runtimes, ASP.NET Core shared frameworks, Windows Server Hosting bundles, and SDKs. Do not remove .NET Framework, which is a separate Windows component that the IdP also requires.
2. Install the .NET / .NET Core Windows Server Hosting bundle for the version your IdP release requires.
3. Reboot the server rather than only running an IISRESET, so everything picks up correctly.
4. Run the following command to confirm that the required runtime is listed:

dotnet --list-runtimes

Method 2: Remove Older Versions After the Required Version Is Installed

Use this method if the required version was installed first and older .NET / .NET Core versions are still on the appliance — an IdP upgrade does not remove the older version automatically. The older versions can still be removed, but the newer version must be repaired after they are removed.

1. In Add or Remove Programs, identify the entries for the version the IdP release no longer needs — for example, after an upgrade to 23.07 (which requires .NET 6), the highlighted .NET Core 3.1 entries below are safe to remove:
   
   
    
2. Uninstall the highlighted old-version entries.
3. Run a Repair on the current .NET / .NET Core Windows Server Hosting bundle (the one the IdP release requires). This step is mandatory: some shared components were removed in the previous step, and the repair restores them and properly updates IIS.
4. Reboot the server rather than only running an IISRESET, so everything picks up correctly.

Special Considerations

If you need a specific .NET / .NET Core version and are running an older IdP release that doesn't support it, you must upgrade the IdP release itself — since the product is built against a specific .NET / .NET Core version, an in-place .NET update alone will not work. Open a ticket with SecureAuth Support to begin the IdP upgrade process.

This applies to the major version only. Within the required major version, you can install any newer patch release — for example, any .NET 8.0.x update on Identity Platform 24.04 through 26.1. If an older patch of the same major version is left behind (for example, 8.0.28 when 8.0.29 is installed), it can be removed in the same way as Method 2, including the mandatory repair of the newer version afterward. Before removing it, confirm that no other application on the server needs it. Afterward, run the following command to confirm the newer runtime is still listed:

dotnet --list-runtimes

Microsoft ends support for .NET 8 on November 10, 2026. Moving to .NET 10 requires upgrading to Identity Platform 26.2 or later.

SecureAuth Knowledge Base Articles provide information based on specific use cases and may not apply to all appliances or configurations. Be advised that these instructions could cause harm to the environment if not followed correctly or if they do not apply to the current use case.

Customers are responsible for their own due diligence prior to utilizing this information and agree that SecureAuth is not liable for any issues caused by misconfiguration directly or indirectly related to SecureAuth products.