The Microsoft Web Platform Installer (WebPI) 5.0/5.1 has been officially as of December 31, 2022
]. Microsoft has pulled the installers from the official Download Center and disabled the application feed, meaning the tool can no longer fetch or install components like IIS, SQL Server Express, or PHP [ 📋 Status Report: Web Platform Installer 5.0 Current State: Retired / End of Life (EOL) Retirement Date: December 31, 2022 [ Functionality:
The tool itself may launch if you have a local copy, but the product feed is empty
, making it impossible to download new software through the interface [ Official Downloads: No longer hosted on Microsoft.com (the link now redirects or returns a 404) [ 🛠️ Modern Alternatives
Since WebPI is no longer viable, Microsoft recommends using modern package managers and built-in Windows features: Windows Features: Use the "Turn Windows features on or off" menu to install and its modules manually [ Windows Package Manager
(winget) is the official CLI tool for installing software like SQL Server or .NET [ Direct Downloads: Visit the official sites for specific components: .NET 5.0/8.0+ SQL Server Express IIS Modules (e.g., URL Rewrite, ARR) [ ⚠️ Risk Alert for Legacy Users While third-party sites like ] may still host the WebPlatformInstaller_amd64_en-US.msi file, using it is not recommended Broken Feed:
It will fail to connect to Microsoft servers to retrieve the list of apps [
Using EOL software and unverified third-party installers increases the risk of malware or system instability.
Which specific software were you trying to install via WebPI? I can provide the direct, official download links winget commands
for the current versions of those tools (like PHP, SQL Server, or IIS modules). web platform installer 5.0 64-bit download
Microsoft Web Platform Installer (WebPI) 5.0 and 5.1 have been officially retired and removed from the Microsoft Download Center
. While the 5.0 version is often sought, it was superceded by
, which was the final version before the service was discontinued on December 31, 2022 Current Status and Download Options
Because the service is retired, official Microsoft download links for the 5.0 installer are mostly broken. Microsoft Learn Version 5.1 (Recommended Alternative):
If you still need the tool, the 5.1 version is generally compatible with the same systems. You can attempt to find official remnants through the Microsoft IIS Site Direct Link (Legacy): Previously working links for the x64 version of 5.1 were hosted by Microsoft
, though these may redirect or fail since the server-side feeds were pulled. Third-Party Repositories: Some users turn to community-maintained sites like
for version 5.0, but use caution and verify file hashes for security. Why You Might Not Need It
Since the WebPI feed has been removed, the installer may open but show no products available
to install. Instead, you should manually download the components you were looking for: Microsoft Learn Web Platform Installer : The Official Microsoft IIS Site The Microsoft Web Platform Installer (WebPI) 5
The Microsoft Web Platform Installer (WebPI) 5.0 64-bit was officially retired on December 31, 2022, and the product feed was removed from servers shortly after. Because the feed is no longer active, the installer itself will no longer show available products or modules even if you manage to find a copy of the .msi file. Current Status and Alternatives
Microsoft recommends downloading specific web server modules directly rather than using the centralized installer.
Direct Module Downloads: Most tools previously found in WebPI, such as URL Rewrite or Application Request Routing (ARR), are available as standalone downloads on the Official Microsoft IIS Site.
Package Managers: For a similar automated experience, users often switch to community-driven solutions like Chocolatey or the Microsoft Package Manager (winget).
Legacy Offline Feeds: If you are maintaining a legacy system that requires WebPI specifically, you must set up a WebPI Offline Feed using locally stored copies of the installers. How to Manually Install IIS Components
Since the "Get New Web Platform Components" link in the IIS Manager Actions pane is now a legacy option that may not function correctly, follow these steps to add extensions:
Identify the specific module you need (e.g., Web Deploy 3.6).
Navigate to the IIS Downloads page or the Microsoft Download Center. Download the x64 MSI file directly.
Run the installer and restart IIS Manager for the changes to take effect. During the golden age of Windows Server 2008
During the golden age of Windows Server 2008 and 2012, deploying a web server was often a complex manual task involving multiple downloads, configuration tweaks, and dependency management. Microsoft aimed to solve this with the Web Platform Installer (Web PI).
For years, Web PI 5.0 was the go-to tool for developers and system administrators looking to set up the Microsoft Web Stack. While the tool has since reached its "End of Life," it remains a topic of interest for legacy system maintenance and historical context.
This article explores what Web Platform Installer 5.0 is, its key features, where to find the 64-bit download, and why it has been retired.
Microsoft Web Platform Installer (Web PI) was a free, lightweight tool that simplified the process of downloading and installing the components of the Microsoft Web Platform. This included the .NET Framework, Internet Information Services (IIS), SQL Server Express, Visual Web Developer, and popular open-source web applications like WordPress, Drupal, and DotNetNuke.
Version 5.0 was the final major release of the tool. It was specifically designed to interface with the Microsoft Web Gallery, allowing users to install community web applications with a single click.
The Microsoft Web Platform Installer (Web PI) was a free tool that simplified the installation of Microsoft’s web development stack. Instead of manually downloading and configuring IIS, SQL Server Express, .NET Framework, Visual Studio Express for Web, and third-party tools like WordPress or Drupal, Web PI provided a single graphical interface.
Key features of Web PI 5.0 included:
Version 5.0 was the last major release, and it came in both 32-bit and 64-bit editions. The 64-bit version was essential for developers running 64-bit versions of Windows Server or Windows desktop OSes, as it allowed IIS to run in 64-bit mode, accessing more memory and improving performance for large-scale applications.
The 64-bit version was particularly smart at scanning your system. If you already had SQL Server 2014 installed, it would skip the download and simply link the new application to the existing instance.