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CMake VSIX download is useful when the VS Code Marketplace is blocked, a development machine is offline, or I need to keep a known-working extension version. Instead of relying on the Install button, I can download the official Microsoft CMake Tools package on a connected computer and transfer it to the target machine. Here is the direct download, followed by the offline installation steps and the tools I still need separately.

1. Direct CMake Tools VSIX Download

The extension covered here is CMake Tools by Microsoft, with the identifier ms-vscode.cmake-tools. This is a VS Code extension, not the CMake application or a Visual Studio IDE extension.

Direct Microsoft Marketplace download: CMake Tools 1.24.42. The button starts with a verified stable release and checks for a newer stable universal package when this page loads. If the live lookup is blocked, the existing link remains available.

Need another version or a different extension? Open my VSIX Downloader – CMake Tools, then choose the release you need.

Download CMake VSIX Using VSIX Downloader

If I do not want to construct Marketplace download URLs manually, I can use VSIX Downloader. It provides a convenient way to find the CMake Tools package and choose a release before transferring the VSIX to an offline computer.

  1. Open the CMake Tools page on VSIX Downloader to search and download the extension.
  2. Choose a stable release compatible with the VS Code version on your offline machine and download its universal VSIX package.
  3. Transfer the downloaded file using an approved method and install it through VS Code’s Install from VSIX command or the CLI instructions below.

This is also useful when I need an older compatible version rather than the newest release. The downloader still needs internet access to look up and retrieve packages; it does not replace the separate CMake application, compiler, or project dependencies required on the offline machine.

2. Do I Need a Windows, macOS, or Linux VSIX?

For the stable CMake Tools package checked for this guide, Microsoft distributes a universal VSIX. The same extension package can be installed in compatible VS Code versions on Windows x64, Windows ARM64, macOS Intel, Apple Silicon, and Linux. There is no reason to invent separate platform-specific download URLs for a release that does not publish those assets.

The distinction matters: the extension package is universal, but the actual CMake executable, compiler, debugger, and build tools are platform-specific. I still need the right native tools for the machine that will compile the project. Downloading this VSIX does not turn a Windows compiler into a Linux compiler or install a complete C++ toolchain.

3. Find CMake Tools Manually on the Marketplace

Open the official CMake Tools Marketplace listing and confirm the publisher is Microsoft and the extension identifier is ms-vscode.cmake-tools. Check the version history if you need a previous release. Where available, use the Download VSIX action; if it is absent from the current interface, use the direct endpoint below or the VSIX Downloader linked above.

The download endpoint uses this structure. Replace VERSION with an actual published version, not the word latest:

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/_apis/public/gallery/publishers/ms-vscode/vsextensions/cmake-tools/VERSION/vspackage

For a repeatable download from a terminal, the following example saves the verified stable package used as this article’s fallback:

curl --fail --location \
  "https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/_apis/public/gallery/publishers/ms-vscode/vsextensions/cmake-tools/1.24.42/vspackage" \
  --output "ms-vscode.cmake-tools-1.24.42.vsix"

On Windows, use curl.exe if the curl command is a PowerShell alias. Keep the .vsix extension when saving the file. A downloaded HTML error page is not an extension package, even if it has been renamed to .vsix.

4. Install CMake Tools from VSIX Offline

Method A: Use the VS Code Interface

Copy the VSIX to the offline computer using an approved transfer method. Open VS Code, then open Extensions with Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows/Linux or Cmd+Shift+X on macOS. Select the three-dot menu and choose Install from VSIX…. Select the downloaded file and follow any prompts. The Command Palette also provides Extensions: Install from VSIX….

Method B: Use the Command Line

code --install-extension "./ms-vscode.cmake-tools-1.24.42.vsix"

Use the actual path to your downloaded file. If code is not recognized, make the VS Code command-line launcher available on PATH or use the graphical method. To check the installed extension and version, run:

code --list-extensions --show-versions

Look for ms-vscode.cmake-tools in the output. In a Remote SSH, WSL, or container workspace, also check that the extension and build tools are installed in the environment where the project actually runs, not only on the local desktop.

5. Offline Requirements: The VSIX Is Only One Piece

The first question I ask after installing the extension is simple: can this machine actually run CMake and a compiler? The extension connects VS Code to those tools; it does not replace them. Prepare the required installers, archives, and project dependencies before disconnecting the machine.

CMake: Download an appropriate installer or archive from the official CMake download page. Add the executable to PATH, or configure cmake.cmakePath in VS Code. For example, a Windows installation may use this setting:

{
  "cmake.cmakePath": "C:/Program Files/CMake/bin/cmake.exe"
}

A compiler and build system: Depending on the project, prepare MSVC Build Tools on Windows, GCC or Clang on Linux, or the appropriate Apple developer tools on macOS. If the project uses Ninja, install Ninja separately. For Visual Studio Build Tools, prepare an offline layout in advance rather than copying only the small web installer.

Additional VS Code extensions: The checked CMake Tools manifest has no declared extensionDependencies, but it does declare ms-vscode.cpp-devtools in extensionPack. An extension pack is not the same as a hard dependency. If I want the companion tooling or C/C++ IntelliSense and native debugging through ms-vscode.cpptools, I prepare those VSIX packages and their own requirements separately. I do not assume sideloading one package will fetch the whole development environment offline.

Project libraries: FetchContent, ExternalProject, package managers, and build scripts may attempt downloads during configuration or compilation. Bring the source archives, dependency caches, or approved internal mirrors that the project needs. A successfully installed extension does not guarantee a network-free build.

6. Check That the Offline Setup Works

First, verify that the command-line tools are available:

cmake --version
# Only if the project uses Ninja:
ninja --version

Open a folder containing CMakeLists.txt in VS Code. Run CMake: Configure from the Command Palette and choose a configure preset or kit as appropriate for the project. Then run CMake: Build. For a project that needs no extra preset or toolchain arguments, these terminal commands are also a useful starting point:

cmake -S . -B build
cmake --build build

Projects with custom presets, cross-compilation toolchains, or required cache variables need their documented configuration arguments. If configuration fails, inspect the CMake output before reinstalling the extension; the missing piece is often the compiler, generator, or a project dependency.

7. Common CMake VSIX Installation Problems

The extension is incompatible with this version of VS Code

Check the VS Code version required by the selected extension release. The stable fallback package checked for this guide declares VS Code ^1.88.0. A newer release may change that requirement. Upgrade VS Code using an approved installer, or choose an older compatible CMake Tools release.

CMake executable not found

Install CMake separately and check cmake –version in a new terminal. If it is not on PATH, set cmake.cmakePath to the executable. Restart VS Code after changing environment variables so that it inherits the updated PATH.

No compiler or build program is available

Install the required compiler and generator tools, then select the appropriate kit or preset. Ninja projects need Ninja; Visual Studio generators need the matching Visual Studio build tools. The VSIX alone cannot supply these tools.

The download fails or the VSIX looks corrupted

Download again from the Microsoft endpoint on an approved connected machine. Confirm that the response is an actual VSIX archive rather than a proxy login page. If corporate policy blocks Marketplace access or extension installation, use your organization’s approved distribution process instead of bypassing the restriction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CMake Tools the same as CMake?

No. CMake is the build-configuration application. CMake Tools is the VS Code integration that helps configure, build, test, and work with CMake projects. Install the application separately.

Do I need the older twxs.cmake extension as well?

Do not confuse it with Microsoft’s ms-vscode.cmake-tools. Current CMake Tools advertises built-in CMake language services. An additional syntax extension is not an automatic prerequisite for this guide; check your chosen release and workflow before adding one.

Will offline installation update the extension automatically?

VS Code documents that automatic updates are disabled by default for extensions installed through VSIX. For controlled offline updates, download and transfer a newer compatible VSIX, then install it through the same process.

Related Reading

For another offline extension setup, see my Python VSIX download and offline installation guide. For finding other packages and older releases, use the VSIX Downloader web app.

Conclusion

The reliable approach is to download the official CMake Tools universal VSIX, install it locally, and prepare CMake plus the project’s compiler and build dependencies separately. That separation keeps the setup predictable: one package adds the editor integration, while the native toolchain does the actual build work.

Official References

Microsoft CMake Tools Marketplace listing | CMake Tools source and documentation | VS Code: Install from a VSIX | CMake downloads

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