ClickOnce does not have prerequisite for asp.net runtime 8.03. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/74142462/clickonce-prerequisite-for-asp-net-core-runtime-6-0-10-x64 Add the prerequisite for VS: - create a directory structure - Asp.Net_runtime_8.0.3_x64\product.xml - Asp.Net_runtime_8.0.3_x64\NetCoreCheck.exe - find it at at (VS install directory)\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\BootstrapperPackages\net8coreruntime_x64 - "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\BootstrapperPackages\net8coreruntime_x64" - Asp.Net_runtime_8.0.2_x64\en\package.xml - copy the files into c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\ClickOnce Bootstrapper\Packages - you need admin rights - now the new dependency should appear in VS - you do not have to restart VS, just press in "project / publish" and the "more actions / edit" - if there is a new version - create a new directory structure - modify the version numbers in package.xml - find the new NetCoreCheck.exe - c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\BootstrapperPackages\net8desktopruntime_x86 - modify the version numbers in product.xml - update HomeSite in product.xml - New link for HomeSite: "https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download" / "All .Net 8.0 versions" / "ASP.NET Core Runtime 8.0.3, Windows x64 installer" / "Direct link, Copy" - update the github repo