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This document describes how to attach the Visual Studio remote debugger to
processes on a Compute Engine Virtual Machine running Windows.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure your virtual machine meets the following prerequisites:
Running the Windows operating system
Has a public IP address
Has Remote PowerShell installed and enabled
If you don't want to enable Remote PowerShell connection, or if it's not
installed on the VM, you can find steps to install the Visual Studio
Debugger Remote Tools manually by searching for MSDN Visual Studio
Remote Debugging.
You can also add firewall rules
to unblock the Debugger Remote Tool port.
Select Tools > Google Cloud Tools > Show Google Cloud Explorer to
launch the Cloud Explorer.
Right click the Compute Engine VM instance you want to attach the
remote debugger to and select Attach debugger.
The attach debugger wizard displays.
Click OK when prompted to add firewall rules to allow traffic to the
required ports.
The Learn more link in the dialog takes you to the
Opening firewall ports section for more
information.
Select the process to debug and click OK.
Note the following:
The first time you connect to a remote VM instance, the wizard installs Visual
Studio Debugger Remote Tools for you. This installation can take some time if
the VM is in a different region.
The debugger tools are installed in Program Files\VisualStudioRemoteTools on
the target machine.
You must load symbols manually if you optimize your release build:
As you are debugging your application, select Debug > Windows >
Modules.
Locate your debuggee assembly.
Right click the appropriate entry and select Load Symbols.
Opening firewall ports
To enable remote debugging, you need to add firewall rules to allow traffic to
the target machine and enable connection to the Debugging Remote Tools. For
Visual Studio 2017, the port is 4022.
Cloud Tools for Visual Studio can install and start remote tools for you using a
remote PowerShell connection. You first must enable remote PowerShell HTTPs port
5986.
When you are finished debugging, remove the firewall rules:
Select Tools > Google Cloud Tools > Show Google Cloud Explorer to
launch the Cloud Explorer.
Right click the Compute Engine VM instance and select
Firewall Options....
Clear the checkboxes for the Allow Visual Studio Debugger connections to
the instance and the Allow Remote PowerShell HTTPs traffic to the
instance firewall rules.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-09-03 UTC."],[],[],null,["# Attaching the remote debugger\n\n| **Beta**\n|\n|\n| This feature is subject to the \"Pre-GA Offerings Terms\" in the General Service Terms section\n| of the [Service Specific Terms](/terms/service-terms#1).\n|\n| Pre-GA features are available \"as is\" and might have limited support.\n|\n| For more information, see the\n| [launch stage descriptions](/products#product-launch-stages).\n\nThis document describes how to attach the Visual Studio remote debugger to\nprocesses on a Compute Engine Virtual Machine running Windows.\n\nPrerequisites\n-------------\n\nBefore you begin, ensure your virtual machine meets the following prerequisites:\n\n- Running the Windows operating system\n\n- Has a public IP address\n\n- Has Remote PowerShell installed and enabled\n\n - If you don't want to enable Remote PowerShell connection, or if it's not\n installed on the VM, you can find steps to install the Visual Studio\n Debugger Remote Tools manually by searching for **MSDN Visual Studio\n Remote Debugging**.\n\n - You can also [add firewall rules](/compute/docs/vpc/using-firewalls)\n to unblock the Debugger Remote Tool port.\n\nYou can [deploy an ASP.NET framework image](https://console.cloud.google.com/marketplace/details/click-to-deploy-images/aspnet?_ga=1.196962543.236660576.1482928062)\nthat meets all of these prerequisites.\n\nAttaching the remote debugger\n-----------------------------\n\nTo attach the remote debugger:\n\n1. Select **Tools** \\\u003e **Google Cloud Tools** \\\u003e **Show Google Cloud Explorer** to\n launch the **Cloud Explorer**.\n\n2. Right click the Compute Engine VM instance you want to attach the\n remote debugger to and select **Attach debugger**.\n\n The attach debugger wizard displays.\n3. Click **OK** when prompted to add firewall rules to allow traffic to the\n required ports.\n\n 1. The **Learn more** link in the dialog takes you to the [Opening firewall ports](#open_firewall_port) section for more information.\n4. Select the process to debug and click **OK**.\n\nNote the following:\n\n- The first time you connect to a remote VM instance, the wizard installs Visual\n Studio Debugger Remote Tools for you. This installation can take some time if\n the VM is in a different region.\n\n- The debugger tools are installed in `Program Files\\VisualStudioRemoteTools` on\n the target machine.\n\n- You must load symbols manually if you optimize your release build:\n\n 1. As you are debugging your application, select **Debug** \\\u003e **Windows** \\\u003e\n **Modules**.\n\n 2. Locate your debuggee assembly.\n\n 3. Right click the appropriate entry and select **Load Symbols**.\n\n### Opening firewall ports\n\nTo enable remote debugging, you need to add firewall rules to allow traffic to\nthe target machine and enable connection to the Debugging Remote Tools. For\nVisual Studio 2017, the port is **4022**.\n\nCloud Tools for Visual Studio can install and start remote tools for you using a\nremote PowerShell connection. You first must enable remote PowerShell HTTPs port\n**5986**.\n\nWhen you are finished debugging, remove the firewall rules:\n\n1. Select **Tools** \\\u003e **Google Cloud Tools** \\\u003e **Show Google Cloud Explorer** to\n launch the **Cloud Explorer**.\n\n2. Right click the Compute Engine VM instance and select\n **Firewall Options...**.\n\n3. Clear the checkboxes for the **Allow Visual Studio Debugger connections to\n the instance** and the **Allow Remote PowerShell HTTPs traffic to the\n instance** firewall rules.\n\n4. Click **Save** to remove the firewall rules."]]
