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Use this guide when you deploy Grunt in a managed environment.
Starting with the 2026.2 release, Grunt will begin shipping as a self-contained .NET 9 COM add-in that no longer requires the VSTO Runtime or .NET Framework on the target machine. The 2026.3 release will be .NET 9 only. See Upgrading from .NET Framework for migration details.

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Installation models

Grunt supports two main Windows deployment models:
  • Per-user installation in the user’s local profile
  • Per-machine installation in Program Files
The default per-user install is the standard choice for most users and organizations. It does not usually require admin rights and enables auto-updates by default.
  • Windows 10 or Windows 11
  • PowerPoint 2016 or later (Microsoft 365 recommended)
  • The default x64 installer for most environments, or arm64 for Windows on ARM devices

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Default per-user installation

The standard installer from app.grunt.pro/download installs Grunt to: 
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Grunt\
This mode:
  • Writes user-level registry entries under HKEY_CURRENT_USER
  • Does not normally require elevated privileges
  • Registers the Grunt COM add-in with PowerPoint
  • Enables automatic updates by default unless your organization disables them centrally

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Command-line installation

Use per-machine installation when your environment blocks per-user installs or when IT wants to control updates through deployment tooling. Grunt installs per machine to: 
C:\Program Files\Grunt
Example command: 
msiexec /i grunt-<version>-x64.msi MSIINSTALLPERUSER=0 /qn
This mode:
  • Requires admin rights
  • Writes machine-level registry entries under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
  • Disables Grunt auto-updates by design
  • Fits SCCM, Intune, and similar software deployment systems

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Managed deployment tools

You can deploy Grunt with common software distribution platforms such as Intune, SCCM, or similar tooling. These rollouts normally use the per-machine model above.

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Prerequisites

Grunt is self-contained and bundles its own .NET runtime. There are no external runtime prerequisites to install on the target machine. Previous versions required the VSTO Runtime and .NET Framework 4.7.2. These are no longer needed for the current release.

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Common blockers

If deployment fails during install or first launch:
  • Check whether Office add-ins are blocked by policy.
  • Check whether endpoint protection is blocking Grunt binaries. The primary binary to allowlist is Grunt.PowerPoint.ComAddinNE.dll in the Grunt install directory.
  • If Windows reports a certificate trust issue, install the signer certificate into Trusted Publishers or incorporate that trust step into your deployment process.

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Validate deployment

After rollout:
  1. Open PowerPoint on a test machine.
  2. Confirm the Grunt tab appears.
  3. Confirm users can open Grunt > Settings > License.
  4. Confirm the expected update behavior matches the install model you selected.