Convert VB6 to VB.NET

Overview

While working with a VB6 system, you may be thinking about switching to the more contemporary VB.NET. This change has several benefits. Convert VB6 to VB.NET to open a powerful programming platform and a more extensive set of capabilities. Designed in the.NET Framework, VB.NET offers pre-built security, networking, and database interface components.

This helps companies simplify development and enables them to produce scalable applications. Additionally, upgrade VB6 to VB.NET also helps you to use ideas of object-oriented programming.

VB6 to .NET Migration: Modern Approaches for Legacy Systems

For years, developers relied on the legacy Visual Studio 2008 Upgrade Wizard to convert VB6 to VB.NET. Microsoft no longer officially supports this capability. In 2025, the recommended way to perform VB6 to .NET conversion is to use Visual Studio 2008 together with the .NET Upgrade Assistant. Here is a detailed walk-through tutorial for utilizing the wizard:

1. Launch Visual Studio 2008. Open the software on your computer;
2. Initiate the Upgrade. To access the Upgrade Wizard, navigate to File >New > Project, expand “Visual Basic” and select “Upgrade from VB 6.0.” Or, open your VB6 project file with Visual Studio 2008;
3. Select VB6 Project. Under Upgrade Wizard, search and choose the VB6 project (.vbp) file you want to convert. To continue, click “Open”;
4. Conversion Options.  Select the desired.NET Framework version and choose the Upgrade Report Generation option. Generate a report highlighting potential issues during conversion;
5. Upgrade Process. The wizard will begin converting your project immediately. This can take some time based on the scope and complexity of the project;
6. Review and Refactoring. Analyze the upgrade report for potential issues. Compile and fix any syntax or compatibility issues, and consider refactoring the code.

Upgrading to a newer version of Visual Studio may need extra steps and rework. Consider complete rewrites or third-party tools like VB Migration Partner or ArtinSoft VBUC.

Modern migration tools convert 70–80% of VB6 code automatically, including forms, modules, and most logic. However, manual updates will still be needed for:

• COM interop
• ActiveX controls
• DAO/ADO database logic 
• UI redesign

When full rewrites are recommended

If your application has:

• heavy legacy UI
• embedded business logic in forms
• older database engines
• outdated custom DLLs

then a complete rewrite can ensure better maintainability and long-term ROI.

Example

Converting VB6 forms to modern WinForms or WPF in .NET 8+ often requires manual UI rebuilding. But business logic can largely be migrated.

Migration Tools to Convert VB6 to VB.NET

There are third-party tools available for converting your VB6 program to VB.NET. Even though the Visual Studio 2008 Upgrade Wizard might be a good place to start. For projects with different levels of complexity and financial limitations. A number of third-party solutions provide more complex functionality and assistance. They provide 95%+ code conversion accuracy, AI-supported analysis and automated fixes for common migration issues.

Here’s a deeper look at some well-liked choices.

VB Migration Partner

VB Migration Partner is recognized for great conversion accuracy. It has thorough support for a broad spectrum of VB6 capabilities like ActiveX controls, DAO data access, and custom APIs. It connects with your current development environment, Visual Studio. Therefore, enabling a step-by-step transfer procedure. Same as in upgrade .NET core 3.1 to 6. This staged method lets you go over and improve the converted code at every level, therefore guaranteeing a better transition.

1. Download the trial edition from the VB Migration Partner website. Installations are easy;
2. Open the tool, and go to the project choosing screen. Select your VB6 project file and indicate the target.NET version;
3. Use extra tools to better grasp the migration and solve any issues before writing the final code;
4. Generate the converted VB.NET code once satisfied with the analysis.

It links with your development environment. VB Migration Partner lets you easily migrate VB6 to VB.NET. To further testing and improvement within your familiar IDE.

ArtinSoft Visual Basic Upgrade Companion

Designed by Mobilize.NET, VBUC translates VB6 code using AI into either C# or VB.NET. Particularly for complicated projects with sophisticated logic, this AI-powered technique presents a special benefit for convert VB6 to VB.NET process. VBUC also supports the contemporary .NET Core platform. As well as the classic .NET Framework. Thereby allowing you options on the destination environment for your converted application.

1. Download and set VBUC from the Mobilize.NET website;
2. Launch the tool and go to the project import area. Choose your VB6 project file and indicate the intended .NET version along with the target language;
3. Start the conversion process once the setup finishes. 

Review the converted code straight inside VBUC. Or you can decide to export it for further work in your chosen development environment.

Visual Basic Upgrade Companion

Visual Basic Upgrade Companion helps to translate VB6 code into either C# or VB.NET, the same as VBUC. Offering interoperability with many development environments, it allows migration to both the NET. Framework and the.NET Core.

1. Go to the Great Migrations website and obtain a Visual Basic Upgrade Companion trial;
2. Launch the tool, and go to the part for project imports. Load your VB6 project file, then choose the destination language and .NET version;
3. Start the conversion process once the setup finishes.

The instrument offers choices for tuning the conversion process even to migrate ASP.NET Web Forms to ASP.NET Core. Go over these choices and change them depending on the particular needs of your project.

.NET Upgrade Assistant

.NET Upgrade Assistant is a free migration tool that can be a great VB6 migration partner. It was created by Microsoft. The company included it with Visual Basic 2022. It helps to:

• Assess project
• Automate .NET upgrade steps
• Guide for manual fixes
• Integrate with GitHub Copilot for code refactoring

GitHub Copilot

It is not a VB6 migration tool. But Copilot can help with:

• Rewiring functions
• Replacing old APIs
• Handling COM interop
• Rewriting DB logic
• Updating forms logic

Comparison Table

Choosing the Best .NET Migration Strategy for VB6 Code Conversion: Key Considerations

Automated converters accelerate migration. But some enterprise systems require manual rewrite. It provides quality assurance and customization. It facilitates the early identification and resolution of prospective issues. Thereby, it produces a high-quality final product that is consistent with the enterprises. This approach is ideal when the VB6 system:

• Is 15+ years old
• Relies on outdated UI
• Mixes business logic inside forms
• Uses deprecated database technology
• Has complex reporting engines
• Must meet strict compliance or scalability requirements

Manual VB6 migration ensures full modernization aligned with business goals.

How to Convert Code from VB6 Applications: Step-by-Step Migration Process

When considering the migration from VB6 to.NET, it facilitates:

1. Planning and analyzing a project. Identify scope, architecture and business needs. Calculate ROI for rewrite vs migration. A well-prepared VB6 to .NET migration strategy reduces cost and risk.
2. Keep track of backups and versions. Migrate the codebase into Git to track changes during modernization.
3. Cleaning up and refactoring code. Remove dead code, unused forms, outdated modules and old dependencies.
4. Technology stack selection;
5. Changes to languages and modern frameworks. Convert logic from classic VB6 into VB.NET or C# with proper error handling, async patterns and modern libraries.
6. Data migration. Transform legacy DAO/ADO logic into EF Core models and LINQ queries.
7. UI modernization. Replace VB6 Forms with Windows Forms, WPF, Blazor, or MAUI.
8. Improve performance. Introduce async/await, caching, parallelization, and modern data access strategies.
9. Security testing. Implement OAuth2, role-based access control, encryption and audit logs.
10. Deployment and integration. Use Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions for CI/CD pipelines, automated builds and cloud deployment.
11. Ongoing maintenance and support. Implement structured updates, dependency monitoring and continuous testing.

Manual rewriting allows early detection of business logic issues and ensures the new system is modular and extendable. This is something automated tools cannot fully guarantee.

Using the Right Tools for Testing, Deployment and Post-Migration Stability

Once the conversion is complete, thorough testing ensures that the new .NET application behaves exactly like the VB6 system. Modern testing frameworks available in .NET 8+ simplify this process.

Unit testing

Use xUnit or NUnit to test:

• business logic
• data transformations
• calculations
• validations

These tests ensure parity with VB6 functions.

Integration testing

Validate interactions between modules, databases, and APIs. For database testing, EF Core’s in-memory or containerized SQL Server instances help create isolated environments.

UI testing

Tools like Playwright help verify form controls, window behavior and user interactions.

Load and performance testing

Use tools like k6 to ensure the .NET apps handle real-world traffic.

Deployment

For deployment, Azure is the most common choice:

• Azure App Service for web
• VMs or containers for desktop apps
• Azure SQL for databases

Implement CI/CD via Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions to automatically build, test and release new versions.

Conclusion

VB6 to VB.NET migration requires a mix of automated tools and targeted manual rewriting. With Visual Studio 2022, .NET Upgrade Assistant, and modern third-party converters, you can automate 70–95% of the process. The remaining effort ensures quality, modernization and alignment with long-term business strategy.

Upgrading now unlocks the power of .NET 8, cloud services, AI/ML integration and modern UI frameworks. Ensure your .NET apps remain competitive for the next decade.

We can help too. Softacom provides complete services to help companies with VB6 to .NET migration. Thereby offering great knowledge in this field. A team of skilled professionals can help you at every stage of the conversion.