Is there an easy way to check the .NET Framework version?

Something like this should do it. Just grab the value from the registry

For .NET 1-4:

Framework is the highest installed version, SP is the service pack for that version.

RegistryKey installed_versions = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(@"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP");
string[] version_names = installed_versions.GetSubKeyNames();
//version names start with 'v', eg, 'v3.5' which needs to be trimmed off before conversion
double Framework = Convert.ToDouble(version_names[version_names.Length - 1].Remove(0, 1), CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
int SP = Convert.ToInt32(installed_versions.OpenSubKey(version_names[version_names.Length - 1]).GetValue("SP", 0));

For .NET 4.5+ (from official documentation):

using System;
using Microsoft.Win32;


...


private static void Get45or451FromRegistry()
{
    using (RegistryKey ndpKey = RegistryKey.OpenBaseKey(RegistryHive.LocalMachine, RegistryView.Registry32).OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\NET Framework Setup\\NDP\\v4\\Full\\")) {
        int releaseKey = Convert.ToInt32(ndpKey.GetValue("Release"));
        if (true) {
            Console.WriteLine("Version: " + CheckFor45DotVersion(releaseKey));
        }
    }
}


...


// Checking the version using >= will enable forward compatibility,  
// however you should always compile your code on newer versions of 
// the framework to ensure your app works the same. 
private static string CheckFor45DotVersion(int releaseKey)
{
    if (releaseKey >= 528040) {
        return "4.8 or later";
    }
    if (releaseKey >= 461808) {
        return "4.7.2 or later";
    }
    if (releaseKey >= 461308) {
        return "4.7.1 or later";
    }
    if (releaseKey >= 460798) {
        return "4.7 or later";
    }
    if (releaseKey >= 394802) {
        return "4.6.2 or later";
    }
    if (releaseKey >= 394254) {
        return "4.6.1 or later";
    }
    if (releaseKey >= 393295) {
        return "4.6 or later";
    }
    if (releaseKey >= 393273) {
        return "4.6 RC or later";
    }
    if ((releaseKey >= 379893)) {
        return "4.5.2 or later";
    }
    if ((releaseKey >= 378675)) {
        return "4.5.1 or later";
    }
    if ((releaseKey >= 378389)) {
        return "4.5 or later";
    }
    // This line should never execute. A non-null release key should mean 
    // that 4.5 or later is installed. 
    return "No 4.5 or later version detected";
}

Not sure why nobody suggested following the official advice from Microsoft right here.

This is the code they recommend. Sure it's ugly, but it works.

For .NET 1-4

private static void GetVersionFromRegistry()
{
     // Opens the registry key for the .NET Framework entry. 
        using (RegistryKey ndpKey = 
            RegistryKey.OpenRemoteBaseKey(RegistryHive.LocalMachine, "").
            OpenSubKey(@"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\"))
        {
            // As an alternative, if you know the computers you will query are running .NET Framework 4.5  
            // or later, you can use: 
            // using (RegistryKey ndpKey = RegistryKey.OpenBaseKey(RegistryHive.LocalMachine,  
            // RegistryView.Registry32).OpenSubKey(@"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\"))
        foreach (string versionKeyName in ndpKey.GetSubKeyNames())
        {
            if (versionKeyName.StartsWith("v"))
            {

                RegistryKey versionKey = ndpKey.OpenSubKey(versionKeyName);
                string name = (string)versionKey.GetValue("Version", "");
                string sp = versionKey.GetValue("SP", "").ToString();
                string install = versionKey.GetValue("Install", "").ToString();
                if (install == "") //no install info, must be later.
                    Console.WriteLine(versionKeyName + "  " + name);
                else
                {
                    if (sp != "" && install == "1")
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine(versionKeyName + "  " + name + "  SP" + sp);
                    }

                }
                if (name != "")
                {
                    continue;
                }
                foreach (string subKeyName in versionKey.GetSubKeyNames())
                {
                    RegistryKey subKey = versionKey.OpenSubKey(subKeyName);
                    name = (string)subKey.GetValue("Version", "");
                    if (name != "")
                        sp = subKey.GetValue("SP", "").ToString();
                    install = subKey.GetValue("Install", "").ToString();
                    if (install == "") //no install info, must be later.
                        Console.WriteLine(versionKeyName + "  " + name);
                    else
                    {
                        if (sp != "" && install == "1")
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine("  " + subKeyName + "  " + name + "  SP" + sp);
                        }
                        else if (install == "1")
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine("  " + subKeyName + "  " + name);
                        }

                    }

                }

            }
        }
    }

}

For .NET 4.5 and later

// Checking the version using >= will enable forward compatibility, 
// however you should always compile your code on newer versions of
// the framework to ensure your app works the same.
private static string CheckFor45DotVersion(int releaseKey)
{
   if (releaseKey >= 393295) {
      return "4.6 or later";
   }
   if ((releaseKey >= 379893)) {
        return "4.5.2 or later";
    }
    if ((releaseKey >= 378675)) {
        return "4.5.1 or later";
    }
    if ((releaseKey >= 378389)) {
        return "4.5 or later";
    }
    // This line should never execute. A non-null release key should mean
    // that 4.5 or later is installed.
    return "No 4.5 or later version detected";
}

private static void Get45or451FromRegistry()
{
    using (RegistryKey ndpKey = RegistryKey.OpenBaseKey(RegistryHive.LocalMachine, RegistryView.Registry32).OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\NET Framework Setup\\NDP\\v4\\Full\\")) {
        if (ndpKey != null && ndpKey.GetValue("Release") != null) {
            Console.WriteLine("Version: " + CheckFor45DotVersion((int) ndpKey.GetValue("Release")));
        }
      else {
         Console.WriteLine("Version 4.5 or later is not detected.");
      } 
    }
}