Ajax control toolkit contains rich set of controls which are used build highly responsive and interactive web applications. Ajax Control toolkit contains more than 40 controls to choose from which includes ColorPicker, AutoComplete, Calender, Accordion, Watermark, etc. Ajax Control Toolkit’s recently updated version came in September 2012. 

Now if you want to add Ajax Control toolkit to your asp.net project in Visual Studio 2012, you have two options.

1. Using NuGet Package Manager

This is very simple way to add AjaxControlToolkit to your asp.net project. Just right click on your project under Solution Explorer > Manage NuGet Packages > Online and then select AjaxControlToolkit and then install it.

2. Add Manually

First, you need to download it. Please go to http://ajaxcontroltoolkit.codeplex.com > Downloads > Click on Ajax Control Toolkit 4 > Download.

Then Extract the file. Right Click Zip file > Properties > Unblock > Extract files

The third step is add toolkit to Visual Studio. Right Click on your Toolbox Menus > Click on add tab > Name it as “AjaxControlToolkit” > Right Click on newly added tab > Choose Items > Browse > Select extracted AjaxControlToolkit.dll > Hit ok and there you go.

Select the way which suits you add AjaxControlToolkit to your toolbox and enjoy making a responsive, interactive web applications.