Comparison of Microsoft Windows versions


Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of computer software operating systems created by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces.
All versions of Microsoft Windows are commercial proprietary software.

General information

Basic general information about Windows.

Windows Embedded Compact

Windows Embedded Compact is a discontinued variation of Microsoft's Windows operating system for minimalistic computers and embedded systems. Windows CE was a distinctly different kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows. It is supported on Intel x86 and is compatible on MIPS, ARM, and Hitachi SuperH processors.
NameRelease dateRTM buildCurrent versionSupport statusCodenameBased on Kernel typeOperating environmentsEditionsPurposeShort description
Windows CE 1.01996-11-16UnsupportedPegasus, AlderCE 1.0EmbeddedFirst release of Microsoft's Windows CE line for minimalistic computers and embedded systems
Windows CE 2.01997-11-29UnsupportedMercury, ApolloCE 2.02.1, 2.11Embedded
Windows CE 3.02000-06-15Unsupported
Cedar, Galileo, Rapier, Merlin, StingerCE 3.0Embedded kernelEmbedded
Windows CE 4.02002-01-07UnsupportedTaliskerCE 4.04.1, 4.2Embedded
Windows CE 5.02004-07-095.0
Unsupported
MacallanCE 5.0Embedded kernelEmbedded
Windows Embedded CE 6.02006-11-01Unsupported
YamazakiCE 6.0Hybrid kernel
Windows Embedded Compact 72011-03-01Unsupported
ChelanCE 7.0Hybrid
Standard, POSReady		-
Windows Embedded Compact 20132013-08-11Update 17
Unsupported
CE 8.0Standard
Industry
Handheld		Embedded

Windows IoT

The Windows IoT family is the successor to the now-discontinued Windows Embedded family.

Windows Mobile

Windows Mobile is Microsoft's discontinued line of operating systems for smartphones.
NameRelease dateRTM buildCurrent versionSupport statusCodenameBased on Supported architectures
Windows Pocket PC 20002000-04-19Unsupported
RapierCE 3.0
Windows Pocket PC 20022001-10-04Unsupported
MerlinCE 3.0
Windows Mobile 20032003-06-23Unsupported
OzoneCE 4.20
Windows Mobile 5.02005-05-9/12Unsupported
MagnetoCE 5.0
Windows Mobile 6.02007-02-12Unsupported
CrossbowCE 5.2
Windows Mobile 6.12008-04-01Unsupported
Windows Mobile 6.52009-05-11Unsupported

Windows Phone

Windows Phone is Microsoft's discontinued line of operating systems for smartphones.
NameRelease dateRTM buildCurrent versionSupport statusCodenameBased on Supported architectures
Windows Phone 72010-11-0870047.10.8862UnsupportedPhotonCE 6.0ARM
Windows Phone 7.52011-09-2777207.10.8862UnsupportedMangoCE 6.1ARM
Windows Phone 7.82013-02-0188587.10.8862Unsupported
TangoCE 6.1ARM
Windows Phone 82012-10-291021110.0.10586Unsupported
Apollo, PorticoNT 6.2ARM
Windows Phone 8.12014-04-141235910.0.10586Unsupported
BlueNT 6.3ARM
Windows 10 Mobile2015-11-0810586–1629910.0.10586UnsupportedThreshold, RedstoneNT 10.0ARM

Technical information

DOS shells

NameArchitectureIntegrated firewallSMP supportUSB supportUDMA supportLFN supportUpdate managementAPIsSafe Mode
Windows 1.0x86 16-bitWin16
Windows 2.0x86 16-bitWin16
Windows 2.1xx86 16-bitWin16
Windows 3.0x86 16-bitWin16
Windows 3.1xx86 16-bit Win16, Win32s

Windows 9x

It is possible to install the MS-DOS variants 7.0 and 7.1 without the graphics user interface of Windows. If an independent installation of both, DOS and Windows is desired, DOS ought to be installed prior to Windows, at the start of a small partition. The system must be transferred by the "SYSTEM" DOS-command, while the other files constituting DOS can simply be copied. Such a stand-alone installation of MS-DOS 8 is not possible, as it is designed to work as real mode for Windows Me and nothing else.

Windows NT

The Windows NT kernel powers all recent Windows operating systems. It has run on IA-32, x64, DEC Alpha, MIPS architecture, PowerPC, Itanium, ARMv7, and ARM64 processors, but currently supported versions run on IA-32, x64, ARMv7, and ARM64.
NameArchitectureStoreSMP supportUSB supportLong filename supportPackage managementUpdate managementAPIsDDIsData Execution PreventionDirectX
Windows NT 3.1IA-32, DEC Alpha, MIPS Win32, OS/2, POSIXDLL, KMD
Windows NT 3.5IA-32, DEC Alpha, MIPS Win32, OS/2, POSIXDLL, KMD
Windows NT 3.51IA-32, DEC Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC Win32, OS/2, POSIXDLL, KMD
Windows NT 4.0IA-32, DEC Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC Windows Update Win32, OS/2, POSIXDLL, KMD
3.0a,
5.0
Windows 2000IA-32 Windows Update, WSUSWin32, OS/2, POSIXDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF
7.0,
9.0c
Windows XPIA-32, Itanium, x64 Windows Update, WSUSWin32, .NETDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
9.0c
Windows Server 2003IA-32, Itanium, x64 Windows Update, WSUSWin32DLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
9.0c
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCsIA-32Windows Update, WSUSWin32DLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
9.0c
Windows VistaIA-32, x64Windows Marketplace Windows Update, WSUSWin32, .NET, POSIX DLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
10.1
11.0
Windows Server 2008IA-32, Itanium, x64 Windows Update, WSUSWin32DLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
10.1
11.0
Windows Home ServerIA-32 Windows UpdateWin32DLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
9.0c
Windows 7IA-32, x64 Windows Update, WSUSWin32, .NETDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
11.0
11.1
Windows Server 2008 R2Itanium, x64 Windows Update, WSUSWin32, .NETDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
11.0
11.1
Windows Home Server 2011x64 Windows UpdateWin32DLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
11.0
11.1
Windows Server 2012x64Windows Store Windows StoreWindows Update, WSUSWin32, .NET, WinRTDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
11.1
Windows 8IA-32, x64Windows Store Windows StoreWindows Update, WSUSWin32, .NET, WinRTDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1
11.1
Windows 8.1IA-32, x64Windows Store Windows Store, PowerShellWindows Update, WSUS, Windows StoreWin32, .NET, WinRTDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1, UMDFv2
11.2
Windows Server 2012 R2x64Windows Store Windows StoreWindows Update, WSUS, Windows StoreWin32, .NET, WinRTDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1, UMDFv2
11.2
Windows 10IA-32, x64Windows Store Windows Store, PowerShellWindows Update, WSUS, Windows StoreWin32, .NET, WinRT, LinuxDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1, UMDFv2
12
Windows Server 2016x64Windows Store Windows StoreWindows Update, WSUS, Windows StoreWin32, .NET, WinRTDLL, KMD, WDM, KMDF, UMDFv1, UMDFv2
12

Supported file systems

Various versions of Windows support various file systems, including:FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, HPFS, or NTFS, along with network file systems shared from other computers, and the ISO 9660 and UDF file systems used for CDs, DVDs, and other optical disc drives such as Blu-ray. Each file system is usually limited in application to certain media, for example CDs must use ISO 9660 or UDF, and as of Windows Vista, NTFS is the only file system which the operating system can be installed on. Windows Embedded CE 6.0, Windows Vista Service Pack 1, and Windows Server 2008 onwards support exFAT, a file system more suitable for USB flash drives.

Hardware requirements

Installing Windows requires an internal or external optical drive, or a USB flash drive. A keyboard and mouse are the recommended input devices, though some versions support a touchscreen. For operating systems prior to Vista, an optical drive must be capable of reading CD media, while in Windows Vista onwards, such a drive must be DVD-compatible. The drive may be detached after installing Windows.

Physical memory limits

Maximum limits on physical memory that Windows can address vary depending on both the Windows version and between IA-32 and x64 versions.

Timeline

Other lists

Windows clones and emulators