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Windows 10 is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. Devices in enterprise environments can receive these updates at a slower pace. Autodesk. Inventor Professional 2011. 5 Crack for Inventor Professional Autocad 2017 Crack. With Serial Key {Autocad 2017 Activation Code}. From the. Aug 02, · iExplorer Crack Plus Activation Code % Free Download [Win/Mac] Autodesk revit 2015 ur4 free · Autodesk inventor 2017 tips and tricks free.

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Note: Autodesk no longer supports offline activation for 2021 products and later. If you have a perpetual license, you can activate your software by going online only once. After you activate online, you can continue to use 2021 software and later offline. This change doesn't apply to subscription network licenses or previous versions that you already activated offline. You can continue to use them as before.

Request codes are necessary only if you have perpetual license software and need an activation code to manually activate software on a computer with no Internet access. Generating a request code is the first step in the process of manually activating your Autodesk software.

Note: Request codes and manual activation are required only for perpetual license software. You need a valid serial number and product key to generate a request code for your perpetual license software. You don't need a request code for subscription software or to access your software online using a serial number and product key.

To generate a request code with the product activation wizard

You see the screens for generating a request code in the product activation wizard only if your computer isn't connected to the Internet. If your computer has an active Internet connection, the software will assume you want to activate online, and it won't display the screens for a request code.

Disable your Internet connection and start your software.

This is an offline process. The following screens appear only if your computer isn't connected to the Internet.
Click Activate on the Free Trial screen.

Note: Autodesk software products operate on a free trial license until you activate them. If you purchased your software and didn't use it as a free trial, you still need to activate your software from the Free Trial screen. Your screen may look different depending on your product, but the process should be similar for all supported products.
Enter your serial number and product key and click Next.
Select "Request an activation code using an offline method" and click Next.

Note: You see this screen and option only if your computer has no active Internet connection. If your computer is connected to the Internet, the software will assume you want to activate automatically over the Internet, and you don't see the screen for generating a request code.
For future reference, keep a record of the activation information provided.
Activate in one of the following ways:
- Enter the information at register.autodesk.com to get an activation code instantly.
- Complete the web request form using the link on the screen. (This request may take up to 48 hours.)
Click Close to exit the wizard and resume using your software in trial mode.

Finding stored registration information

Most products generate an HTML file with your request code and registration information when you install your Autodesk product using a valid serial number and product key.

Note: The registration file described below may not be available for all products and platforms. If you can't find a previously generated request code, generate a new one following the previous instructions.

To find a request code saved on your computer

Search for USRegInfo.html on your computer.

Note: The file's location and name vary according to your product and operating system. Here are examples of typical locations for the registration information:
- For Windows:
  C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Adlm\ ProductNameVersion_USRegInfo.html
- For macOS:
  /Library/Application Support/Autodesk/Adlm/ProductNameVersion_USRegInfo.html
Open the file with your product name and version in the file name.

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Disk Space: lnstallation 4.0 GB Pointing Device: MS-Mouse compliant device Media (DVD): Download and installation from DVD Browser: Windows Internet Explorer 9.0 (or later).NET Framework:.NET Framework Version 4.5 Additional Requirements for Large Datasets: 64-bit Operating Systems are recommended if you are working with Large Datasets, Point Clouds and 3D Modeling.

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Windows 10

2015 Microsoft computer operating system

This article is about the operating system for personal computers. For the related (now discontinued) operating system for mobile devices, see Windows 10 Mobile.

Not to be confused with Windows 1.0.

Written in

Screenshot of Windows 10 version 21H2, showing the Start menu and Action Center in light theme
Developer	Microsoft
OS family	Microsoft Windows
Source model
Released to manufacturing	July 15, 2015; 7 years ago (2015-07-15)
General availability	July 29, 2015; 7 years ago (2015-07-29)
Latest release	21H2 (10.0.19044.2075) (September 20, 2022; 16 days ago (2022-09-20)^[5]) [±]
Latest preview	22H2 (10.0.19045.2075) (September 20, 2022; 16 days ago (2022-09-20)^[6]^[7]) [±]
Marketing target	Personal computing
Available in	110 languages^[8]^[9] (Specific language packs included on the device depend on the mobile operator (for cellular connected devices) or device manufacturer. Additional language packs are available for download on the Microsoft Store, pursuant to manufacturer and carrier support.)
List of languages
Update method
Platforms	IA-32, x86-64, ARMv7,^[10]^[11]ARMv8^[12]^[13]^[14]
Kernel type	Hybrid (Windows NT kernel)
Userland	Native API Windows API .NET Framework Universal Windows Platform Windows Subsystem for Linux NTVDM (IA-32 only)
Default user interface	Windows shell (graphical)
License	Trialware,^[15]Microsoft Software Assurance, MSDN subscription, Microsoft Imagine
Preceded by	Windows 8.1 (2013) Windows 8 (2012)
Succeeded by	Windows 11 (2021)
Official website	Windows 10 (archived at Wayback Machine)
Mainstream support for all editions except "LTSB/LTSC" variants ended on October 13, 2020 and extended support continues until October 14, 2025, as long as they install the latest feature upgrades.^[16]^[17] All LTSB/LTSC IoT variants, and all LTSB/LTSC variants 2019 and older, are supported for 10 years after their release date. 2021 and later LTSC (non-IoT) variants supported for 5 years after their release date. See § Support lifecycle for details.

Windows 10 is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NToperating system. It is the direct successor to Windows 8.1, which was released nearly two years earlier. It was released to manufacturing on July 15, 2015, and later to retail on July 29, 2015.^[18] Windows 10 was made available for download via MSDN and TechNet, as a free upgrade for retail copies of Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users via the Windows Store, and to Windows 7 users via Windows Update. Windows 10 receives new builds on an ongoing basis, which are available at no additional cost to users, in addition to additional test builds of Windows 10, which are available to Windows Insiders. Devices in enterprise environments can receive these updates at a slower pace, or use long-term support milestones that only receive critical updates, such as security patches, over their ten-year lifespan of extended support.^[19]^[20] Microsoft has stated that extended support for Windows 10 editions which are not in the Long-Term Servicing Channel will end on October 14, 2025.^[16]

Windows 10 received generally positive reviews upon its original release. Critics praised Microsoft's decision to provide the desktop-oriented interface in line with previous versions of Windows, contrasting the tablet-oriented approach of Windows 8, although Windows 10's touch-oriented user interface mode was criticized for containing regressions upon the touch-oriented interface of its predecessor. Critics also praised the improvements to Windows 10's bundled software over Windows 8.1, Xbox Live integration, as well as the functionality and capabilities of the Cortana personal assistant and the replacement of Internet Explorer with Microsoft Edge. However, media outlets have been critical of the changes to operating system behaviors, including mandatory update installation, privacy concerns over data collection performed by the OS for Microsoft and its partners, and adware-like tactics used to promote the operating system on its release.^[21]

Microsoft initially aimed to have Windows 10 installed on over one billion devices within three years of its release;^[19] that goal was ultimately reached almost five years after release on March 16, 2020,^[22] and is by now most used version in virtually all countries. By January 2018, Windows 10 surpassed Windows 7 as the most popular version of Windows worldwide.^[23] As of August 2022^[update], Windows 10 is estimated to have a 72% share of Windows PCs,^[23] still 6.2× the share of its successor Windows 11 (and 6.0× of Windows 7). The share has been declining from a January 2022 peak of 82%,^[24] since Windows 11, which is now the second most popular Windows version in many countries. Windows 10 has a 58% share of all PCs (the rest being other Windows editions and other operating systems such as macOS and Linux), and a 22% share of all devices (including mobile, tablet and console)^[25] are running Windows 10. On June 24, 2021, Microsoft announced Windows 10's successor, Windows 11, which was released on October 5, 2021.^[26]

Windows 10 is the final version of Windows which supports 32-bit processors (IA-32 and ARMv7-based) and devices with BIOS firmware. Its successor, Windows 11, requires a device that uses UEFI firmware and a 64-bit processor in any supported architecture (x86-64 for x86 and ARMv8 for ARM).^[27]

Development[edit]

At the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in 2011, Andrew Lees, the chief of Microsoft's mobile technologies, said that the company intended to have a single software ecosystem for PCs, phones, tablets, and other devices: "We won't have an ecosystem for PCs, and one for phones, and one for tablets‍—‌they'll all come together."^[28]^[29]

In December 2013, technology writer Mary Jo Foley reported that Microsoft was working on an update to Windows 8 codenamed "Threshold", after a planet in its Halo franchise.^[30] Similarly to "Blue" (which became Windows 8.1),^[31] Foley described Threshold, not as a single operating system, but as a "wave of operating systems" across multiple Microsoft platforms and services, quoting Microsoft sources, scheduled for the second quarter of 2015. She also stated that one of the goals for Threshold was to create a unified application platform and development toolkit for Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox One (which all use a similar kernel based on Windows NT).^[30]^[32]

At the Build Conference in April 2014, Microsoft's Terry Myerson unveiled an updated version of Windows 8.1 (build 9697) that added the ability to run Windows Store apps inside desktop windows and a more traditional Start menu in place of the Start screen seen in Windows 8. The new Start menu takes after Windows 7's design by using only a portion of the screen and including a Windows 7-style application listing in the first column. The second column displays Windows 8-style app tiles. Myerson said that these changes would occur in a future update, but did not elaborate.^[33]^[34] Microsoft also unveiled the concept of a "universal Windows app", allowing Windows Store apps created for Windows 8.1 to be ported to Windows Phone 8.1 and Xbox One while sharing a common codebase, with an interface designed for different device form factors, and allowing user data and licenses for an app to be shared between multiple platforms. Windows Phone 8.1 would share nearly 90% of the common Windows Runtime APIs with Windows 8.1 on PCs.^[33]^[35]^[36]^[37]

Screenshots of a Windows build purported to be Threshold were leaked in July 2014, showing the previously presented Start menu and windowed Windows Store apps,^[32] followed by a further screenshot of a build identifying itself as "Windows Technical Preview", numbered 9834, in September 2014, showing a new virtual desktop system, a notification center, and a new File Explorer icon.^[38]

Announcement[edit]

"Windows 9" redirects here. For the Windows versions produced from 1995 to 2000, see Windows 9x. For the Windows version following Windows 8, see Windows 8.1.

On September 30, 2014, Microsoft officially announced that Threshold would be unveiled during a media event as Windows 10. Myerson said that Windows 10 would be Microsoft's "most comprehensive platform ever", providing a single, unified platform for desktop and laptop computers, tablets, smartphones, and all-in-one devices.^[39]^[40]^[41] He emphasized that Windows 10 would take steps towards restoring user interface mechanics from Windows 7 to improve the experience for users on non-touch devices, noting criticism of Windows 8's touch-oriented interface by keyboard and mouse users.^[42]^[43] Despite these concessions, Myerson noted that the touch-optimized interface would evolve as well on 10.^[44]

In regards to Microsoft naming the new operating system Windows 10 instead of Windows 9, Terry Myerson said that "based on the product that's coming, and just how different our approach will be overall, it wouldn't be right to call it Windows 9."^[45] He also joked that they could not call it "Windows One" (referring to several recent Microsoft products with a similar brand, such as OneDrive, OneNote, and the Xbox One) because Windows 1.0 already existed.^[46] At a San Francisco conference in October 2014, Tony Prophet, Microsoft's Vice President of Windows Marketing, said that Windows 9 "came and went", and that Windows 10 would not be "an incremental step from Windows 8.1", but "a material step. We're trying to create one platform, one eco-system that unites as many of the devices from the small embedded Internet of Things, through tablets, through phones, through PCs and, ultimately, into the Xbox."

Further details surrounding Windows 10's consumer-oriented features were presented during another media event held on January 21, 2015, entitled "Windows 10: The Next Chapter". The keynote featured the unveiling of Cortana integration within the operating system, new Xbox-oriented features, Windows 10 Mobile, an updated Office Mobile suite, Surface Hub‍—‌a large-screened Windows 10 device for enterprise collaboration based upon Perceptive Pixel technology,^[48] along with HoloLens‑augmented realityeyewear and an associated platform for building apps that can render holograms through HoloLens.^[49]

Additional developer-oriented details surrounding the "Universal Windows Platform" concept were revealed and discussed during Microsoft's Build developers' conference. Among them were the unveiling of "Islandwood", which provides a middlewaretoolchain for compiling Objective-C-based software (particularly iOS) to run as universal apps on Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile. A port of Candy Crush Saga made using the toolkit, which shared much of its code with the iOS version, was demonstrated, alongside the announcement that the King-developed game would be bundled with Windows 10 at launch.^[50]^[51]^[52]^[53]

At the 2015 Ignite conference, Microsoft employee Jerry Nixon stated that Windows 10 would be the "last version of Windows", a statement that Microsoft confirmed was "reflective" of its view of the operating system being a "service" with new versions and updates to be released over time.^[54]^[55]^[56] In 2021, however, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 would be succeeded on compatible hardware by Windows 11–and that Windows 10 support will end on October 14, 2025.^[57]^[58]

Release and marketing[edit]

On June 1, 2015, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 would be released on July 29, 2015.^[18] On July 20, 2015, Microsoft began "Upgrade Your World", an advertising campaign centering on Windows 10, with the premiere of television commercials in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The commercials focused on the tagline "A more human way to do", emphasizing new features and technologies supported by Windows 10 that sought to provide a more "personal" experience to users.^[59]^[60] The campaign culminated with launch events in thirteen cities on July 29, 2015, which celebrated "the unprecedented role our biggest fans played in the development of Windows 10".^[61]

Features[edit]

Main article: Features new to Windows 10

See also: List of features removed in Windows 10

Windows 10 makes its user experience and functionality more consistent between different classes of device and addresses most of the shortcomings in the user interface that were introduced in Windows 8.^[42]^[43]^[62]Windows 10 Mobile, the successor to Windows Phone 8.1, shared some user interface elements and apps with its PC counterpart.^[63]

Windows 10 supports universal apps, an expansion of the Metro-style first introduced in Windows 8. Universal apps can be designed to run across multiple Microsoft product families with nearly identical code‍—‌including PCs, tablets, smartphones, embedded systems, Xbox One, Surface Hub and Mixed Reality. The Windows user interface was revised to handle transitions between a mouse-oriented interface and a touchscreen-optimized interface based on available input devices‍—‌particularly on 2-in-1 PCs, both interfaces include an updated Start menu which incorporates elements of Windows 7's traditional Start menu with the tiles of Windows 8. Windows 10 also introduced the Microsoft Edgeweb browser, a virtual desktop system, a window and desktop management feature called Task View, support for fingerprint and face recognition login, new security features for enterprise environments, and DirectX 12.

The Windows Runtime app ecosystem was revised into the Universal Windows Platform (UWP).^[35]^[64]^[65] These universal apps are made to run across multiple platforms and device classes, including smartphones, tablets, Xbox One consoles, and other devices compatible with Windows 10. Windows apps share code across platforms, have responsive designs that adapt to the needs of the device and available inputs, can synchronize data between Windows 10 devices (including notifications, credentials, and allowing cross-platform multiplayer for games), and are distributed through the Microsoft Store (rebranded from Windows Store since September 2017).^[66] Developers can allow "cross-buys", where purchased licenses for an app apply to all of the user's compatible devices, rather than only the one they purchased on (e.g., a user purchasing an app on PC is also entitled to use the smartphone version at no extra cost).^[36]^[67]^[68]

The ARM version of Windows 10 allows running applications for x86 processors through 32-bit software emulation.^[69]

On Windows 10, Microsoft Store serves as a unified storefront for apps, video content, and eBooks.^[70] Windows 10 also allows web apps and desktop software (using either Win32 or .NET Framework) to be packaged for distribution on Microsoft Store. Desktop software distributed through Windows Store is packaged using the App-V system to allow sandboxing.^[71]^[72]

User interface and desktop[edit]

The "Task View" display is a new feature to Windows 10, allowing the use of multiple workspaces.

A new iteration of the Start menu is used on the Windows 10 desktop, with a list of places and other options on the left side, and tiles representing applications on the right. The menu can be resized, and expanded into a full-screen display, which is the default option in Tablet mode.^[42]^[62]^[73] A new virtual desktop system was added by a feature known as Task View, which displays all open windows and allows users to switch between them, or switch between multiple workspaces.^[42]^[62] Universal apps, which previously could be used only in full screen mode, can now be used in self-contained windows similarly to other programs.^[42]^[62] Program windows can now be snapped to quadrants of the screen by dragging them to the corner. When a window is snapped to one side of the screen, Task View appears and the user is prompted to choose a second window to fill the unused side of the screen (called "Snap Assist").^[62] The Windows system icons were also changed.^[73]

Charms have been removed; their functionality in universal apps is accessed from an App commands menu on their title bar.^[42]^[62] In its place is Action Center, which displays notifications and settings toggles. It is accessed by clicking an icon in the notification area, or dragging from the right of the screen. Notifications can be synced between multiple devices.^[63]^[73] The Settings app (formerly PC Settings) was refreshed and now includes more options that were previously exclusive to the desktop Control Panel.

Windows 10 is designed to adapt its user interface based on the type of device being used and available input methods. It offers two separate user interface modes: a user interface optimized for mouse and keyboard, and a "Tablet mode" designed for touchscreens. Users can toggle between these two modes at any time, and Windows can prompt or automatically switch when certain events occur, such as disabling Tablet mode on a tablet if a keyboard or mouse is plugged in, or when a 2-in-1 PC is switched to its laptop state. In Tablet mode, programs default to a maximized view, and the taskbar contains a back button and hides buttons for opened or pinned programs by default; Task View is used instead to switch between programs. The full screen Start menu is used in this mode, similarly to Windows 8, but scrolls vertically instead of horizontally.^[43]^[76]^[77]^[78]

System security[edit]

Windows 10 incorporates multi-factor authentication technology based upon standards developed by the FIDO Alliance.^[79] The operating system includes improved support for biometric authentication through the Windows Hello platform. Devices with supported cameras (requiring infrared illumination, such as Intel RealSense) allow users to log in with iris or face recognition, similarly to Kinect. Devices with supported readers allow users to log in through fingerprint recognition. Support was also added for palm-vein scanning through a partnership with Fujitsu in February 2018.^[80] Credentials are stored locally and protected using asymmetric encryption.^[81]

In 2017, researchers demonstrated that Windows Hello could be bypassed on fully-updated Windows 10 version 1703 with a color printout of a person's picture taken with an IR camera.^[82] In 2021, researchers were again able to bypass the Windows Hello functionalities by using custom hardware disguised as a camera, which presented an IR photo of the owner's face.^[83]

In addition to biometric authentication, Windows Hello supports authentication with a PIN. By default, Windows requires a PIN to consist of four digits, but can be configured to permit more complex PINs. However, a PIN is not a simpler password. While passwords are transmitted to domain controllers, PINs are not. They are tied to one device, and if compromised, only one device is affected. Backed by a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip, Windows uses PINs to create strong asymmetric key pairs. As such, the authentication token transmitted to the server is harder to crack. In addition, whereas weak passwords may be broken via rainbow tables, TPM causes the much-simpler Windows PINs to be resilient to brute-force attacks.^[84]

When Windows 10 was first introduced, multi-factor authentication was provided by two components: Windows Hello and Passport (not to be confused with the Passport platform of 1998). Later, Passport was merged into Windows Hello.^[85]^[81]

The enterprise edition of Windows 10 offers additional security features; administrators can set up policies for the automatic encryption of sensitive data, selectively block applications from accessing encrypted data, and enable Device Guard‍—‌a system which allows administrators to enforce a high-security environment by blocking the execution of software that is not digitally signed by a trusted vendor or Microsoft. Device Guard is designed to protect against zero-day exploits, and runs inside a hypervisor so that its operation remains separated from the operating system itself.^[79]^[86]

Command line[edit]

The console windows based on Windows Console (for any console app, not just PowerShell and Windows Command Prompt) can now be resized without any restrictions, can be made to cover the full screen by pressing +, and can use standard keyboard shortcuts, such as those for cut, copy, and paste. Other features such as word wrap and transparency were also added. These functions can be disabled to revert to the legacy console if needed.^[87]

The Anniversary Update added Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which allows the installation of a user space environment from a supported Linuxdistribution that runs natively on Windows. The subsystem translates Linux system calls to those of the Windows NT kernel (only claims full system call compatibility as of WSL 2, included in a later Windows update). The environment can execute the Bash shell and 64-bit command-line programs (WSL 2 also supports 32-bit Linux programs and graphics, assuming supporting software installed,^[88] and GPUs support for other uses^[89]). Windows applications cannot be executed from the Linux environment, and vice versa. Linux distributions for Windows Subsystem for Linux are obtained through Microsoft Store. The feature initially supported an Ubuntu-based environment; Microsoft announced in May 2017 that it would add Fedora and OpenSUSE environment options as well.^[90]^[91]^[92]^[93]^[94]^[95]^[96]

Storage requirements[edit]

To reduce the storage footprint of the operating system, Windows 10 automatically compresses system files. The system can reduce the storage footprint of Windows by approximately 1.5 GB for 32-bit systems and 2.6 GB for 64-bit systems. The level of compression used is dependent on a performance assessment performed during installations or by OEMs, which tests how much compression can be used without harming operating system performance. Furthermore, the Refresh and Reset functions use runtime system files instead, making a separate recovery partition redundant, allowing patches and updates to remain installed following the operation, and further reducing the amount of space required for Windows 10 by up to 12 GB. These functions replace the WIMBoot mode introduced on Windows 8.1 Update, which allowed OEMs to configure low-capacity devices with flash-based storage to use Windows system files out of the compressed WIM image typically used for installation and recovery.^[97]^{[better source needed]}^[98]^[99] Windows 10 also includes a function in its Settings app that allows users to view a breakdown of how their device's storage capacity is being used by different types of files, and determine whether certain types of files are saved to internal storage or an SD card by default.^[100]

Online services and functionality[edit]

Windows 10 introduces Microsoft Edge, a new default web browser. It initially featured a new standards-compliant rendering engine derived from Trident, and also includes annotation tools and integration with other Microsoft platforms present within Windows 10.^[101]^[102]^[103]Internet Explorer 11 is maintained on Windows 10 for compatibility purposes, but is deprecated in favor of Edge and, since mid-June 2022, is no longer supported on editions which follow Microsoft's Modern Lifecycle Policy.^[104]^[105]^[106]^[107] In January 2020, the initial version of Edge was succeeded by a new iteration derived from the Chromium project and the Blink layout engine and the old Edge based on EdgeHTML is now called 'Microsoft Edge Legacy'.^[108] The legacy version of Edge is currently being replaced by the new Chromium-based Edge via Windows Update, though this version can also be downloaded manually. Every Windows 10 version from 20H2, which was released on October 20, 2020, will come with the new version of the browser preinstalled.^[109] The Windows 10 October 2020 update added a price comparison tool to the Edge browser.^[110]

Windows 10 incorporates a universal search box located alongside the Start and Task View buttons, which can be hidden or condensed into a single button.^[111]^[112] Previous versions featured Microsoft's intelligent personal assistant Cortana, which was first introduced with Windows Phone 8.1 in 2014, and supports both text and voice input. Many of its features are a direct carryover from Windows Phone, including integration with Bing, setting reminders, a Notebook feature for managing personal information, as well as searching for files, playing music, launching applications and setting reminders or sending emails.^[113]^[114]^[73] Since the November 2019 update, Microsoft has begun to downplay Cortana as part of a repositioning of the product towards enterprise use, with the May 2020 update removing its Windows shell integration and consumer-oriented features.^[115]^[116]^[111]^[117]

Microsoft Family Safety is replaced by Microsoft Family, a parental controls system that applies across Windows platforms and Microsoft online services. Users can create a designated family, and monitor and restrict the actions of users designated as children, such as access to websites, enforcing age ratings on Microsoft Store purchases, and other restrictions. The service can also send weekly e-mail reports to parents detailing a child's computer usage. Unlike previous versions of Windows, child accounts in a family must be associated with a Microsoft account‍—‌which allows these settings to apply across all Windows 10 devices that a particular child is using.^[118]^[119]

Windows 10 also offers the Wi-Fi Sense feature originating from Windows Phone 8.1; users can optionally have their device automatically connect to suggested open hotspots, and share their home network's password with contacts (either via Skype, People, or Facebook) so they may automatically connect to the network on a Windows 10 device without needing to manually enter its password. Credentials are stored in an encrypted form on Microsoft servers and sent to the devices of the selected contacts. Passwords are not viewable by the guest user, and the guest user is not allowed to access other computers or devices on the network. Wi-Fi Sense is not usable on 802.1X-encrypted networks. Adding "_optout" at the end of the SSID will also block the corresponding network from being used for this feature.^[120]

Universal calling and messaging apps for Windows 10 are built in as of the November 2015 update: Messaging, Skype Video, and Phone. These offer built-in alternatives to the Skype download and sync with Windows 10 Mobile.^[121]^[122]

Multimedia and gaming[edit]

See also: List of Xbox Live Games on Windows 10

Windows 10 provides greater integration with the Xbox ecosystem. Xbox SmartGlass is succeeded by the Xbox Console Companion (formerly the Xbox app), which allows users to browse their game library (including both PC and Xbox console games), and Game DVR is also available using a keyboard shortcut, allowing users to save the last 30 seconds of gameplay as a video that can be shared to Xbox Live, OneDrive, or elsewhere.^[123]^[124] Windows 10 also allows users to control and play games from an Xbox One console over a local network.^[125] The Xbox Live SDK allows application developers to incorporate Xbox Live functionality into their apps, and future wireless Xbox One accessories, such as controllers, are supported on Windows with an adapter.^[126] Microsoft also intends to allow cross-purchases and save synchronization between Xbox One and Windows 10 versions of games; Microsoft Studios games such as ReCore and Quantum Break are intended as being exclusive to Windows 10 and Xbox One.^[127]

Candy Crush Saga and Microsoft Solitaire Collection are also automatically installed upon installation of Windows 10.^[128]^[129]

Windows 10 adds native game recording and screenshot capture ability using the newly introduced Game Bar. Users can also have the OS continuously record gameplay in the background, which then allows the user to save the last few moments of gameplay to the storage device.^[130]

Windows 10 adds FLAC and HEVC codecs and support for the Matroska media container, allowing these formats to be opened in Windows Media Player and other applications.^[131]^[132]^[133]Windows Media Center is no longer bundled.^[134]

Windows 10 includes DirectX 12, alongside WDDM 2.0.^[135]^[136] Unveiled March 2014 at GDC, DirectX 12 aims to provide "console-level efficiency" with "closer to the metal" access to hardware resources, and reduced CPU and graphics driver overhead.^[137]^[138] Most of the performance improvements are achieved through low-level programming, which allow developers to use resources more efficiently and reduce single-threaded CPU bottlenecking caused by abstraction through higher level APIs.^[139]^[140] DirectX 12 will also feature support for vendor agnostic multi-GPU setups.^[141] WDDM 2.0 introduces a new virtual memory management and allocation system to reduce workload on the kernel-mode driver.^[135]^[142]

Font support[edit]

Main article: List of typefaces included with Microsoft Windows

Windows 10 adds three new default typefaces compared to Windows 8, but omits several others. The removed typefaces are available in supplemental packs and may be added manually over a non-metered internet connection.

Editions and pricing[edit]

Main article: Windows 10 editions

Windows 10 is available in five main editions for personal computing devices; the Home and Pro editions of which are sold at retail in most countries, and as pre-loaded software on new computers. Home is aimed at home users, while Pro is aimed at power users and small businesses. Each edition of Windows 10 includes all of the capabilities and features of the edition below it, and add additional features oriented towards their market segments; for example, Pro adds additional networking and security features such as BitLocker, Device Guard, Windows Update for Business, and the ability to join a domain. Enterprise and Education, the other editions, contain additional features aimed towards business environments, and are only available through volume licensing.^[143]^[144]

As part of Microsoft's unification strategies, Windows products that are based on Windows 10's common platform but meant for specialized platforms are marketed as editions of the operating system, rather than as separate product lines. An updated version of Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system for smartphones, and also tablets, was branded as Windows 10 Mobile.^[145] Editions of Enterprise and Mobile will also be produced for embedded systems, along with Windows 10 IoT Core, which is designed specifically for use in small footprint, low-cost devices and Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios and is similar to Windows Embedded.^[143]^[144]

On May 2, 2017, Microsoft unveiled Windows 10 S (referred to in leaks as Windows 10 Cloud), a feature-limited edition of Windows 10 which was designed primarily for devices in the education market (competing, in particular, with Chrome OS netbooks), such as the Surface Laptop that Microsoft also unveiled at this time. The OS restricts software installation to applications obtained from Microsoft Store; the device may be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro for a fee to enable unrestricted software installation. As a time-limited promotion, Microsoft stated that this upgrade would be free on the Surface Laptop until March 31, 2018.^[146] Windows 10 S also contains a faster initial setup and login process, and allows devices to be provisioned using a USB drive with the Windows Intune for Education platform.^[147]^[148]^[149]^[150]^[151] In March 2018, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 S would be deprecated because of market confusion and would be replaced by "S Mode", an OEM option wherein Windows defaults to only allowing applications to be installed from Microsoft Store, but does not require payment in order to disable these restrictions.^[152]^[153]

Preview releases[edit]

Public release[edit]

On July 29, 2015, Microsoft officially announced that Windows 10 would be released for retail purchase as a free upgrade from earlier versions of Windows. In comparison to previous Windows releases, which had a longer turnover between the release to manufacturing (RTM) and general release to allow for testing by vendors (and in some cases, the development of "upgrade kits" to prepare systems for installation of the new version), an HP executive explained that because it knew Microsoft targeted the operating system for a 2015 release, the company was able to optimize its then-current and upcoming products for Windows 10 in advance of its release, negating the need for such a milestone.^[159]^{[better source needed]}

The general availability build of Windows 10, numbered 10240, was first released to Windows Insider channels for pre-launch testing on July 15, 2015, prior to its formal release.^[160] Although a Microsoft official said there would be no specific RTM build of Windows 10, 10240 was described as an RTM build by media outlets because it was released to all Windows Insider members at once (rather than to users on the "Fast ring" first), it no longer carried pre-release branding and desktop watermark text, and its build number had mathematical connections to the number 10 in reference to the operating system's naming.^[162]^[163]^[164]^[165]^[166]^[167] The Enterprise edition was released to volume licensing on August 1, 2015.^[168]

Windows 10 is distributed digitally through the "Media Creation Tool", which is functionally identical to the Windows 8 online installer, and can also be used to generate an ISO image or USB install media.^[169] In-place upgrades are supported from most editions of Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 and Windows 8.1 with Update 1, while users with Windows 8 must first upgrade to Windows 8.1. Changing between architectures (e.g., upgrading from 32-bit edition to a 64-bit editions) via in-place upgrades is not supported; a clean install is required.^[170]^[171] In-place upgrades may be rolled back to the device's previous version of Windows, provided that 30 days have not passed since installation, and backup files were not removed using Disk Cleanup.

Windows 10 was available in 190 countries and 111 languages upon its launch, and as part of efforts to "re-engage" with users in China, Microsoft also announced that it would partner with Qihoo and Tencent to help promote and distribute Windows 10 in China, and that Chinese PC maker Lenovo would provide assistance at its service centers and retail outlets for helping users upgrade to Windows 10.^[172]^[173]^[174] At retail, Windows 10 is priced similarly to editions of Windows 8.1, with U.S. prices set at $119 and $199 for Windows 10 Home and Pro respectively. A Windows 10 Pro Pack license allows upgrades from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro.^[175]^[176] Retail copies only ship on USB flash drive media; however, system builder copies still ship as DVD-ROM media.^[177] New devices shipping with Windows 10 were also released during the operating system's launch window.^[178]

Windows RT devices cannot be upgraded to Windows 10.^[171]^[179]

Free upgrade offer[edit]

Main article: Windows 10 editions § Free upgrade

During its first year of availability,^[180] upgrade licenses for Windows 10 could be obtained at no charge for devices with a genuine license for an eligible edition of Windows 7 or 8.1.^[176]^[181]^[182]

This offer did not apply to Enterprise editions, as customers under an active Software Assurance (SA) contract with upgrade rights are entitled to obtain Windows 10 Enterprise under their existing terms. All users running non-genuine copies of Windows, and those without an existing Windows 7 or 8 license, were ineligible for this promotion; although upgrades from a non-genuine version were possible, they result in a non-genuine copy of 10.^[157]^[172]^[182]^[183]^[184]

On the general availability build of Windows 10 (the original release), to activate and generate the "digital entitlement" for Windows 10, the operating system must have first been installed as an in-place upgrade. During the free upgrade, a file is created in the background and the system's motherboard details are registered with a Microsoft Product Activation server. Once installed, the operating system can be reinstalled on that particular system via normal means without a product key, and the system's license will automatically be detected via online activation - in essence, the Microsoft Product Activation Server will remember the system's motherboard and give it the green light for product re-activation.^[170]^[185]^[186] Because of installation issues with Upgrade Only installs, the November Update (version 1511) included additional activation mechanisms. This build treated Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 product keys as Windows 10 product keys, meaning they could be entered during installation to activate the free license, without the need to upgrade first to "activate" the hardware with Microsoft's activation servers.^[187] For major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10 OEM product keys are embedded in the firmware of the motherboard and if the correct edition of Windows 10 is present on the installation media, they are automatically inputted during installation. Since the release of the Fall Creators Update (version 1709), Microsoft decided to release multi-edition installation media, to alleviate installation and product activation issues users experienced because of accidentally installing the wrong edition of Windows 10.

The Windows Insider Preview version of Windows 10 automatically updated itself to the generally released version as part of the version progression and continues to be updated to new beta builds, as it had throughout the testing process. Microsoft explicitly stated that Windows Insider was not a valid upgrade path for those running a version of Windows that is ineligible for the upgrade offer; although, if it was not installed with a license carried over from an in-place upgrade to 10 Insider Preview from Windows 7 or 8, the Insider Preview does remain activated as long as the user does not exit the Windows Insider program.^[157]

The offer was promoted and delivered via the "Get Windows 10" application (also known as GWX), which was automatically installed via Windows Update ahead of Windows 10's release, and activated on systems deemed eligible for the upgrade offer. Via a notification area icon, users could access an application that advertised Windows 10 and the free upgrade offer, check device compatibility, and "reserve" an automatic download of the operating system upon its release.^[188]^[189] On July 28, a pre-download process began in which Windows 10 installation files were downloaded to some computers that had reserved it. Microsoft said that those who reserved Windows 10 would be able to install it through GWX in a phased rollout process. The operating system could alternatively be downloaded at any time using a separate "Media Creation Tool" setup program, that allows for the creation of DVD or USB installation media.^[169]^[178]^[190]^[191]

In May 2016, Microsoft announced that the free upgrade offer would be extended to users of assistive technologies; however, Microsoft did not implement any means of certifying eligibility for this offer, which some outlets thereby promoted as being a loophole to fraudulently obtain a free Windows 10 upgrade. Microsoft said that the loophole is not intended to be used in this manner.^[192]^[193]^[194] In November 2017, Microsoft announced that this program would end on December 31, 2017.^[195]

However, another loophole was found that allowed Windows 7 and 8.1 users upgrade to Windows 10 using existing licenses, even though the free upgrade offers officially ended in 2017. No word from Microsoft was given whether it will be closed^[196] and some outlets have continued to promote it as a free method of upgrading from the now-unsupported Windows 7.^[197]

Licensing[edit]

During upgrades, Windows 10 licenses are not tied directly to a product key. Instead, the license status of the system's current installation of Windows is migrated, and a "Digital license" (known as "Digital entitlement" in version 1511 or earlier) is generated during the activation process, which is bound to the hardware information collected during the process. If Windows 10 is reinstalled cleanly and there have not been any significant hardware changes since installation (such as a motherboard change), the online activation process will automatically recognize the system's digital entitlement if no product key is entered during installations. However, unique product keys are still distributed within retail copies of Windows 10. As with previous non-volume-licensed variants of Windows, significant hardware changes will invalidate the digital entitlement, and require Windows to be re-activated.^[170]^[185]

Updates and support[edit]

Main article: Windows 10 version history

Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows Update does not allow the selective installation of updates, and all updates (including patches, feature updates, and driver software) are downloaded and installed automatically. Users can only choose whether their system will reboot automatically to install updates when the system is inactive, or be notified to schedule a reboot.^[198]^[199] If a wireless network is designated as "Metered"—a function which automatically reduces the operating system's background network activity to conserve limits on Internet usage—most updates are not downloaded until the device is connected to a non-metered network. Version 1703 allows wired (Ethernet) networks to be designated as metered, but Windows may still download certain updates while connected to a metered network.^[200]^[201]

In version 2004, by installing the August 2020 security update and later versions, driver and non-security updates pushed via Windows Update that are considered optional are no longer automatically downloaded and installed in their devices. Users can access them on Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View optional update.^[202]

Updates can cause compatibility or other problems; a Microsoft troubleshooter program allows bad updates to be uninstalled.^[203]^[204]

Under the Windows end-user license agreement, users consent to the automatic installation of all updates, features and drivers provided by the service, and implicitly consent "without any additional notice" to the possibility of features being modified or removed.^[205]^[206]^[207] The agreement also states, specifically for users of Windows 10 in Canada, that they may pause updates by disconnecting their device from the Internet.^[208]

Windows Update can also use a peer-to-peer system for distributing updates; by default, users' bandwidth is used to distribute previously downloaded updates to other users, in combination with Microsoft servers. Users can instead choose to only use peer-to-peer updates within their local area network.^[209]

Version	Codename	Marketing name	Build	Release date	Supported until (and support status by color)
					GAC^[a]		LTSC^[b]		Mobile
					Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations	Education, Enterprise, IoT Enterprise	Enterprise	IoT Enterprise	Mobile
1507	Threshold	—	10240	July 29, 2015	May 9, 2017		October 14, 2025^[c]		—
1511	Threshold 2	November Update	10586	November 10, 2015	October 10, 2017	April 10, 2018	—	January 9, 2018
1607	Redstone	Anniversary Update	14393	August 2, 2016	April 10, 2018^[d]	April 9, 2019^[d]	October 13, 2026^[e]		October 9, 2018
1703	Redstone 2	Creators Update	15063	April 5, 2017^[f]	October 9, 2018	October 8, 2019^[g]	—		June 11, 2019
1709	Redstone 3	Fall Creators Update	16299^[h]	October 17, 2017	April 9, 2019	October 13, 2020^[i]	January 14, 2020
1803	Redstone 4	April 2018 Update	17134	April 30, 2018	November 12, 2019	May 11, 2021^[j]	—
1809	Redstone 5	October 2018 Update	17763	November 13, 2018^[k]	November 10, 2020^[l]	May 11, 2021^[j]	January 9, 2029^[m]
1903	19H1	May 2019 Update	18362	May 21, 2019	December 8, 2020		—
1909	19H2	November 2019 Update	18363	November 12, 2019	May 11, 2021	May 10, 2022
2004	20H1	May 2020 Update	19041	May 27, 2020	December 14, 2021
20H2	20H2	October 2020 Update	19042	October 20, 2020	May 10, 2022	May 9, 2023
21H1	21H1	May 2021 Update	19043	May 18, 2021	December 13, 2022
21H2	21H2	November 2021 Update	19044	November 16, 2021	June 13, 2023	June 11, 2024	January 12, 2027	January 13, 2032^[n]
22H2	22H2	TBA	19045	October 2022	18 months	30 months	—
Legend: Old version, not maintained^[o] Older version, still maintained^[p] Current stable version^[q]
Notes: ^General Availability Channel, formerly Semi-Annual Channel (SAC) and Current Branch (CB). ^Long-Term Servicing Channel, formerly Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB). ^Mainstream support ended on October 13, 2020. ^ ^a^bJanuary 10, 2023 for IntelClover Trail based systems. ^Mainstream support ended on October 12, 2021. ^April 11, 2017 for Education, Enterprise, and IoT Enterprise editions. ^March 9, 2021 for Surface Hub devices. ^Windows 10 Mobile: 15254. ^Originally EOS by April 14, 2020, but postponed due to COVID-19. ^Version 1803 originally EOS by November 10, 2020, but postponed due to COVID-19. ^Originally released on October 2, 2018, but was pushed back due to bugs. ^Originally EOS by May 12, 2020, but postponed due to COVID-19. ^Mainstream support until January 9, 2024. ^Mainstream support until January 12, 2027. ^Windows 10 builds that have this color have reached their expiration dates and are no longer supported by Microsoft. ^Windows 10 builds that have this color are no longer the latest version of Windows 10, but are still supported by Microsoft. ^Windows 10 builds that have this color are the latest (by SKU) public version of Windows 10.

Support lifecycle[edit]

Mainstream support	October 13, 2020^[210]^[211]
Extended support	October 14, 2025 (2025-10-14)^[210]^[211]
Home, Pro, Pro for Workstations, S, Education, Pro Education, Enterprise, IoT Enterprise, IoT Core, Team, Enterprise 2015 LTSB, and IoT Enterprise 2015 LTSB.^[212]
Windows 10 Mobile, Mobile Enterprise, and IoT Mobile	Unsupported as of January 14, 2020^[213]
Windows 10 Enterprise and IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB	Mainstream support ended on October 12, 2021^[211] Extended support until October 13, 2026^[211]
Windows 10 Enterprise, IoT Enterprise, and IoT Core (via IoT Core Services)^[214] 2019 LTSC	Mainstream support until January 9, 2024^[211] Extended support until January 9, 2029^[211]
Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC	Supported until January 12, 2027^[211]
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2021 LTSC	Mainstream support until January 12, 2027^[211] Extended support until January 13, 2032^[211]

The original release of Windows 10 receives mainstream support for five years after its original release, followed by five years of extended support, but this is subject to conditions. Microsoft's support lifecycle policy for the operating system notes that "Updates are cumulative, with each update built upon all of the updates that preceded it", that "a device needs to install the latest update to remain supported", and that a device's ability to receive future updates will depend on hardware compatibility, driver availability, and whether the device is within the OEM's "support period"‍—‌a new aspect not accounted for in lifecycle policies for previous versions.^[215]^[182]^[216]^[217] This policy was first invoked in 2017 to block Intel Clover Trail devices from receiving the Creators Update, as Microsoft asserts that future updates "require additional hardware support to provide the best possible experience", and that Intel no longer provided support or drivers for the platform. Microsoft stated that these devices would no longer receive feature updates, but would still receive security updates through January 2023.^[218] Microsoft will continue to support at least one standard Windows 10 release until October 14, 2025.^[16]^[17]

The following table collects current status of the aforementioned updating and support of different branches of Windows 10:

Update branch	Microsoft internal channels (more information here) Alpha software	Windows Insider Preview Branch (WIPB) Beta software	Semi-Annual Channel (formerly CB) "End user"	Long-term Servicing channel (formerly LTSB) "Mission critical"
Edition	Home			Enterprise LTSC
	Pro
	Education
	Enterprise
Critical updates Security patches and stability updates	Continuous	Continuous as made available (choice of Beta, Dev, or Release Preview channel)	Automatic	User can defer updates indefinitely
Feature upgrades Non-critical functionality and feature updates	Continuous		Automatic or defer^[223]	Only through LTSC in-place upgrades
Feature upgrades cadence	Continuous	Continuous as released	Continuous, deferrable for 12 months at a time; once a deferral period is past, no further deferrals possible until latest updates are installed	LTSC releases are stable 'snapshots' of SAC
Upgrade support	Continuous updating, features come and go silently with new builds		Continuous updating or in-place upgrade to supported LTSC builds	In-place upgrade support for the three most recent LTSC builds
Update support	Only the latest build is supported	10 years (or until future builds require hardware support the old device doesn't have or ~4 months after a missed cumulative update made into SAC.)^[215]	10 years (or ~6 months from deferring build upgrade or until future builds require hardware support the old device doesn't have.)	5 years (for 2021 and newer, non-IoT) or 5 years mainstream + 5 years extended (for 2019 and older, all IoT versions)
Update methods	Windows Update		Windows Update Windows Update for Business Windows Server Update Services

Feature updates[edit]

Windows 10 is often described by Microsoft as being a "service", as it receives regular "feature updates" that contain new features and other updates and fixes.^[182]^[224]^[225]^[226] In April 2017, Microsoft stated that these updates would be released twice a year every March and September in the future, which eventually continued until version 21H2.^[227] Mainstream builds of Windows 10, until and including 2004, were labeled "YYMM", with "YY" representing the two-digit year and "MM" representing the month of release. For example, version 1809 was released in September (the ninth month) of 2018. This was changed with the 20H2 release where "MM" represents the half of the year in which the update was released, for example H1 for the first half and H2 for the second half.^[228]

Before version 1903, the pace at which feature updates are received by devices was dependent on which release channel was used. The default branch for all users of Windows 10 Home and Pro was "Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted)" (formerly "Current Branch", or "CB"),^[226] which received stable builds after they were publicly released by Microsoft. Each build of Windows 10 is supported for 18 months after its original release.^[226] In enterprise environments, Microsoft officially intended that this branch was used for "targeted" deployments of newly released stable versions so that they could be evaluated and tested on a limited number of devices before a wider deployment. Once a stable build is certified by Microsoft and its partners as being suitable for broad deployment, the build is then released on the "Semi-Annual Channel" (formerly "Current Branch for Business", or "CBB"), which is supported by the Pro and Enterprise editions of Windows 10.^[226]^[199]^[229] Semi-Annual Channel receives stable builds on a four-month delay from their release on the Targeted channel.^[226] Administrators can also use the "Windows Update for Business" system, as well as existing tools such as WSUS and System Center Configuration Manager, to organize structured deployments of feature updates across their networks.^[226]^[199]

The Windows Insider branches receive unstable builds as they are released; it is divided into two channels, "Dev" (which receives new builds immediately after their release), and "Beta" (whose releases are slightly delayed from their "Dev" release).^[226]

Enterprise licensees may use the Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC (formerly LTSB) edition, where "LTSC" stands for "Long-Term Servicing Channel", which only receive quality of life updates (i.e. security patches), and has a full, 5 or 10-year support lifecycle for each build.^[226]^[229]^[222] This edition is designed for "special-purpose devices" that perform a fixed function (such as automated teller machines and medical equipment). For this reason, it excludes Cortana, Microsoft Store, and all bundled Universal Windows Platform apps (including but not limited to Microsoft Edge, hence these builds ship only with Internet Explorer as browser).^[230]^[231]^[226]^[182]^[232]^[233] Microsoft director Stella Chernyak explained that "we have businesses [that] may have mission-critical environments where we respect the fact they want to test and stabilize the environment for a long time."^[234] Four LTSC builds have been released, correlating with the 1507, 1607, 1809, and 21H2 versions of Windows 10, respectively.^[235]^[236]^[237]

In July 2017, Microsoft announced changes in the terminology for Windows branches as part of its effort to unify the update cadence with that of Office 365 ProPlus and Windows Server 2016.^[238]^[226] The branch system now defines two paces of upgrade deployment in enterprise environments, "targeted" initial deployment of a new version on selected systems immediately after its stable release for final testing, and "broad" deployment afterwards. Hence, "Current Branch" is now known as "Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted)", and "Current Branch for Business" for broad deployment is now referred to as "Semi-Annual Channel".^[239]^[226]

In February 2019, Microsoft announced changes again in delivering updates in beginning of release of version 1903: a single SAC will be released and SAC-T will be retired, and users are no longer able to switch to different channels. Instead, these updates can be deferred from 30 to 90 days, or depending how the device was configured to deferred the updates.^[240]^[241] In April 2019, it was announced that, in addition, feature updates will no longer be automatically pushed to users.^[242] However, after the release of version 2004, the update only pushed for those running a feature update version that is nearing end of service or it can be paused for up to 35 days.^[243]^[244] In November 2021, following the launch of version 21H2, Microsoft made a commitment to deliver feature updates every October or November.^[245] Thus, Microsoft rebranded the "Semi-Annual Channel" to the "General Availability Channel".^[246]^[247]

Feature updates prior to version 1909 were distributed solely as an in-place upgrade installation, requiring the download of a complete operating system package (approximately 3.5 GB in size for 64-bit systems). Unlike previous builds, version 1909 was designed primarily as an update rollup version of 1903, which focused primarily on minor feature additions and enhancements. For upgrades to 1909 from 1903, a new delivery method was used where its changes were delivered as part of the monthly cumulative update, but were left in a dormant state until the 1909 update "enablement" patch is installed. The full upgrade process was still used for those using builds prior to 1903.^[248]^[249]

Features in development[edit]

In May 2017, Microsoft unveiled Fluent Design System (previously codenamed "Project Neon"), a revamp of Microsoft Design Language 2 that will include guidelines for the designs and interactions used within software designed for all Windows 10 devices and platforms. The new design language will include the more prominent use of motion, depth, and translucency effects. Microsoft stated that the implementation of this design language would be performed over time, and it had already started to implement elements of it in Creators Update and Fall Creators Update.^[250]

On December 7, 2016, Microsoft announced that, as part of a partnership with Qualcomm, it planned to introduce support for running Win32 software on ARM architecture with a 32-bit x86 processor emulator, in 2017. Terry Myerson stated that this move would enable the production of Qualcomm Snapdragon-based Windows devices with cellular connectivity and improved power efficiency over Intel-compatible devices, and still capable of running the majority of existing Windows software (unlike the previous Windows RT, which was restricted to Windows Store apps). Microsoft is initially targeting this project towards laptops.^[69] Microsoft launched the branding Always Connected PCs in December 2017 to market Windows 10 devices with cellular connectivity, which included two ARM-based 2-in-1 laptops from Asus and HP featuring the Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip, and the announcement of a partnership between AMD and Qualcomm to integrate its Snapdragon X16 gigabit LTE modem with AMD's Ryzen Mobile platform.^[251]^[252]

In August 2019, Microsoft began testing changes to its handling of the user interface on convertible devices—downplaying the existing "Tablet Mode" option in favor of presenting the normal desktop with optimizations for touch when a keyboard is not present, such as increasing the space between taskbar buttons and displaying the virtual keyboard when text fields are selected.^[253]

In April 2021, the ability to run Linux applications using a graphical user interface, such as Audacity, directly in Windows, was introduced as a preview.^[254] This feature would later be included as part of the updated Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 for Windows 11 only.

System requirements[edit]

The basic hardware requirements to install Windows 10 were initially the same as those for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, and only slightly higher than for Windows 7 and Windows Vista. As of the May 2019 update, the minimum disk space requirement has been increased to 32 GB. In addition, on new installations, Windows permanently reserves up to 7 GB of disk space in order to ensure proper installation of future feature updates.^[256]^[257]

The 64-bit variants require a CPU that supports certain instructions.^[258] Devices with low storage capacity must provide a USB flash drive or SD card with sufficient storage for temporary files during upgrades.^[259]

Some pre-built devices may be described as "certified" by Microsoft. Certified tablets must include , , and keys; and keys are no longer required.^[260]

As with Windows 8, all certified devices must ship with UEFI Secure Boot enabled by default. Unlike Windows 8, OEMs are no longer required to make Secure Boot settings user-configurable, meaning that devices may optionally be locked to run only Microsoft-signed operating systems.^[261] A supported infrared-illuminated camera is required for Windows Hello face authentication, and a supported fingerprint reader is required for Windows Hello fingerprint authentication.^[181] Device Guard requires a UEFI system with no third-party certificates loaded, and CPU virtualization extensions (including SLAT and IOMMU) enabled in firmware.

Beginning with Intel Kaby Lake and AMD Bristol Ridge, Windows 10 is the only version of Windows that Microsoft will officially support on newer CPU microarchitectures.^[262]^[263] Terry Myerson stated that Microsoft did not want to make further investments in optimizing older versions of Windows and associated software for newer generations of processors.^[264]^[265] These policies were criticized by the media, who especially noted that Microsoft was refusing to support newer hardware (particularly Intel's Skylake CPUs, which was also originally targeted by the new policy with a premature end of support that was ultimately retracted)^[266]^[267] on Windows 8.1, a version of Windows that was still in mainstream support until January 2018.^[268]^[269] In addition, an enthusiast-created modification was released that disabled the check and allowed Windows 8.1 and earlier to continue to work on the platform.^[270]

Windows 10 version 1703 and later do not support Intel Clover Trail system-on-chips, per Microsoft's stated policy of only providing updates for devices during their OEM support period.^[218]^[271]

Starting with Windows 10 version 2004, Microsoft will require new OEM devices to use 64-bit processors, and will therefore cease the distribution of x86 (32-bit) variants of Windows 10 via OEM channels. The 32-bit variants of Windows 10 will remain available via non-OEM channels, and Microsoft will continue to "[provide] feature and security updates on these devices".^[272] This was later followed by Windows 11 dropping 32-bit hardware support altogether, and thus making Windows 10 the final version of Windows to have a 32-bit version.^[273]

Physical memory limits[edit]

The maximum amount of RAM that Windows 10 can support varies depending on the product edition and the processor architecture. All 32-bit editions of Win10, including Home and Pro, support up to 4 GB.^[274] 64-bit editions of Windows 10 Education and Pro support up to 2 TB, 64-bit editions of Windows 10 Pro for Workstations and Enterprise support up to 6 TB, while the 64-bit edition of Windows 10 Home is limited to 128 GB.^[274]

Processor limits[edit]

Windows 10 supports up to two physical processors.^[275] A maximum of 32 cores is supported in 32-bit versions of Windows 8, whereas up to 256 cores are supported in the 64-bit versions.^[275]

Reception[edit]

Main article: Criticism of Windows 10

Windows 10 received generally positive reviews, with most reviewers considering it superior to its predecessor Windows 8.^[276]^[277]^[278]CNN Business praised every aspects of Windows 10.^[279]TechRadar felt that it could be "the new Windows 7", citing the operating system's more familiar user interface, improvements to bundled apps, performance improvements, a "rock solid" search system, and the Settings app being more full-featured than its equivalents on 8 and 8.1. The Edge browser was praised for its performance, although it was not in a feature-complete state at launch. While considering them a "great idea in principle", concerns were shown for Microsoft's focus on the universal app ecosystem:

It's by no means certain that developers are going to flock to Windows 10 from iOS and Android simply because they can convert their apps easily. It may well become a no-brainer for them, but at the moment a conscious decision is still required.^[280]

Engadget was similarly positive, noting that the upgrade process was painless and that Windows 10's user interface had balanced aspects of Windows 8 with those of previous versions with a more mature aesthetic. Cortana's always-on voice detection was considered to be its "true strength", also citing its query capabilities and personalization features, but noting that it was not as pre-emptive as Google Now. Windows 10's stock applications were praised for being improved over their Windows 8 counterparts, and for supporting windowed modes. The Xbox app was also praised for its Xbox One streaming functionality, although recommending its use over a wired network because of inconsistent quality over Wi-Fi. In conclusion, it was argued that "Windows 10 delivers the most refined desktop experience ever from Microsoft, and yet it's so much more than that. It's also a decent tablet OS, and it's ready for a world filled with hybrid devices. And, barring another baffling screwup, it looks like a significant step forward for mobile. Heck, it makes the Xbox One a more useful machine."^[281]

On the other hand Ars Technica panned the new Tablet mode interface for removing the charms and app switching, making the Start button harder to use by requiring users to reach for the button on the bottom-left rather than at the center of the screen when swiping with a thumb, and for making application switching less instantaneous through the use of Task View. Microsoft Edge was praised for being "tremendously promising", and "a much better browser than Internet Explorer ever was", but criticized it for its lack of functionality on-launch. In conclusion, contrasting Windows 8 as being a "reliable" platform albeit consisting of unfinished concepts, Windows 10 was considered "the best Windows yet", and was praised for having a better overall concept in its ability to be "comfortable and effective" across a wide array of form factors, but that it was buggier than previous versions of Windows were on-launch.^[282]ExtremeTech felt that Windows 10 restricted the choices of users, citing its more opaque setting menus, forcing users to give up bandwidth for the peer-to-peer distribution of updates, and for taking away user control of specific functions, such as updates, explaining that "it feels, once again, as if Microsoft has taken the seed of a good idea, like providing users with security updates automatically, and shoved the throttle to maximum."^[283] Windows 10 has also received criticism because of deleting files without user permission after auto updates.^[284]

Critics have noted that Windows 10 heavily emphasizes freemium services, and contains various advertising facilities. Some outlets have considered these to be a hidden "cost" of the free upgrade offer.^[285]^[286]^[287] Examples of these have included microtransactions in bundled games such as Microsoft Solitaire Collection,^[288]^[285]^[289]^[290] default settings that display promotions of "suggested" apps in the Start menu, "tips" on the lock screen that may contain advertising,^[286]^[287] ads displayed in File Explorer for Office 365 subscriptions on Creators' Update,^[287] and various advertising notifications displayed by default which promote Microsoft Edge when it is not set as the default web browser (including, in a September 2018 build, nag pop-ups displayed to interrupt the installation process of competitors).^[291]^[292]

Due to the high system requirements of its Windows 10's successor Windows 11, some critics have cited Windows 10 being better than its successor and have warned not to switch to Windows 11 given its high system requirement despite very limited new features compared to Windows 10.^[293]^[294]^[295]

Market share and sales[edit]

See also: Usage share of operating systems § Crossover to smartphones having majority share

Windows PC market share (of Windows) statistics
Windows 10			71.76%
Windows 7			13.06%
Windows 11			10.07%
Windows 8.1			3.07%
Windows 8			1.38%
Windows XP			0.40%
Other			0.26%
Worldwide market share of desktop Windows versions (as of June 9, 2022^[update]) according to Statcounter.^[296] Note: the values shown are percentages of Windows marketshare only; StatCounter tracks Windows vs. other operating systems separately.

Up to August 2016, Windows 10 usage was increasing, with it then plateauing,^[297] while eventually in 2018, it became more popular than Windows 7^[298]^[299] (though Windows 7 was still more used in some countries in Asia and Africa in 2019). As of March 2020^[update], the operating system is running on over a billion devices, reaching the goal set by Microsoft two years after the initial deadline.^[22]

Twenty-four hours after it was released, Microsoft announced that over 14 million devices were running Windows 10.^[300] On August 26, Microsoft said over 75 million devices were running Windows 10, in 192 countries, and on over 90,000 unique PC or tablet models.^[301] According to Terry Myerson, there were over 110 million devices running Windows 10 as of October 6, 2015.^[302] On January 4, 2016, Microsoft reported that Windows 10 had been activated on over 200 million devices since the operating system's launch in July 2015.^[303]^[304]

According to StatCounter, Windows 10 overtook Windows 8.1 in December 2015.^[305]^[306]Iceland was the first country where Windows 10 was ranked first (not only on the desktop, but across all platforms),^[307] with several larger European countries following. For one week in late November 2016, Windows 10 overtook first rank from Windows 7 in the United States, before losing it again.^[308] By February 2017, Windows 10 was losing market share to Windows 7.^[309]

In mid-January 2018, Windows 10 had a slightly higher global market share than Windows 7,^[298] with it noticeably more popular on weekends,^[310] while popularity varies widely by region, e.g. Windows 10 was then still behind in Africa^[311] and far ahead in some other regions e.g. Oceania.^[312]

Update system changes[edit]

Windows 10 Home is permanently set to download all updates automatically, including cumulative updates, security patches, and drivers, and users cannot individually select updates to install or not.^[313] Microsoft offers a diagnostic tool that can be used to hide updates and prevent them from being reinstalled, but only after they had been already installed, then uninstalled without rebooting the system.^[314]^[315] Tom Warren of The Verge felt that, given web browsers such as Google Chrome had already adopted such an automatic update system, such a requirement would help to keep all Windows 10 devices secure, and felt that "if you're used to family members calling you for technical support because they've failed to upgrade to the latest Windows service pack or some malware disabled Windows Update then those days will hopefully be over."^[316]

Concerns were raised that because of these changes, users would be unable to skip the automatic installation of updates that are faulty or cause issues with certain system configurations—although build upgrades will also be subject to public beta testing via Windows Insider program.^[314]^[316] There were also concerns that the forced installation of driver updates through Windows Update, where they were previously designated as "optional", could cause conflicts with drivers that were installed independently of Windows Update. An example of such a situation occurred prior to the general release of the operating system, when an Nvidiagraphics card driver that was automatically pushed to Windows 10 users via Windows Update caused issues that prevented the use of certain functions, or prevented their system from booting at all.^[314]

Criticism was also directed towards Microsoft's decision to no longer provide specific details on the contents of cumulative updates for Windows 10.^[317] On February 9, 2016, Microsoft retracted this decision and began to provide release notes for cumulative updates on the Windows website.^[318]

Some users reported that during the installation of the November upgrade, some applications (particularly utility programs such as CPU-Z and Speccy) were automatically uninstalled during the upgrade process, and some default programs were reset to Microsoft-specified defaults (such as Photos app, and Microsoft Edge for PDF viewing), both without warning.^[319]^[320]

Further issues were discovered upon the launch of the Anniversary Update ("Redstone"), including a bug that caused some devices to freeze (but addressed by cumulative update KB3176938, released on August 31, 2016),^[321]^[322] and that fundamental changes to how Windows handles webcams had caused many to stop working.^[323]

In June 2017, a Redstone 3 Insider build (RS_EDGE_CASE in PC and rs_IoT