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95-609: Starting with Windows 10 , Microsoft initially used the term "Windows app" to describe Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. These were applications that could be installed from the Microsoft Store , previously known as the Windows Store . Initially, these apps were called "Trusted Windows Store apps," and later they were referred to as "Trusted Microsoft Store apps." Traditional programs designed to run on desktop computers were referred to as " desktop apps ." With

190-524: A hypervisor so that its operation remains separated from the operating system itself. 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 Alt + ↵ Enter , 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

285-515: 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 an application listing in the left column. The right column displays Windows 8-style app tiles. Myerson said that these changes would occur in a future update, but did not elaborate. Microsoft also unveiled the concept of

380-438: 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. Screenshots of

475-453: 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

570-550: A UWP app can run. UWP apps can be downloaded from Windows Store or can be sideloaded . The sideloading requirements were reduced significantly from Windows 8.x to 10, but the app must still be signed by a trusted digital certificate that chains to a root certificate . Metro-style apps are suspended when they are closed; suspended apps are terminated automatically as needed by a Windows app manager. Dynamic tiles, background components and contracts (interfaces for interacting with other apps) may require an app to be activated before

665-572: A Windows build purported to be Threshold were leaked in July 2014, showing the previously presented Start menu and windowed Windows Store apps, 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. On September 30, 2014, Microsoft officially announced that Threshold would be unveiled during

760-534: A Windows ecosystem. They need permission to access hardware devices such as webcams , microphones or their file system which is restricted to user folders, such as My Documents . Microsoft further moderates these programs and may remove them from the Windows Store if they are discovered to have security or privacy issues. Windows 10 Windows 10 is a major release of Microsoft 's Windows NT operating system. The successor to Windows 8.1 , it

855-523: A color printout of a person's picture taken with an IR camera. 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. 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,

950-434: A contract with Microsoft that allows them to sideload their line-of-business Metro-style apps, circumventing Windows Store. Also, major web browser vendors are selectively exempted from this rule, they are allowed to circumvent Microsoft guidelines and Windows Store and run a Metro-style version of themselves if the user chooses to make their product the default web browser. Windows RT requires all installed apps to be from

1045-643: A departure from what had been dubbed "Windows as a service". 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

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1140-477: 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

1235-407: A few similar features of its own: Windows 3.0 first introduced a window switcher in 1990. Using Alt + Tab ↹ , users could see a flattened view of all open windows. Every version of Windows since then has also provided this window switching functionality. Windows Vista and Windows 7 provide an additional feature called Windows Flip 3D , which has a broadly similar purpose. Flip 3D allows

1330-402: A free method of upgrading from the now-unsupported Windows 7. This free upgrade method was officially closed by Microsoft on September 20, 2023. However, as of 2024, there are some reports that it still works, under certain conditions. 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

1425-457: 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

1520-458: A loophole to fraudulently obtain a free Windows 10 upgrade. Microsoft said that the offer is not intended to be used in this manner. In November 2017, Microsoft announced that this program would end on December 31, 2017. However, another method was found that allowed Windows 7 and 8/8.1 users to upgrade to Windows 10 using existing licenses, even though the free upgrade offers officially ended in 2017. Some outlets have continued to promote it as

1615-541: 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. 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. Despite these concessions, Myerson noted that

1710-435: A more "personal" experience to users. 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". 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

1805-437: A new standards -compliant rendering engine derived from Trident , and also includes annotation tools and integration with other Microsoft platforms present within Windows 10. 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. The initial version of Edge

1900-409: A non-genuine version were possible, they result in a non-genuine copy of   10. 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 genuineticket.xml file is created in the background and

1995-561: A particular child is using. 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

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2090-470: 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. 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

2185-572: A public API that allows any application to access the same thumbnail representations that Flip3D uses, and so there are a number of third party add-ons that are able to provide this functionality in Vista. A very few third-party applications, such as the Emcee Desktop Organizer, provide organization of similar windows into visual "stacks," or support Windows 8 's "Immersive" Apps. Microsoft's Intellipoint Software for Microsoft Mice has

2280-534: A similar brand, such as OneDrive , OneNote , and the Xbox One ) because Windows 1.0 already existed. 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

2375-492: A single button. 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. Since

2470-418: 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

2565-707: A user starts it. Invoking an arbitrary Metro-style app or UWP app from the command line was first introduced in the Insider build 16226 of Windows 10, which was released on 21 June 2017. Traditionally, Windows software is developed using the Windows API . Software has access to the Windows API with no arbitrary restrictions. Developers were free to choose their own programming language and development tools . Metro-style apps can only be developed using Windows Runtime (WinRT). (Note that not every app using WinRT

2660-445: A user to flip through all open windows with a 3D perspective. A downside to this method is that the front most window covers a significant portion of the other windows. On the other hand, this allows the user to see the contents of the front most window, while this can be difficult in similar applications that show the open windows in a grid, especially if the user has a large number of windows open. Vista's Desktop Window Manager exposes

2755-465: A version of Windows 10 for ARM processors was released. Windows 10 received generally positive reviews upon its original release, with praise given to the return of the desktop interface, improved bundled software compared to Windows 8.1, and other capabilities. However, media outlets had been critical to behavioral changes of the system like mandatory update installation, privacy concerns over data collection and adware -like tactics used to promote

2850-623: 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). 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

2945-438: 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"). The Windows system icons were also changed. Charms have been removed; their functionality in universal apps is accessed from an App commands menu on their title bar. In its place is Action Center, which displays notifications and settings toggles. It

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3040-702: Is a file format used to distribute and install apps on Windows 8.x, 10, 11, Windows Phone 8.1, Windows 10 Mobile, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Hololens, and Windows 10 IoT Core. APPX was originally the only installation system allowed for UWP apps, replacing the XAP file format on Windows Phone 8.1 , in an attempt to unify the distribution of apps for Windows Phone and Windows 8. APPX files are only compatible with Windows Phone 8.1 and later versions, and with Windows 8 and later versions. The Windows Phone 8.x Marketplace allowed users to download APPX files to an SD Card and install them manually. In contrast, sideloading of UWP apps

3135-613: Is a task switcher and virtual desktop system introduced in Windows 10 and is among the first features new to Windows 10 . Task View allows a user to quickly locate an open window, quickly hide all windows and show the desktop, and to manage windows across multiple monitors or virtual desktops. Clicking the Task View button on the taskbar or swiping from the left side of the screen displays all open windows and allows users to switch between them, or switch between multiple workspaces. It

3230-429: Is a Metro-style app.) A limited subset of WinRT is available for also conventional desktop apps. Calling a forbidden API disqualifies the app from appearing on Windows Store. Metro-style apps can only be developed using Microsoft's own development tools. According to Allen Bauer, Chief Scientist of Embarcadero Technologies , there are APIs that every computer program must call but Microsoft has forbidden them, except when

3325-470: 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. 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:

3420-781: 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. Windows 10 also allows users to control and play games from an Xbox One console over a local network. 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. 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. Task View (Windows) Task View

3515-484: Is also the most-used traditional PC operating system. Windows 10 was succeeded by Windows 11 , which was released on October 5, 2021. Windows 10 is the last version of Microsoft Windows that supports 32-bit processors ( IA-32 and ARMv7-based ). Furthermore, it's the last non- IoT edition to officially support BIOS firmware . It's also the last to officially support systems with TPM 1.2 or without any TPM at all. Support for Windows 10 editions which are not in

3610-621: Is especially the case with video games. Apps designed for Windows 8.x look significantly different from those designed for Windows 10 and 11. UWP apps can also look almost identical to traditional desktop apps, using the same legacy UI controls from Windows versions dating back to Windows 95. These are legacy desktop apps that are converted to the UWP apps and distributed using the APPX file format. In Windows 10, most UWP apps, even those designed for Windows 8.x, are run in floating windows, and users can use

3705-529: 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   8.1, the Insider Preview does remain activated as long as the user does not exit the Windows Insider program. The offer was promoted and delivered via the "Get Windows   10" application (also known as GWX), which

3800-426: 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

3895-761: Is not supported; a clean installation is required. 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. At retail, Windows 10

Universal Windows Platform apps - Misplaced Pages Continue

3990-411: 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. Retail copies only ship on USB flash drive media; however, system builder copies still ship as DVD-ROM media. New devices shipping with Windows   10 were also released during

4085-692: The Bash shell and 64-bit command-line programs (WSL 2 also supports 32-bit Linux programs and graphics, assuming supporting software installed, and GPUs support for other uses ). 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. To reduce

4180-688: The Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) is set to end on October 14, 2025. 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 , smartphones , 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." In December 2013, technology writer Mary Jo Foley reported that Microsoft

4275-520: The Universal Windows Platform (UWP) 10 API for developing universal apps. Apps that take advantage of this platform are developed with Visual Studio 2015 or later. Older Metro-style apps for Windows 8.1, Windows Phone 8.1 or for both (universal 8.1) need modifications to migrate to this platform. Universal apps no longer indicate having been written for a specific OS in their manifest; instead, they target one or more device families, e.g. desktop, mobile, console or Internet of Things (IoT). They react to

4370-460: The tablet -oriented approach of Windows 8, Microsoft provided the desktop-oriented interface in line with previous versions of Windows in Windows 10. Other features added include Xbox Live integration, Cortana virtual assistant, virtual desktops and the improved Settings component. Windows 10 also replaced Internet Explorer with Microsoft Edge . As with previous versions, Windows 10 has been developed primarily for x86 processors; in 2018,

4465-426: 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 middleware toolchain 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

4560-410: 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. The Enterprise edition was released to volume licensing on August 1, 2015. Windows 10 is distributed digitally through the "Media Creation Tool", which is functionally identical to

4655-625: The Microsoft Store. Desktop software distributed through Windows Store is packaged using the App-V system to allow sandboxing . 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. A new virtual desktop system

4750-642: The November 2015 update: Messaging, Skype Video, and Phone. These offer built-in alternatives to the Skype download and sync with Windows 10 Mobile. 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

4845-407: 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. Microsoft Family Safety is replaced by Microsoft Family, a parental controls system that applies across Windows platforms and Microsoft online services. Users can create

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4940-545: 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. For major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10 OEM product keys are embedded in

5035-576: 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

5130-422: The Windows 8 online installer, and can also be used to generate an ISO image or USB install media. 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

5225-641: 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. Credentials are stored locally and protected using asymmetric encryption . In 2017, researchers demonstrated that Windows Hello could be bypassed on fully-updated Windows 10 version 1703 with

5320-441: The Windows Store, or be verified by Microsoft (most internal applications). Before Windows 8, programs were identified by their static computer icons . The Windows taskbar was responsible for representing every app that had a window while running. Metro-style apps, however, are identified by their "tiles" that can show their icon and also other dynamic contents. In addition, in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 RTM, they are not shown on

5415-463: The Windows taskbar and Task View to switch between both UWP apps and desktop apps. Windows 10 also introduced "Tablet Mode". This mode is by default disabled on desktop computers and enabled on tablet computers, but desktop users can switch it on or off manually. When the Tablet Mode is off, apps may have resizable windows and visible title bars. When the Tablet Mode is enabled, resizable apps use

5510-1095: The Windows taskbar when they run, but on a dedicated app switcher on the left side of the screen. Windows 8.1 Update added taskbar icons for Metro-style apps. There is no set limit on how many copies of desktop apps can run simultaneously. For example, one user may run as many copies of programs such as Windows Notepad , Paint or Firefox as long as the system resources can support. (Some desktop apps, such as Windows Media Player , have extra code that prevents spawning more than one instance.) However, in Windows 8, only one copy of Metro-style apps may run at any given time. True multi-instancing of these apps were not available until Windows 10 version 1803 (released in May 2018). UWP apps are designed by individuals or software companies which leads to apps having their own look and feel. However, UWP apps built specifically for Windows 10 and 11 typically appear and function differently than ones on older versions, as they use new UI controls that look different from those of previous versions of Windows. The exception to this are apps that use custom UI, which

5605-461: The app bar. In response to criticism from customers a title bar was added in Windows 8.1 , but was hidden unless users move the mouse cursor to the top of the screen. However, the Hamburger button on the title bar gives access to the charms. For most users, the only point of entry for Metro-style apps is the Windows Store . Enterprises operating a Windows domain infrastructure may enter into

5700-399: 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

5795-436: The call comes from Microsoft's own Visual C++ runtime. UWP apps developed to work on smartphones , personal computers , video game consoles and HoloLens . They were initially called universal apps because they derived their platform flexibility from the universal apps API, first introduced in Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 . Visual Studio 2013 with Update 2 could be used to develop these apps. Windows 10 introduced

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5890-511: The capabilities that become available to the device. A universal app may run on both a mobile phone and a tablet and provide a suitable experience. The universal app running on the mobile phone may start behaving the way it would on a tablet when the phone is connected to a monitor or a suitable docking station . UWP is an extension of Windows Runtime and has access to WinRT APIs, although whether UWP apps can take advantage of WinRT APIs depends on their programming language and its tooling. APPX

5985-449: The compressed WIM image typically used for installation and recovery. 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. Windows 10 introduces Microsoft Edge , a new default web browser . It initially featured

6080-806: 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, titled "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, along with HoloLens ‑ augmented reality eyewear and an associated platform for building apps that can render holograms through HoloLens. Additional developer-oriented details surrounding

6175-470: 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. Universal calling and messaging apps for Windows 10 are built in as of

6270-454: The entire height of the screen but only part of its width. They have no title bar, system menu, window borders or control buttons. Command interfaces like scroll bars are usually hidden on start. Menus are located in the " settings charm ." Metro-style apps use the UI controls of Windows 8.x and typically follow Windows 8.x UI guidelines, such as horizontal scrolling and the inclusion of edge-UIs, like

6365-471: 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

6460-519: 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 ). 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 Microsoft Store apps inside desktop windows and

6555-680: The iOS version, was demonstrated, alongside the announcement that the King -developed game would be bundled with Windows 10 at launch. At the 2015 Ignite conference , Microsoft employee Jerry Nixon stated that Windows 10 would be the "last version of Windows", a statement reflecting the company's intent to apply the software as a service business model to Windows, with new versions and updates to be released over an indefinite period. 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, marking

6650-492: The legacy console if needed. The Anniversary Update added Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which allows the installation of a user space environment from a supported Linux distribution 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

6745-478: The much-simpler Windows PINs to be resilient to brute-force attacks . 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. The enterprise edition of Windows 10 offers additional security features; administrators can set up policies for

6840-450: The need for such a milestone. 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. 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

6935-423: 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). Developers can allow "cross-buys", where purchased licenses for an app apply to all of the user's compatible devices, rather than only

7030-490: 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). The ARM version of Windows 10 allows running applications for x86 processors through 32-bit software emulation. On Windows 10, the Microsoft Store serves as a unified storefront for apps, video content, and eBooks. Windows 10 also allows web apps and desktop software (using either Win32 or .NET Framework ) to be packaged for distribution on

7125-400: The operating system on its release. Microsoft initially aimed to have Windows 10 installed on over one billion devices within three years of its release; that goal was ultimately reached almost five years after release on March 16, 2020, and it had surpassed Windows 7 as the most popular version of Windows worldwide by January 2018, which remains to be the case in 2024, and with a 46% share

7220-710: The operating system's launch window. Windows RT devices cannot be upgraded to Windows   10. During its first year of availability, 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. 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   8/8.1 license, were ineligible for this promotion; although upgrades from

7315-468: The release of the Windows 10, version 1903 , there was a shift in the terminology. Microsoft began using the term "Apps" to refer to both UWP apps and desktop apps indiscriminately. This change aimed to unify the naming convention for all types of applications. Note that UWP is primarily used in Microsoft 's developer documentation to specifically refer to the platform itself. Microsoft also introduced

7410-465: 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,

7505-492: 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. Windows 10 makes its user experience and functionality more consistent between different classes of device, and addresses many shortcomings of

7600-595: 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. Because of installation issues with Upgrade Only installs,

7695-544: 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. Windows 10 incorporates multi-factor authentication technology based upon standards developed by the FIDO Alliance . The operating system includes improved support for biometric authentication through

7790-423: The term "Windows Runtime app" retrospectively to describe the precursors of UWP apps, as there was previously no clear and unambiguous name for them. UWP apps first became available under the name "Metro-style apps" in 2012 and were marketed with Windows 8 . In Windows 8.x, Metro-style apps do not run in a window . Instead, they either occupy the entire screen or are snapped to one side, in which case they occupy

7885-425: The touch-optimized interface would evolve as well on Windows 10. 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." He also joked that they could not call it "Windows One" (referring to several recent Microsoft products with

7980-595: The user interface introduced in Windows 8 . Windows 10 Mobile , the successor to Windows Phone 8.1 , shared some user interface elements and apps with its PC counterpart. 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

8075-409: The windowing system similar to that of Metro-style apps on Windows 8.x in that they are forced to either occupy the whole screen or be snapped to one side. UWP apps in Windows 10 can open in multiple windows. Microsoft Edge, Calculator, and Photos are examples of apps that allow this. Windows 10 v1803 (released in May 2018) added true multi-instancing capabilities, so that multiple independent copies of

8170-407: 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

8265-620: Was released to manufacturing on July 15, 2015, and later to retail on July 29, 2015. 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 Microsoft Store , and to Windows 7 users via Windows Update . Unlike previous Windows NT releases, Windows 10 receives new builds on an ongoing basis, which are available at no additional cost to users; devices in enterprise environments can alternatively use long-term support milestones that only receive critical updates, such as security patches . In contrast to

8360-401: 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. Universal apps, which previously could be used only in full screen mode, can now be used in self-contained windows similarly to other programs. Program windows can now be snapped to quadrants of the screen by dragging them to the corner. When

8455-622: 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. 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

8550-400: Was first previewed on September 30, 2014, at a Windows 10 press event in downtown San Francisco . A redesigned Task View with support for giving different wallpapers on each desktop has been introduced in Windows 11 . Similar effects are used on other operating systems and programs like X Window System , macOS 's Mission Control , GNOME 3, and ChromeOS . However, Microsoft has provided

8645-569: Was later succeeded by a new iteration derived from the Chromium Project and Blink layout engine , which replaced the previous EdgeHTML -based version of Edge (renamed "Microsoft Edge Legacy"), and is bundled with the OS by default from build 20H2 onwards. Windows 10 incorporates a universal search box located alongside the Start and Task View buttons, which can be hidden or condensed into

8740-521: Was prohibited on Windows 8.x, unless the user had a developers license or was in a business domain. Windows 10 version 1709 and Windows Server 2019 LTSC introduced a new installation package format called MSIX , which is intended to be a replacement for both the APPX format and the Windows Installer (.msi) desktop application installation format. MSIX is now the preferred way of distributing UWP apps. An open source project called MSIX Core

8835-482: 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 Edge web browser , a virtual desktop system,

8930-475: Was started to provide MSIX support for Windows versions earlier than Windows 10 version 1709. Traditional Windows applications generally have the power to use and change their ecosystem however they want to. Windows user account rights, User Account Control and antivirus software attempt to keep this ability in check and notify the user when the app tries to use it, possibly for malicious purposes. UWP apps, however, are sandboxed and cannot permanently change

9025-401: Was working on an update to Windows 8 codenamed "Threshold", after a planet in its Halo franchise. Similarly to "Blue" (which became Windows 8.1 ), 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

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