In many cases, Windows Vista was noticeably more responsive than Windows XP on identical hardware. Windows Vista simplified and centralized desktop configuration management, which reduced the cost of keeping systems updated. This news doesn’t mean that Microsoft will no longer support computers running 32-bit Windows 10. Microsoft says that it will continue to update the OS with new features and security patches, and will still sell it directly to consumers. That said, if you’re still using a 32-bit processor, it may be time to upgrade — the weaker version of Windows 10 has several limitations, like capping out at 3.2GB of RAM and less stringent security measures.

Microsoft finally unveiled the next version of Windows, and it is called Windows 11. And now that Microsoft is well-poised with its product, it wants to go back to its traditional 3-year update cycle. So the idea of Windows 12 in 2024 is not entirely unfounded, and we have good reasons to believe that Windows 12 is coming. In fact, Microsoft followed this update cadence after the release of Windows Vista in 2006. After 3 years, Windows 7 was released in 2009, and Windows 8 was rolled out in 2012.

How to Downgrade Windows 10

We also have some other potentially great features like DirectStorage API. Microsoft added it in a recent update, and it promises to cut load times for games, depending upon developer implementation. For the Home version, you only have to sign in to the account during setup. You can then choose a local account for normal use of the PC. As is the case with most desktop operating systems, whether from Apple or Microsoft, the intention of a new version is to get you to buy a new computer. These tech giants are less interested in having you upgrade your existing hardware, since it doesn’t provide them any revenue. Windows 11 gets two improvements when it comes to using high dynamic range color on your compatible display.

• However, in cases where the hard drive or motherboard has failed and you’ve replaced it, you can usually get a customer support representative to help you activate Windows since it’s the same PC.
• The great thing about this method of retrieval is that it can be done at any time.
• On Windows 10, the Edge browser offers to run the installer when the download is complete.

In this case, you can find Windows version info using the alternative methods below. See our Windows definition for more information about Microsoft Windows, including its versions and history. Windows 8 users can open the “PC Info” menu to check their PC’s specifications. While the images and information above is the best way to determine the version of Windows you’re running, it’s not the only way. There’s also a command you can run on your computer that will display an About Windows screen with the Windows version included. Like other versions of Windows, you can find your Windows XP edition and architecture type from the System applet in Control Panel.

How to check your Windows PC’s specs

Windows 11 works faster than Windows 10 as Microsoft has tweaked the memory and processing functionality and now offers 32% more memory and 37% disk space compared to its predecessor. Any such rollback feature was not previously available in Windows 10 if the user decides to roll back to Windows 8.1 or Windows 7. We’re definitely not saying stick with Windows 10 forever. Windows 11 will be more stable and more secure, but stability may take time.

At the time, it was hard to imagine owning a computer on which Winamp was not installed. However, while it means you’ll get Windows 11 updates before everyone else, bear in mind that these early releases could have bugs and problems themselves. Waiting until an official release, after Windows Insiders have identified any problems for Microsoft to fix, may be a better solution for people wanting to fix any Windows 11 problems. As reported by several news outlets, an Irish subsidiary of Microsoft update based in the Republic of Ireland declared £220 bn in profits but paid no corporation tax for the year 2020. This is due to the company being tax resident in Bermuda as mentioned in the accounts for ‘Microsoft Round Island One’, a subsidiary that collects licence fees from the use of Microsoft software worldwide.