Windows 10

Windows 10 is a version of the Windows NT operating system made by Microsoft. It came after Windows 8.1 and was released on July 29, 2015. People with older Windows versions like Windows 7 could upgrade to it for free.

Windows 10 brought back the familiar desktop style and the Start menu that many users liked. It also added new features such as the Cortana virtual assistant, Task View and virtual desktops, and Action Center. A new web browser called Microsoft Edge replaced Internet Explorer.

Windows 10 was liked for bringing back the desktop interface and improving the software. Some people had concerns about updates and privacy. By March 2020, Windows 10 was used on over a billion devices. As of April 2026, it is the second-most-used version of Windows.

Development

At the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in 2011, a leader from Microsoft talked about their plan to create one system that works on computers, phones, and tablets. In 2013, reports said Microsoft was working on an update to Windows 8, called "Threshold". This update would work across many devices.

In 2014, Microsoft showed an early version of Windows 10. It included a new menu like the one in Windows 7. They also talked about making programs that could run on Windows phones and game consoles like Xbox.

On September 30, 2014, Microsoft announced Windows 10. They said it would be their biggest system yet, working on many types of devices.

In January 2015, they showed more features like a digital helper named Cortana and special glasses that let users see digital images mixed with the real world.

Microsoft said Windows 10 would keep getting updates over time instead of being a one-time version. Later, they announced that Windows 10 would be replaced by Windows 11, and support for Windows 10 would end on October 14, 2025.

On July 29, 2015, Windows 10 was released as a free update for people using Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. It could be downloaded from the Internet or put on a special tool to install. People could also buy copies on USB drives or DVDs.

During the first year, people could get Windows 10 for free if they had a real copy of Windows 7 or 8.1.

Licensing

When you upgrade to Windows 10, you get a "Digital license" instead of a product key. This license is linked to your computer's hardware. If you reinstall Windows 10 and your computer's main parts stay the same, like the motherboard, it can usually activate itself without a product key. But if you change big parts of your computer, you might need to reactivate Windows. Retail copies of Windows 10 still come with unique product keys.

Features

Main article: Features new to Windows 10

See also: List of features removed in Windows 10

Windows 10 made its look and how it works more the same on different devices. It fixed many issues from Windows 8. The version for phones, called Windows 10 Mobile, shared some looks and apps with the version for computers.

Windows 10 supports special apps that work on many devices like PCs, tablets, smartphones, and game consoles. These apps can change how they look depending on whether you use a mouse or a touchscreen. There is a new Start menu that mixes parts of the old Windows 7 menu with tiles from Windows 8. Windows 10 also brought a new web browser, a way to organize open windows, and support for logging in using your face or fingerprint.

The system for apps was changed to work better across devices. These apps can share information between devices. They adjust how they look to fit the device they’re on and are sold through the Microsoft Store.

The version of Windows 10 for phones and tablets works differently than the one for computers. It has two modes: one for using a mouse and keyboard, and one for using touch. You can switch between these modes, and Windows can sometimes change automatically, like when you plug in or unplug a keyboard or mouse.

Windows 10 has extra safety features to keep data protected. It can use special ways to check who you are, like recognizing your face or fingerprint.

The windows you open can now be moved and sized in new ways. You can snap windows to different parts of the screen. The old way of showing extra options for apps has been replaced with a new area that shows messages and settings.

Windows 10 works better depending on what kind of device you’re using and how you control it. It has two main ways of showing things: one for when you use a mouse and keyboard, and another for when you use your fingers on a touchscreen. You can switch between these two ways whenever you want, and Windows might even change automatically sometimes. When you’re using touch, programs usually open to fill the whole screen.

The basic parts of Windows 10 can be made smaller to save space. This can free up extra room on your computer. Windows also has tools to help you see how much space different types of files are using.

Windows 10 comes with a new web browser called Microsoft Edge. It has tools to help with reading web pages and works with many of Microsoft’s other products. The old browser, Internet Explorer, is still there for some things but is no longer the main one.

Windows 10 has a special box where you can search for things, and it also includes a helper that can give answers to questions, set reminders, and find files.

Windows 10 has a system to help families keep track of what children are doing online. Parents can set up rules for things like what websites children can visit and what games they can buy.

Windows 10 also has a feature that can help you connect to public Wi‑Fi networks more easily. It can suggest networks and even let you share your home Wi‑Fi password with friends.

Windows 10 works better with games from Xbox. You can control and play Xbox games right from your computer if they’re connected on the same network. Windows 10 also lets you record games as you play them and save clips to share.

Windows 10 can play more types of music and video files than before. It also works better with Xbox games and has special tools to make games run faster.

Windows 10 includes three new writing styles that were not in Windows 8.

Editions and pricing

Windows 10 has five main versions for personal computers. The Home version is for everyday users. The Pro version is for more advanced users and small businesses. Pro has extra features like better security tools and can connect to a work network. There are also Enterprise and Education versions for businesses, which need special licensing to use.

Windows 10 also has versions for phones, tablets, and small devices used in technology networks. In 2017, Microsoft introduced Windows 10 S for schools, which only allows apps from the Microsoft Store. Later, this became "S Mode," which works the same way but can be changed without extra cost.

Support lifecycle

Windows 10 has a plan for updates and support. It started with five years of regular updates and then five more years of extra help. But in February 2018, this changed. After that, each version got support for 18 or 30 months, depending on its type.

Standard versions of Windows 10 will stop getting updates on October 14, 2025. In April 2023, Microsoft said that version 22H2 would be the last one made for Windows 10.

Hardware exceptions

To keep getting updates, a computer needs the right hardware and drivers. In 2017, some older devices called Intel Clover Trail stopped getting new updates because they didn’t meet the needed standards. These devices could still get important safety updates until January 2023.

Extended Security Updates

In December 2023, Microsoft announced extra safety updates for Windows 10 until October 2028. These updates would cost money each year. However, some people could get them for free. For example, those using Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop got free updates. Businesses paid $61 for the first year, then more each year after. Schools paid much less. Regular consumers could pay $30 for one year of updates starting in 2025. In July 2025, Microsoft also offered free updates to consumers who used a Microsoft account or saved their settings to the cloud, or who used 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. These free updates would last one year, until October 13, 2026.

Support and update branches

Updates and support

Windows 10 updates work differently from older Windows. All updates—including security fixes, new features, and driver software—are downloaded and installed automatically. You can choose if your computer will restart automatically or ask you to schedule a restart.

If your computer uses a wireless network marked as “Metered” to save data, most updates won’t download until you connect to a regular network. Some updates still happen on certain metered wired connections.

Microsoft offers a tool to remove updates that cause problems. The company says users agree to automatic updates when using Windows 10.

Windows Update can also share updates between computers. By default, your computer helps others by sharing updates it has already downloaded. You can choose to only share updates within your own home network instead.

Preview releases

See also: Windows Insider

Before Windows 10 was officially released, Microsoft offered preview versions through the Windows Insider Program starting October 1, 2014. These preview versions were for people who wanted to test new features and help find problems. People in the program got updates more often than the public and could keep testing new versions even after Windows 10 was officially released in July 2015.

Versions

Feature updates

Windows 10 is updated regularly with new features and improvements, called “feature updates.” Microsoft said these updates would come twice a year, in March and September, until version 21H2. Early versions used a year and month system like 1809 for September 2018 updates, but later versions used H1 or H2 to show the first or second half of the year.

Before version 1903, how quickly you got updates depended on your version of Windows 10. Home and Pro versions got updates after they were made public, while business versions got them later for more testing. Special versions for businesses only got important updates and had longer support times.

Starting in 2019, Microsoft changed how updates were delivered. Feature updates are no longer automatically installed for all users. After version 2004, updates are only offered to those whose current version is near the end of its support time, or they can be delayed for up to 35 days. Starting in 2021, feature updates were scheduled for October or November each year. Version 22H2, released in November 2022, was the last feature update for Windows 10.

Features in development

In May 2017, Microsoft showed a new design style called the Fluent Design System. They started adding these designs to Windows 10 updates.

In 2017, Microsoft announced plans to let Windows run on devices using ARM processors, which are often found in phones and can save power. These “Always Connected PCs” could run most Windows programs and have cell service.

In August 2019, Microsoft tested changes to how Windows works on devices that can change between laptop and tablet modes, making the screen easier to use without a keyboard.

In April 2021, a preview version of Windows allowed Linux programs with graphics to run directly. This feature became available for Windows 10 and 11 users in November 2022.

System requirements

Windows 10 needs certain hardware to work well. The requirements were similar to older Windows versions but changed a little over time. For example, the space needed on the computer's disk grew from 16 GB or 20 GB to 32 GB by May 2019. Windows also keeps about 7 GB of space free for updates.

The version that handles more tasks needs a special kind of brain for the computer, called a CPU. Small devices need extra storage, like a USB flash drive or an SD card, to help with updates.

Some tablets made by companies approved by Microsoft must have certain buttons, like a power button and volume buttons. All approved devices must have a special security feature called UEFI Secure Boot turned on by default.

Starting with newer types of processors from Intel and AMD, Windows 10 is the last version that Microsoft will support on these newer processors. This decision was talked about a lot because older versions of Windows would not work well with the newest hardware.

Windows 10 versions after 1703 do not work with certain older types of chips called Intel Clover Trail.

From version 2004, new devices made by companies must use processors that can handle more tasks, and the smaller version of Windows 10 will only be available through certain channels.

Physical memory limits

The most memory, called RAM, that Windows 10 can use changes based on the version and the type of processor.

Processor limits

Windows 10 can support different numbers of processors depending on the version. The most it can support is 1 processor for the Home version, 2 for Pro, Pro Education, and Education, and 4 for Pro for Workstations and Enterprise.

It can also support up to 32 logical processors for the smaller version and 1,280 for the larger version.

Reception

See also: Criticism of Windows 10

Windows 10 was mostly well-liked. Many people thought it was better than Windows 8. They liked its familiar look, better apps, improved speed, and strong search.

The new Edge browser was fast, but it wasn’t fully finished when it first came out.

One reviewer liked how easy it was to upgrade to Windows 10 and liked its design. They liked the voice feature Cortana because it was always ready, though not as smart as Google Now. The built-in apps were better than in Windows 8, and the Xbox app worked well for watching shows, but it worked best with a wired connection.

Some people didn’t like the new Tablet mode because it made some things harder to use. Microsoft Edge was promising but didn’t have all its features when it started. Overall, Windows 10 was called the best Windows yet, working well on many devices, but it had more problems at first than older versions.

Some people felt Windows 10 gave them fewer choices, with settings that were harder to find and updates that couldn’t be stopped. There were also complaints that the system sometimes deleted files without asking.

People also talked about Windows 10 being offered to users of older Windows versions. Some thought the free upgrade had hidden costs, like ads and extra charges in games. Others worried about the system requirements for Windows 11, saying Windows 10 was better and advising people to wait before switching.

Market share and sales

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

After Windows 10 came out, many people started using it. By August 2016, growth slowed, but by 2018, it was more popular than Windows 7. By March 2020, over a billion devices were using Windows 10.

Just one day after it was released, over 14 million devices were using Windows 10. Within a month, over 75 million devices in 192 countries were using it. By early 2016, over 200 million devices had switched to Windows 10.

Windows 10 became more popular than Windows 8.1 in December 2015. It was the most used version in many countries, though it grew slowly in places like Africa. By December 2021, Windows 10 was at its most popular at 82.5%, but started to drop after Windows 11 was released.

Update system changes

Windows 10 Home always gets updates automatically, including security fixes and drivers. Some people thought this helped keep computers safe, since web browsers also update automatically.

But some worried that users couldn’t skip bad updates, and that automatic driver updates might cause problems. Microsoft didn’t share details about updates at first, but later started sharing release notes.

Some users had trouble during updates, like apps disappearing or settings changing back. There were also problems, like webcams stopping after an update.

In 2017, a test version of Windows 10 was accidentally sent to many users, causing issues. Microsoft apologized and fixed it.

Some experts thought Windows 10 Pro wasn’t the best for big businesses because of changes in how updates and support worked.

Distribution practices

Microsoft was criticized for how it offered the free upgrade to Windows 10. They used methods that looked like ads, downloaded files without asking, and made it hard to decline. Over time, they changed some of these methods after feedback.

In 2016, a user sued Microsoft because her computer tried to upgrade to Windows 10 without her permission and caused problems for her travel agency. Microsoft first disagreed but later paid $10,000 and made the upgrade prompts clearer.

Privacy and data collection

Some people were concerned about Windows 10’s privacy. By default, it sends some information to Microsoft, like contacts and calendar data, to improve features. Users could choose not to share most of this, but some data, like error reports, still went to Microsoft and couldn’t be turned off.

Critics said Microsoft wasn’t clear enough about what data it collected. Others noted that many services today collect similar data. Some governments and users were worried, but others thought these privacy terms were normal for 2015.

Microsoft also made changes to how users set up their accounts and managed privacy settings, which caused some criticism.