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Original Windows logo from 1985Current Windows logo (introduced in 2021)
Timeline showing releases of Windows for personal computers and servers
Microsoft Windows is a computer operating system developed by Microsoft. It was first launched in 1985 as a graphical operating system built on MS-DOS. The initial version was followed by several subsequent releases, and by the early 1990s, the Windows line had split into two separate lines of releases: Windows 9x for consumers and Windows NT for businesses and enterprises. In the following years, several further variants of Windows would be released: Windows CE in 1996 for embedded systems; Pocket PC in 2000 (renamed to Windows Mobile in 2003 and Windows Phone in 2010) for personal digital assistants and, later, smartphones; Windows Holographic in 2016 for AR/VR headsets; and several other editions.
Personal computer versions
A "personal computer" version of Windows is considered to be a version that end-users or OEMs can install on personal computers, including desktop computers, laptops, and workstations.
The first five versions of Windows–Windows 1.0, Windows 2.0, Windows 2.1, Windows 3.0, and Windows 3.1–were all based on MS-DOS, and were aimed at both consumers and businesses. However, Windows 3.1 had two separate successors, splitting the Windows line in two: the consumer-focused "Windows 9x" line, consisting of Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me; and the professional Windows NT line, comprising Windows NT 3.1, Windows NT 3.5, Windows NT 3.51, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000. These two lines were reunited into a single line with the NT-based Windows XP; this Windows release succeeded both Windows Me and Windows 2000 and had separate editions for consumer and professional use. Since Windows XP, multiple further versions of Windows have been released, the most recent of which is Windows 11. Since Windows 10, Microsoft has effectively turned to the "Windows as a service" servicing model, most likely to ensure it competes with mobile operating systems.
List of Microsoft Windows versions for personal computers
Mobile versions refer to versions of Windows that can run on smartphones or personal digital assistants.
Pocket PC 2000 logoLogo used for Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 7.8Logo used for Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 8.1Logo used for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile
Windows MultiPoint Server was an operating system based on Windows Server. It was succeeded by the MultiPoint Services role in Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server version 1709. It was no longer being developed in Windows Server version 1803 and later versions.
Main article: Windows RTWindows RT logoThe Surface RT (shown with keyboard cover attached) was the flagship Windows RT device upon its release.
In 2012 and 2013, Microsoft released versions of Windows specially designed to run on ARM-based tablets; these versions of Windows, named "Windows RT" and "Windows RT 8.1," were based on Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, respectively. Upon the release of Windows 10 in 2015, the ARM-specific version for large tablets was discontinued; large tablets (such as the Surface Pro 4) were only released with x86 processors and could run the full version of Windows 10. Windows 10 Mobile had the ability to be installed on smaller tablets (up to nine inches); however, very few such tablets were released, and Windows 10 Mobile primarily ended up only running on smartphones until its discontinuation. In 2017, the full version of Windows 10 gained the ability to run on ARM, thus rendering a specific version of Windows for ARM-based tablets unnecessary.
Microsoft originally announced the Surface Hub, an interactive whiteboard, in January 2015. The Surface Hub family of devices runs a custom variant of Windows 10 known as Windows 10 Team.
Tablet computer running a "Tablet PC Edition" of Windows XP
Two versions of Windows XP were released that were optimized for tablets. Beginning with Windows Vista, all tablet-specific components were included in the main version of the operating system.
Originally announced at the 1991 Microsoft Professional Developers Conference, Cairo was the codename of a project whose charter was to build technologies for a next-generation operating system that would fulfill Bill Gates's vision of "information at your fingertips". Cairo never shipped, although portions of its technologies have since appeared in other products.
Neptune, based on the Windows 2000 codebase, was planned to be the first version of Microsoft Windows NT to have a consumer edition variant. A version was sent out to testers but was never released. The teams working on Neptune and Odyssey eventually combined to work on Windows XP.
Blackcomb was originally planned to be a release of Windows following Windows XP. However, due to the large feature scope planned for Blackcomb, a smaller release codenamed "Longhorn" was planned first, and Blackcomb was delayed to 2003/2004. Both projects faced delays; Longhorn would go on to be released to consumers as "Windows Vista" in January 2007, while development on Blackcomb continued until the Blackcomb project was renamed "Vienna" in early 2006.
Vienna replaced Blackcomb and was intended as Windows Vista's successor. Vienna was eventually cancelled in favor of a new project codenamed "Windows 7" (which went on to be released in 2009 with the same name).
Microsoft had been reported as working on a new "lite" version of Windows as early as December 2018. Such a version was officially announced under the name "Windows 10X" at an event in October 2019; the operating system was intended to first launch on dual-screen devices. In May 2020, Microsoft announced that Windows 10X would instead be launching on single-screen PCs, such as laptops and 2-in-1 devices, first. However, on May 18, 2021, Microsoft announced that Windows 10X would not be launching (at least not in 2021); many of its features were instead rolled into Windows 11.
Cancelled mobile versions
Codename
Intended name
Discontinuation
Notes
Photon
Windows Mobile 7
September 2008
Originally a successor of Windows Mobile, it had been scrapped for Windows Phone 7
Phoenix
—
Early 2017
Cancelled when Microsoft "wound down" its phone efforts.
Andromeda
—
Mid-2018
Much of the work that was put into Andromeda was migrated into Santorini. The Surface Duo, a dual-screen Android-powered smartphone launched by Microsoft in 2020, was loosely based on the prototype hardware that had been used to test Andromeda.
^ Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 originally had the build number 6000 when they were first released; the build number was increased by one with each of the two subsequent Service Packs.
^ Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 originally had the build number 7600 when they were first released; the build number was increased to 7601 with the release of Service Pack 1.
Announcement date
Retroactively referred to as Threshold 1
The core of Windows 11 version 21H2 is codenamed Cobalt; the "Sun Valley" codename refers to the UI layer of Windows 11 version 21H2 and is commonly used to address Windows 11 version 21H2 as a whole.
^ The end-of-support date listed in the table refers to Home and Pro editions. Specific versions and editions of Windows 11 have different end of support dates; see template:Windows 11 versions for a breakdown of dates by version and edition.
The core of Windows 11 version 22h2 is codenamed Nickel; the "Sun Valley 2" codename refers to the UI layer of Windows 11 version 22H2.
Originally named "Windows Phone 7 Series"
Between versions 1709 and 20H2 of Windows Server, the "Windows Server Essentials" edition of Windows Server was only included in Windows Server 2019.
Nashville was originally codenamed Cleveland.
July 2007 is when it was reported that the Vista's successor was codenamed "7", rather than "Vienna", indicating that Vienna's discontinuation had occurred by then. However, Vienna may have been cancelled prior to then.
While Santorini was the general codename for Windows 10X, Centaurus was the specific codename for Windows 10X on foldable PCs and Pegasus was the codename for Windows 10X on "traditional" PCs (such as laptops or 2-in-1 computers).
^ Date refers to when the cancellation of the operating system was announced. The decision for the operating system to be cancelled may have occurred prior to then.
Martens, China (July 22, 2005). "Update:Microsoft's Longhorn becomes Windows Vista". IDG Communications, Inc. Retrieved 13 June 2021. Microsoft Corp. has announced the official name for its upcoming operating system, previously known under the code name Longhorn. The operating system, now due out in 2006, will be called Windows Vista
O'Brien, Terrence (19 July 2019). "Microsoft drops the Blue codename, confirms Windows 8.1 will be a free upgrade available later this year". Engadget. Retrieved 30 April 2023. One of the worst kept secrets rattling around Microsoft's campus is Windows Blue, the forthcoming update to Windows 8 that addresses users' bugbears about the OS. Now, Microsoft is officially rechristening the platform, and with a more staid name: Windows 8.1.
Foley, Mary Jo. "Microsoft starts rolling out IE 6 for Windows Mobile". ZDNET. Retrieved 23 September 2022. The new IE 6 bits were released on November 11 as part of the Windows Mobile 6.1.4 release from Microsoft's Download Center Web site.
Bowden, Zac (September 18, 2020). "Project Andromeda:The secret history of Windows on Surface Duo". Windows Central. Future US, Inc. Retrieved 16 July 2021. Microsoft had originally planned to ship CShell on Windows 10 Mobile under the codename Pheonix [sic], but that plan very quickly went away once the company decided to wind down its existing phone efforts in early 2017.
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Original Windows logo from 1985
Current Windows logo (introduced in 2021)
Pocket PC 2000 logo
Logo used for Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 7.8.svg){kind=logo}
Logo used for Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 8.1
Logo used for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile
Windows RT logo
The Surface RT (shown with keyboard cover attached) was the flagship Windows RT device upon its release.
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