The best Windows ever
Be more productive and creative with 3D tools, cross-device experiences, and more.
Best for personal or household use.
- Fast start-up and Windows Hello for password free sign-ins [1]
- Windows Mixed Reality for exploring new worlds, going to top destinations, and playing immersive games [2]
- My People for easy access to key contacts, drag and drop sharing and sending animated emojis
- Windows Ink for creating lists, sticky notes and drawings, writing directly on your screen, and working smarter on Office documents [3][5]
- 4K gaming, DirectX 12 graphics, Mixer broadcasting, and a more intuitive Game mode [4]
- Paint 3D and Remix 3D for seeing 3D creations in your world, or enhancing photos, videos and Office documents [5]
- The reimagined Photos app for creating videos with soundtrack, transitions, 3D effects, and Windows Ink
- Microsoft Edge for longer battery life, 4K Ultra HD and Dolby Audio, and organizing the web your way
- Cortana, your personal digital assistant [6]
Best for small businesses or users needing enhanced functionality.
All of the features of Windows 10 Home, plus:
- Get built-in protection from security threats at no extra cost with BitLocker, Windows Defender Antivirus and more
- Access all your files, folders and apps from virtually anywhere on any device with remote desktop
- Choose deferred updates so you can decide when and how to update your devices
- Connect to your school, business, or corporate network via the cloud with Azure Active Directory
- Create and run virtual machines with Hyper-V [7]
- Make use of powerful management tools for single sign on and more control over your devices
Microsoft Windows brings together everything you do - from mobile apps for your business, to Office productivity work, to searching and browsing, to accessing all your data from anywhere.
Windows 10
Windows 10 Fundamentals
Existing Fundamentals
Existing differentiated management and security features
Windows 10 management features
Management and Deployment
Enhanced management features to empower device and app management and deployment
Windows 10 security features
Security
Delivers critical security capabilities, system and app updates, and the compatibility you need to secure your devices and infrastructure from modern threats
Windows 10 "servicing" features
Delivering Windows as Service
Stay up to Date with Windows
Upgrade To Windows 10
An upgrade moves your PC from a previous version of Windows—such as Windows 7 or Windows 8.1—to Windows 10. An upgrade can take place on your existing device, though Microsoft recommends using Windows 10 on a new PC to take advantage of the latest features and security improvements. This FAQ is intended to answer questions about upgrading to Windows 10.
Upgrade to Windows 10 Questions
The time that is required to upgrade to Windows 10 depends on factors such as the age of your device and how it’s configured. Most devices will take about an hour to upgrade as soon as the download is completed. Although older devices could take longer, some newer, high-performance devices might upgrade faster.
Devices with a 32 GB hard drive or older devices with full hard drives might need additional storage space to complete the upgrade. If you don’t have sufficient space, try removing files or apps you no longer need or use Disk Cleanup to free up space.
During the upgrade, you might be asked to free up space on your device or attach an external drive with sufficient space to continue with the upgrade. If you attach an external drive, make sure to keep it in a safe place after the upgrade in case you need it for recovery options.
Some apps have to be uninstalled because they could cause problems with the upgrade process. You'll be able to reinstall these apps after the upgrade to Windows 10 is done.
Other apps have to be uninstalled because they won't work correctly or might not work at all with Windows 10.
You won't be able to reinstall or use these apps after the upgrade is completed.
For the best possible experience, we recommend doing a fresh installation of your applications on your new Windows 10 PC. The Microsoft Store has a variety of 3rd party applications that can be easily downloaded and installed.
For any software not currently available in the Microsoft Store, we recommend going to that company’s official website and downloading the Windows 10 version from there. In limited circumstances, some older software may not have an updated version that is compatible with Windows 10.
The easiest way to change your language is to upgrade using the same language you currently have on your PC and then add a new language later.
To add new languages in Windows 10, select Start> Settings> Time & Language > Language and then choose the language you want.
No, Windows Media Center isn’t available as part of Windows 10 and will be removed during the upgrade. After the upgrade is completed you won't be able to install Windows Media Center.