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"Windows 9" redirects here. For the series of Windows produced from 1995 to 2000, see Windows 9x.

This article is about the operating system for personal computers. For the related operating system for mobile devices, see Windows 10 Mobile.

Windows 10A version of the Windows NT operating system

Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703), showing the Start menu and Action Center
Developer | Microsoft
OS family | Microsoft Windows
Source model | Closed source and shared source (Windows Driver Frameworks is now open-source)[1]
Released to
manufacturing | July 15, 2015; 21 months ago
General
availability | July 29, 2015; 20 months ago
Latest release | 1703 (10.0.15063.250) (April 25, 2017; 9 days ago[2]) [±]
Latest preview | RS3 (10.0.16184.1001) (April 28, 2017; 6 days ago[3]) [±]
Marketing target | Personal computing
Update method | Windows Update, Windows Store, Windows Server Update Services
Platforms | IA-32, x86-64, ARM, ARM64[4][not in citation given]
Kernel type | Hybrid (Windows NT)
Userland | Windows API
.NET Framework
Universal Windows Platform
Windows Subsystem for Linux
Default user interface | Windows shell (Graphical)
License | Trialware,[5] Microsoft Software Assurance, MSDN subscription, Microsoft Imagine
Preceded by | Windows 8.1 (2013)
Official website | windows.microsoft.com
Support status
All editions except LTSB:
The latest version is always supported. Thus, a Windows 10 device is supported as long as it installs the latest update.[6]RTM LTSB:Mainstream support until October 13, 2020,Extended support until October 14, 2025[7]Version 1607 LTSB:Mainstream support until October 12, 2021Extended support until October 13, 2026[8]Part of a series on
Windows 10

New features Removed features Version history Editions Windows 10 Mobile Criticism
Related
Xbox One system software Windows Insider Windows Store Universal Windows Platform
v t e

Windows 10 is a personal computer operating system developed and released by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. It was officially unveiled in September 2014 following a brief demo at Build 2014. The first version of the operating system entered a public beta testing process in October, leading up to its consumer release on July 29, 2015.[9] Unlike previous versions of Windows, Microsoft has branded Windows 10 as a "service" that receives ongoing "feature updates"; devices in enterprise environments can receive these updates at a slower pace, or use long-term support milestones that only receive critical updates, such as security patches, over their five-year lifespan of mainstream support.[10]

Windows 10 introduces what Microsoft described as "universal apps"; expanding on Metro-style apps, these 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 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. The first release of Windows 10 also introduces a virtual desktop system, a window and desktop management feature called Task View, the Microsoft Edge web browser, support for fingerprint and face recognition login, new security features for enterprise environments, and DirectX 12 and WDDM 2.0 to improve the operating system's graphics capabilities for games.

Windows 10 received mostly positive reviews upon its original release in July 2015; critics praised Microsoft's decision to provide a desktop-oriented interface in line with previous versions of Windows, contrasting the tablet-oriented approach of 8, although Windows 10's touch-oriented user interface mode was panned for containing regressions upon the touch-oriented interface of Windows 8. Critics also praised the improvements to Windows 10's bundled software over Windows 8.1, Xbox Live integration, as well as the functionality and capabilities of Cortana personal assistant and the replacement of Internet Explorer with Microsoft Edge. However, media outlets have been critical of changes to operating system behaviors, including mandatory update installation, privacy concerns over data collection performed by the OS for Microsoft and its partners, and the adware-like tactics used to promote the operating system on its release.[11][12][13][14][15]

Microsoft aimed to have Windows 10 installed on at least one billion devices in the two to three years following its release.[10] Up to August 2016, Windows 10 usage was increasing, with it then plateauing,[16][17][18] and with previous versions of Windows declining in their share of total usage as measured by web traffic. The operating system is running on more than 400 million active devices[19] and has an estimated usage share of 27.72% on traditional PCs[17] and 12.53% across all platforms (PC, mobile, tablet, and console).[16]