Microsoft Windows

Windows is a <a href="/facts/Product_lining/CXJV5fV9">product line</a> of <a href="/facts/Proprietary_software/9zcskxYL">proprietary</a> <a href="/facts/Graphical_user_interface/wBlQFWDP">graphical</a> <a href="/facts/Operating_system/8XTuvMh2">operating systems</a> developed and marketed by <a href="/facts/Microsoft/nGIDDXdx">Microsoft</a>. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sectors of the computing industry – Windows (unqualified) for a consumer or corporate <a href="/facts/Workstation/h5tK4hTt">workstation</a>, <a href="/facts/Windows_Server/5t7XxyUV">Windows Server</a> for a <a href="/facts/Server_(computing)/dEaYFD7r">server</a> and <a href="/facts/Windows_IoT/gQLmd4aw">Windows IoT</a> for an <a href="/facts/Embedded_system/a4muX1wU">embedded system</a>. Windows is sold as either a consumer <a href="/facts/Retail/unzV9sPF">retail</a> product or licensed to <a href="/facts/Original_equipment_manufacturer/hmUhIWaS">third-party hardware manufacturers</a> who sell products <a href="/facts/Software_bundles/MnzFSlJ1">bundled</a> with Windows.
The first version of Windows, <a href="/facts/Windows_1.0/SfHQ6bIE">Windows 1.0</a>, was released on November 20, 1985, as a graphical <a href="/facts/Operating_system_shell/Sa67elS7">operating system shell</a> for <a href="/facts/MS-DOS/fVrrz1uN">MS-DOS</a> in response to the growing interest in <a href="/facts/Graphical_user_interface/wBlQFWDP">graphical user interfaces</a> (GUIs). The name "Windows" is a reference to the <a href="/facts/Windowing_system/nKYmkjP6">windowing system</a> in GUIs. The 1990 release of <a href="/facts/Windows_3.0/AmCtP94m">Windows 3.0</a> catapulted its market success and led to various other product families, including the now-defunct <a href="/facts/Windows_9x/f1zwlghw">Windows 9x</a>, <a href="/facts/Windows_Mobile/YfskR7FS">Windows Mobile</a>, <a href="/facts/Windows_Phone/khEg0rGT">Windows Phone</a>, and <a href="/facts/Windows_Embedded_Compact/bMUhjgqQ">Windows CE/Embedded Compact</a>. Windows is the <a href="/facts/Usage_share_of_operating_systems/zcuukwfc">most popular desktop operating system</a> in the world, with a 70% <a href="/facts/Market_share/kvXSlhlB">market share</a> as of March 2023, according to <a href="/facts/StatCounter/AptgfdPv">StatCounter</a>; however when including <a href="/facts/Mobile_operating_system/wysBVca1">mobile operating systems</a>, it is in second place, behind <a href="/facts/Android_(operating_system)/nNyHb0xz">Android</a>.
The most recent version of Windows is <a href="/facts/Windows_11/J2ywV8r4">Windows 11</a> for consumer <a href="/facts/Personal_computer/koaYfNce">PCs</a> and <a href="/facts/Tablet_computer/6pGX2I7b">tablets</a>, <a href="/facts/Windows_11_Enterprise/J2ywV8r4">Windows 11 Enterprise</a> for corporations, and <a href="/facts/Windows_Server_2025/1jWbj2K2">Windows Server 2025</a> for servers. Still supported are some editions of <a href="/facts/Windows_10/be9IHehJ">Windows 10</a>, <a href="/facts/Windows_Server_2016/LBMMCjYC">Windows Server 2016</a> or later (and exceptionally with paid support down to <a href="/facts/Windows_Server_2008/hrcPjTCH">Windows Server 2008</a>).

Microsoft Windows open-in-new

Microsoft Windows