Editing Microsoft Windows (section)

{{Short description|Computer operating systems}}
{{Redirect|Windows|the part of a building|Window|other uses}}
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{{More citations needed|date=December 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022|cs1-dates=l}}
{{Infobox OS
| name = Windows
| logo = Windows logo and wordmark - 2021.svg
| logo size = 270px
| logo caption = Logo as of October 2021
| screenshot = 
| caption = Screenshot showing the new Start menu and centered taskbar, with the Search box open
| developer = [[Microsoft]]
| released = {{Start date and age|1985|11|20}}
| language = 110 languages
| package manager = [[Windows Installer]] (.msi, .msp),<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Su |first1=Christy |last2=Xu |first2=Simonx |date=2021-11-25 |title=FAQ about the Windows Installer .msp files - Dynamics GP |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/dynamics/gp/faq-the-windows-installer-dot-msp-files |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Microsoft Learn |language=en-us |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708080729/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/dynamics/gp/faq-the-windows-installer-dot-msp-files |url-status=live }}</ref> [[App Installer]] (.msix,.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=dianmsft |last2=Jenks |first2=Alma |last3=Coulter |first3=David |last4=Schofield |first4=McLean |last5=Vintzel |first5=John |last6=Satran |first6=Michael |last7=Donthini |first7=Chaitanya |last8=Kinsman |first8=Mike |date=December 30, 2021 |title=What is MSIX? |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/overview |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Microsoft Learn |language=en-us |archive-date=September 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925104716/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/overview |url-status=live }}</ref> msixbundle<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Jahiu |first1=Dhurata |last2=Jenks |first2=Alma |last3=v-chmccl |last4=Power |first4=Cory |last5=Coulter |first5=David |last6=Schofield |first6=McLean |last7=Donthini |first7=Chaitanya |last8=Satran |first8=Michael |date=April 13, 2022 |title=How to bundle MSIX packages |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/packaging-tool/bundle-msix-packages |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Microsoft Learn |language=en-us |archive-date=October 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004072503/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/packaging-tool/bundle-msix-packages |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Vera |orig-date=April 14, 2023 |date=June 26, 2023 |title=How to Install MSIXBundle on Windows 10/11? 2 Ways to Try! |url=https://www.minitool.com/news/install-msixbundle-windows.html |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=MiniTool |language=en-US |archive-date=August 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821073637/https://www.minitool.com/news/install-msixbundle-windows.html |url-status=live }}</ref>), [[Microsoft Store]] ([[APPX|.appx]], .appxbundle),<ref>{{Cite web |orig-date=October 6, 2015 |date=October 19, 2021 |title=App packages and deployment (Windows Store apps) (Windows) |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/apps/hh464929(v=win.10)?redirectedfrom=MSDN |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330050737/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh464929.aspx |archive-date=March 30, 2014 |access-date=April 5, 2014 |website=Microsoft Learn}}</ref> [[Windows Package Manager]]
| ui = [[Windows shell]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] [[commercial software]]
| website = {{Official URL}}
| source_model = {{ubl
| [[Proprietary software|Closed-source]]
| [[Source-available software|Source-available]] (through [[Shared Source Initiative]])
}}
| latest release version = {{Latest stable software release/Windows 11}}
| latest preview version = {{Latest preview software release/Windows 11}}
| marketing_target = Personal computing
| kernel_type = {{plainlist|
* [[Windows NT]] family: [[Hybrid kernel|Hybrid]]
* [[Windows Embedded Compact]]/Windows CE: Hybrid or Monolithic
* [[Windows 9x]] and earlier: [[Monolithic kernel|Monolithic]] ([[MS-DOS]] and [[VMM32]])
}}
| supported_platforms = [[IA-32]], [[x86-64]], [[ARM architecture family|ARM]], [[ARM64]]<br />
Previously: [[x86|16-bit x86]], [[DEC Alpha]], [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]], [[PowerPC]], [[Itanium]]
| updatemodel = {{unbulleted list|[[Windows Update]]|[[Microsoft Store]]|[[Windows Server Update Services]] (WSUS)}}
}}
'''Windows''' is a [[Product lining|product line]] of [[Proprietary software|proprietary]] [[graphical user interface|graphical]] [[operating system]]s developed and marketed by [[Microsoft]]. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sectors of the computing industry – Windows (unqualified) for a consumer or corporate [[workstation]], [[Windows Server]] for a [[Server (computing)|server]] and [[Windows IoT]] for an [[embedded system]]. Windows is sold as either a consumer [[retail]] product or licensed to [[Original equipment manufacturer|third-party hardware manufacturers]] who sell products [[Software bundles|bundled]] with Windows.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}

The first version of Windows, [[Windows 1.0]], was released on November 20, 1985, as a graphical [[operating system shell]] for [[MS-DOS]] in response to the growing interest in [[graphical user interface]]s (GUIs).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bellis |first=Mary |date=October 4, 2019 |title=The Unusual History of Microsoft Windows |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/unusual-history-of-microsoft-windows-1992140 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314052249/http://inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/Windows.htm?rd=1 |archive-date=March 14, 2020 |access-date=January 13, 2023}}</ref> The name "Windows" is a reference to the [[windowing system]] in GUIs.<ref name=":1" /> The 1990 release of [[Windows 3.0]] catapulted its market success and led to various other product families, including the now-defunct [[Windows 9x]], [[Windows Mobile]], [[Windows Phone]], and [[Windows Embedded Compact|Windows CE/Embedded Compact]]. Windows is the [[usage share of operating systems|most popular desktop operating system]] in the world, with a 70% [[market share]] {{as of|2023|March|lc=y}}, according to [[StatCounter]];<ref name="pc">{{Cite web |title=Desktop Operating System Market Share Worldwide |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide/#monthly-202208-202306 |access-date=2023-07-16 |website=StatCounter Global Stats |language=en |archive-date=January 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200127171354/https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide/#monthly-202208-202306 |url-status=live }}</ref> however when including [[mobile operating system]]s, it is in second place, behind [[Android (operating system)|Android]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keizer |first=Gregg |date=July 14, 2014 |title=Microsoft gets real, admits its device share is just 14% |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2490008/microsoft-gets-real--admits-its-device-share-is-just-14-.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821210826/http://www.computerworld.com/article/2490008/microsoft-windows/microsoft-gets-real--admits-its-device-share-is-just-14-.html |archive-date=August 21, 2016 |website=[[Computerworld]] |publisher=[[IDG]] |quote=<nowiki>[</nowiki>Microsoft's chief operating officer<nowiki>]</nowiki> Turner's 14% came from a new forecast released last week by Gartner, which estimated Windows' share of the shipped device market last year was 14%, and would decrease slightly to 13.7% in 2014. Android will dominate, Gartner said, with a 48% share this year}}</ref>

The most recent version of Windows is [[Windows 11]] for consumer [[personal computer|PCs]] and [[tablet computer|tablets]], [[Windows 11 Enterprise]] for corporations, and [[Windows Server 2025]] for servers. Still supported are some editions of [[Windows 10]], [[Windows Server 2016]] or later (and exceptionally with paid support down to [[Windows Server 2008]]<!-- "Grandfathered Premium Assurance security update support until January 13, 2026"-->).<ref name=PA3>{{cite web|url=https://www.licensingschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/SQL_Server_and_Windows_Server_Premium_Assurance_Datasheet-December-2016.pdf|title=Windows Server Premium Assurance SQL Server Premium Assurance|website=Licensing School|access-date=April 27, 2025}}</ref><ref name=PA2>{{cite web|url=https://rcpmag.com/Articles/2018/07/13/Microsoft-Replacing-Premiere-Assurance.aspx|title=Microsoft Replacing 'Premiere Assurance' Support with New Security Plan|last=Mackie|first=Kurt|website=Redmond Channel Partner|publisher=1105 Media|date=July 13, 2018|access-date=April 27, 2025}}</ref> <!-- Do not fracture and overdo the intro into 4 or more paragraphs; keep it simple and concise.-->