Microsoft Windows
| Windows | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Source model | |
| Initial release | November 20, 1985 |
| Latest release | Windows 11 26H1 (10.0.28000.2954) (September 8, 2026) [±] 25H2 (10.0.26200.9445) (September 8, 2026) [±] |
| Latest preview |
|
| Repository | |
| Marketing target | Personal computing |
| Available in | 110 languages |
| Update method | |
| Package manager | Windows Installer (.msi, .msp), App Installer (.msix,. msixbundle), Microsoft Store (.appx, .appxbundle), Windows Package Manager |
| Supported platforms | IA-32, x86-64, ARM, ARM64 Previously: 16-bit x86, DEC Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC, Itanium |
| Kernel type |
|
| Default user interface | Windows shell |
| License | Proprietary commercial software |
| Official website | windows |
Windows is a proprietary operating system developed by Microsoft. Windows is grouped into families that cater to particular sectors of the computing industry – Windows for personal computers, Windows Server for servers, and Windows IoT for embedded systems. Windows itself is further grouped into editions that cater to different users – Home for home users, Professional for advanced users, Education for schools, and Enterprise for corporations. Windows is sold both as a consumer retail product and to computer manufacturers, who bundle and distribute it with their systems.
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 growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs). The name Windows is a reference to the windowing system in GUIs. The 1990 release of Windows 3.0 catapulted its market success and led to the launch of various other product families, including the (now-defunct) Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, and Windows CE/Embedded Compact.
Windows is the most popular desktop operating system in the world, with a 71% market share as of July 2026, and the second-most popular operating system overall, behind Android. As of July 2026, Windows 11 is the most used desktop version of Windows, with a market share of 69%.