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- The easiest way to find out which version of Windows OS you’re running is by using a built-in keyboard shortcut. To do this: Press the Windows logo key and the "R" key at the same time. This should open the Windows Run box in the bottom left of the screen Type "winver" into the Windows Run box, and press OK or hit the Enter key
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Jan 21, 2023 · Are you having trouble figuring out which version of Windows or macOS you're running? Knowing which version you have is essential to troubleshoot problems or keep your operating system...
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Apr 22, 2022 · The method outlined below will work on all versions of Windows, regardless of whether it’s Windows 8, Windows 10 or Windows 11. The main difference is where the Search feature is located.
Which version of Windows do I have? What are my device specifications? How much storage do I have? If you're looking for more detailed information, see the article System configuration tools in Windows. Learn how to find basic information about your Windows device.
- Overview
- Why You Should Know Which Version of Windows You Have
- Windows 11
- Windows 10
- Windows 8 or 8.1
- Windows 7
- Windows Vista
- Windows XP
- How to Find the Windows Version With a Command
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Do you know what version of Windows you have? While you usually don't need to know the exact Windows version number for whatever you have installed, general information about the operating system version you're running is very important.
Everyone should know three things about the Windows version they have installed: the major version of Windows, like 11, 10, 8, 7, etc.; the edition of that Windows version, like Pro, Ultimate, etc.; and whether that Windows version is 64-bit or 32-bit.
If you don't know what version of Windows you have, you won't know what software you can install, which device driver to choose for an update—you may not even know which directions to follow for help with something!
You have Windows 11 if you see a Start menu like this when you select the Start button from the desktop. Depending on how your computer is set up, all the taskbar items might be against the bottom-left corner of the screen.
The Power User Menu shows when you right-click the Start button.
Windows 11 is the latest version of Windows. If you just got a new computer, there's a really good chance you have Windows 11 installed.
All Windows 11 installs are 64-bit. Which Windows 11 edition you have is listed in the System > About area of Settings.
You have Windows 10 if you see a Start menu like this when you select the Start button from the desktop. Like Windows 11, if you right-click the Start menu, you'll see the Power User Menu.
The Windows 10 edition you have installed, as well as the system type (64-bit or 32-bit), can all be found listed in the System section of the Control Panel applet.
You have Windows 8.1 if you see a Start button on the bottom-left of the desktop and selecting it takes you to the Start menu.
You have Windows 8 if you don't see a Start button at all on the desktop.
The Power User Menu when right-clicking the Start button in Windows 11/10, is also available in Windows 8.1 (and the same is true for right-clicking the corner of the screen in Windows 8).
The edition of Windows 8 or 8.1 you're using, as well as information on whether that version of Windows 8 is 32-bit or 64-bit, is all found in Control Panel from the System applet.
If you're not sure if you're running Windows 8.1 or Windows 8, you'll also see that information listed in the System applet.
Windows 8.1 is the name given to Windows version 6.3, and Windows 8 is Windows version 6.2.
You have Windows 7 if you see a Start menu that looks like this when you select the Start button.
The Windows 7 & Windows Vista (below) Start buttons and Start menus look very similar. The Windows 7 Start button, however, fits completely inside the taskbar, unlike the one for Windows Vista.
Information on which Windows 7 edition you have, as well as whether it's 64-bit or 32-bit, is all available in the Control Panel in the System applet.
Windows 7 is the name given to Windows version 6.1.
You have Windows Vista if, after clicking the Start button, you see a menu that looks a lot like this.
As you read in the Windows 7 section above, both versions of Windows have similar Start buttons and menus. One way to tell them apart is to look at the button itself—the one in Windows Vista, unlike in Windows 7, extends above and below the taskbar.
Information on the Windows Vista edition you're using, as well as whether your version of Windows Vista is 32-bit or 64-bit, are all available from the System applet, which you can find in Control Panel.
Windows Vista is the name given to Windows version 6.0.
You have Windows XP if the Start button includes both a Windows logo as well as the word start. In newer versions of Windows, as you can see above, this button is just a button (without text).
Another way the Windows XP Start button is unique when compared with newer versions of Windows is that it's horizontal with a curved right edge. The others, as seen above, are either a circle or square.
Like other versions of Windows, you can find your Windows XP edition and architecture type from the System applet in Control Panel.
Windows XP is the name given to Windows version 5.1.
While the images and information above is the best way to determine the version of Windows you're running, it's not the only way. There's also a command you can run on your computer that will display an About Windows screen with the Windows version included.
It's really easy to do this regardless of the version of Windows you're running; the steps are identical.
Just invoke the Run dialog box with the Win+R keyboard shortcut (hold down the Windows key and then press R once). Once that box shows up, enter winver (it stands for Windows version).
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Feb 4, 2024 · If you see the Start button on your taskbar, your computer has Microsoft Windows. What version of Windows do I have? If you don't see a Start button, you are running a different operating system. Below are some visual indications to determine what operating system you are using.
Feb 16, 2023 · By Michael Muchmore. February 16, 2023. (Credit: PCMag/Microsoft/Apple) Microsoft today published a support page that shows how Mac users can run Windows 11 on their Apple silicon M1- and M2...
Jul 21, 2022 · Microsoft makes it super easy to check which version of Windows your PC is running. You can check your PC’s main version (like Windows 10 or 11), minor version, build number, and edition. Some ways to find your Windows version include using Run, Settings, System Information, and a command from Command Prompt.
