How do you know which version of Windows is active on your PC? Very simple. I used to wonder a couple of months ago how certain individuals could tell the version of Windows merely by looking at the PC’s display screen. I thought maybe the version was imbibed in such a way that only geniuses could see it, but now I know better.
There are a couple of methods to check the version of Windows that is active on your PC, and this article is going to enlighten you on them. More than that, it will also enlighten you on the different Windows versions (past & present) as well as the features they have.
Let’s start by giving you an understanding of Windows. I use Windows 10, by the way
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What is Windows?
Windows is a graphical operating system created and distributed by Microsoft. It allows you to store files, run software, play games, watch videos, and access the Internet. A window can also be defined as an essential component of a computer GUI (graphical user interface). It is a portion of the screen that contains a single running application. The user can move, resize, hide, or maximize the window as desired.
Microsoft customers had been using MS-DOS, a command-line operating system limited to a single program, for many years prior to Windows’ debut. Before Windows came out, Microsoft users were used to MS-DOS, a command-line operating system that could only do one thing at a time. Since Microsoft only uses one word to name most of its products, it had to find the right word for this one. They picked “Windows” because it has many windows, which let different programs and tasks run at the same time.
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How to Check Windows Version on a Computer
You can check and know the Windows version that is active on your PC by doing either of the following:
#1. Through the “This PC” icon
The first way is to use the icon labeled This PC, which is located on your desktop. If you have the This PC icon showing on your Windows desktop, you can easily access its properties by right-clicking on it and selecting that option from the context menu. The system window will then become visible. The version and edition of Windows that you are using will show right at the very top.
#2. Use the search function in Windows
Enter the system by either pressing the Windows key on your keyboard or clicking on the Start button that is located in your taskbar. If you search for “System” in the Control Panel, the results should be displayed there. Again, if you select that, you should get a window that displays the version and edition of Windows that is active on your computer.
#3. Accessing it through the “Run” window
The third method to check your Windows version is the “Run” window. Simply press the Windows key together with the R key on your keyboard. The window for entering commands into Run will appear. In the text box, type “winver” and hit the enter button. A sizable block of copyright information will appear in the middle of the window, and it will begin with the version and edition of Windows that you are using.
#4. Through settings
Another method of checking the Windows version in use on your PC is by clicking on the Start icon in your taskbar or pressing the Windows key and typing about your PC. It is expected that a search result for About Your PC will appear under Settings. Select it, and then in the window that displays, scroll down until you reach the section titled “Windows specifications.”
List of Windows Versions
| 10.2 | Windows 11. |
| 10.1 | Windows 10. |
| 6.3 | Windows 8.1 (Windows 8 with Start and other features) |
| 6.2 | Windows 8. |
| 6.1.7600 | Windows 7 (name of 7, e.g., Windows 7 Home Premium). |
| 6.0.6002 | Windows Vista Plus Service Pack 2. |
| 6.0.6000 | Windows Vista (name of Vista, e.g., Windows Vista Home Basic) |
| 5.1.2600 | Windows XP (name of XP, e.g., Home Edition, Professional Edition, Media Center Edition) |
| 5.00.2195 | Windows 2000 Workstation |
| 4.90.3000 | Second release of Windows 95 OSR2.5 with FAT32, MMX (MultiMedia eXtension), USB (universal serial bus), and AGP (accelerated graphics port) support. |
| Windows CE 3.0 | Windows CE 3.0. |
| 4.10.2222A | Windows 98 Second Edition |
| Windows CE 2.1 | Windows CE 2.1. |
| 4.10.1998 | Original release of Windows 98. |
| 4.10.1691 | Beta release of Windows 98. |
| 4.00.950 C | Second release of Windows 95 OSR2.5 with FAT32, MMX (MultiMedia eXtension), USB (universal serial bus) and AGP (accelerated graphics port) support. |
| Windows CE 2.0 | Windows CE 2.0. |
| Windows CE 1.0 | Windows CE 1.0. |
| 4.00.950 B | Second release of Windows 95 (OSR2) that does support FAT32 and MMX. |
| 4.00.1381 | Windows NT 4.0 Workstation. |
| 4.00.950 A | Windows 95 with Service Pack 1 or OSR (OEM service release) 1. |
| 4.00.950 | Original release of Windows 95. |
| 3.51.1057 | Windows NT Server version 3.51. |
| 3.51.1057 | Windows NT Workstation version 3.51. |
| 3.11 | Windows for Workgroups Windows 3.11. |
| 3.10.528 | Windows NT 3.1. |
| 3.1 | Windows 3.1. |
| 3.0 | Windows 3.0. |
| 2.11 | Windows 2.0. |
| 1.04 | Windows 1.0 |
What was the First Version of Windows?
On November 10, 1983, Microsoft Windows was initially announced. Microsoft Windows 1.0 was later launched on November 20, 1985, for the price of $100.00. Since the initial version of Windows was introduced, more than a dozen versions have been released as can be seen above
Additionally, Microsoft has released many editions of Windows beginning with Windows XP. Each of these Windows editions has the same fundamental operating system, but some contain additional functionality for a fee.
Windows Home and Windows Professional are the two most popular editions of Windows for home PCs.
Home Edition
Windows Home, otherwise called Win Home is the entry-level edition of Windows. It supports all of Windows’ basic features, including connecting to the Internet, browsing the web, watching movies, using office software, and playing video games. It is the most affordable version of Windows and comes standard on many new laptops.
Windows Professional
Windows Professional, otherwise known as Windows Pro or Win Pro is a more advanced version of Windows designed for power users and small to medium-sized companies. It has all of the functionality of Windows Home, as well as the following:
- Group policy administration – Administrators can create group policies to manage many Windows users in a company or organization.
- Remote Desktop – Allows you to control another Windows PC via the Internet.
- Bitlocker – Microsoft’s built-in file encryption software.
- More than 128 GB of RAM (random-access memory) support.
- Trusted Boot – Encrypts the boot loader, safeguarding the PC from rootkits.
- Hyper-V – A Windows hypervisor used to operate virtual computers, similar to the third-party program VirtualBox.
- Increased Windows Update installation choices, including more flexible timing and up to 35-day deferral.
- Windows Sandbox – Delivers a lightweight, sandboxed instance of Windows 10. You can execute dubious or untrusted software safely in this segregated “Windows within Windows” environment. Windows Sandbox is only available in Windows Insider builds of Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise.
What is the Most Recent Windows Version?
Microsoft Windows 11 is the most recent version of Windows released for personal PCs.
What are the Unique Features of Microsoft Windows?
Microsoft Windows comes with a plethora of unique features, tools, and apps designed to help you get the most out of Windows and your computer. And did I mention that I use Windows 10? Of course, I did.
#1. Desktop
The desktop is an essential component of Windows’ default GUI (graphical user interface). It is a location where you can organize applications, files, and documents as icons. Your desktop is always operating in the background, behind any other applications.
The first thing you see when you turn on your computer and log in to Windows is your desktop backdrop, icons, and the taskbar. You can get to your computer’s installed apps via the Start menu or by double-clicking any application shortcuts on your desktop.
You can get to your desktop at any time by pressing Windows key+D and minimizing any open applications.
#2. The Control Panel
The Control Panel is a set of tools that will assist you in configuring and managing the resources on your computer. Printers, video, audio, mouse, keyboard, date and time, user accounts, installed software, network connections, power-saving choices, and other devices can all have their settings changed.
The Control Panel in Windows 10 is found in the Start menu, under Windows System. It can also be launched from the Run box. Enter control by pressing the Windows key + R. Alternatively, you can use the Windows key, type Control Panel, and then hit Enter.
Many Control Panel options are also available in the Windows 10 Settings menu.
#3. Settings
The Settings feature, which is available in Windows 8 and Windows 10, allows you to customize various aspects of Windows. You can customize the desktop backdrop, power settings, and external device options, among other things.
In Windows 10, press the Windows key+I to open Settings. Alternatively, enter the Start menu and select the small gear icon.
#4. Taskbar
The Windows taskbar displays open programs and includes a rapid launch section for rapid access to certain programs. The notification area is located on the right side of the taskbar and displays the date and time as well as any apps that are running in the background.
#5. Task Manager
The Task Manager displays a summary of what is currently operating on your computer. You can examine how much of your system’s resources each application consumes by sorting the CPU, RAM, and disk I/O consumption. If a program is frozen or not responding, you can stop the task by right-clicking it in Task Manager and forcing it to stop.
Ctrl+Shift+Esc will bring up the Task Manager at any time.
#7. Cortana
Cortana is a virtual assistant in Windows 10 that responds to voice requests. It is capable of answering queries, searching your computer or the Internet, setting appointments and reminders, making online purchases, and much more. Cortana is similar to other voice-activated services like Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant, but it can also search for information on your computer.
In Windows 10, press the Windows key+S to launch Cortana.
#8. The Windows Search Box
This feature provides an easy method to find documents, photographs, movies, apps, and other items. The search box in Windows 10 is also connected to Cortana.
By default, the search box is located on your taskbar. If you don’t see the search box in Windows 10, right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar Settings. Make sure the Use Tiny Taskbar buttons option is turned off. Then, right-click again on the taskbar and select Cortana, Show search box.
#9. File Explorer
File Explorer, often known as Windows Explorer, displays a list of all the files and directories on your computer. You can browse through the contents of your SSD, hard drive, and associated removable media. The File Explorer allows you to search for files and directories, as well as access, rename, and remove them.
Press Windows key+E to open a new File Explorer window. You can open several Explorer windows at once, which is useful for seeing numerous folders at once or copying or moving things from one to the next.
#10. Disk Cleanup
By deleting temporary or useless files, the Disk Cleanup application helps boost free disk space on your computer. Running Disk Cleanup improves your computer’s performance and frees up space for downloads, documents, and programs.
Disk Cleanup can be accessed using File Explorer.
- To open an Explorer window, use Windows key+E.
- Locate This PC or My Computer on the left side of the window and select it by clicking once.
- Then, on the right, right-click any of your computer’s disk drives.
- Choose Properties.
- Click Disk Cleanup on the General tab.
#11. Start Menu
The Start menu displays a list of applications and utilities that have been installed on your computer. You can access it by clicking Start on the taskbar’s left side.
By tapping the Windows key on the keyboard, you can access the Start menu.
#12. Events Viewer
This is a tool for administrators that displays problems and key events on your computer. It aids in the diagnosis of sophisticated faults in your Windows system.
The Power User Tasks Menu (Windows key+X, then V) contains an entry for Event Viewer.
#13.Notepad
NotePad is a straightforward text editor. It allows you to create, view, and edit text files. Notepad can be found in your Start menu under Windows Accessories in Windows 10. You can access the Notepad feature from the Run box in all versions of Windows by pressing Windows key+R, typing Notepad, and pressing Enter.
#14. Registry Editor
The Registry Editor allows you to see and edit the Windows system registry. Computer experts can use the Registry Editor to troubleshoot issues with the Windows operating system or installed software.
The Registry Editor may be found in the Start menu under Windows Administrative Tools in Windows 10. You may also launch it by hitting the Windows key, then typing regedit and clicking Enter.
#15. System Information
The System Information program displays computer information such as hardware and Windows specifications. You can learn about your computer’s hardware, such as its CPU, memory, video card, and sound card. Also, you can inspect and modify environment variables, device drivers, services, and other components.
System information is found in the Start menu, under Windows Administrative Tools, in Windows 10. You can also access it using the Run box by pressing Windows key+R, typing msinfo32, and pressing Enter.
#16. Device Manager
The Device Manager displays a list of the hardware devices that are installed on a computer. Through the Device Manager, users may see what hardware is installed, examine and update hardware drivers, and uninstall hardware.
The Device Manager can be accessed via the Power User Tasks Menu (Windows key+X, then M).
#17. Microsoft Paint
Microsoft Paint, which has been included with Windows since November 1985, is a simple image editor that can be used to generate, examine, and edit digital images. It has the ability to draw and paint pictures, resize and rotate photographs, and save images in a variety of file formats.
In all versions of Windows, press the Windows key, type mspaint, and press Enter to launch Microsoft Paint. It’s also accessible via the Start menu: in Windows 10, it’s under Windows Accessories, Paint.
#18. Internet Explorer
One of the most crucial applications on your computer is your Internet browser. You can use it to search the Internet, view online pages, shop and buy items, watch movies, play games, and do other things. In Windows 10, the default browser is Microsoft Edge. Previous versions of Windows, from Windows 95 to Windows 8.1, contained Internet Explorer as the default browser.
To launch a new Edge browser window in Windows 10, navigate to the Start menu and select Microsoft Edge.
The End
There you have it, as promised. You now have four solid methods of checking the Windows version active on any PC with ease, plus other interesting details that were discussed. I have the feeling that it’s your turn to be looked at as a genius.
Do well to leave a comment in the comment section and check out the following interesting topics while you’re at it:
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