How do I know what Windows I have?

In order to know what windows you have on your computer, you should know that Microsoft Windows is an operating system, that is, a set of programs that enables the management of a computer's resources. Being a system, it starts working when the equipment is turned on, in order to manage the hardware from the basic levels. 

Knowing the version of Windows that we have installed on the computer is for many users something without a doubt not very relevant, but we must understand that there are certain risks when using an old version of Windows.

By using older versions we expose ourselves to vulnerabilities that have been addressed in the newer versions. That is not only the problem, when a version of Windows stops being served (Microsoft no longer provides support for that version) we will not be able to advocate for help to the official page.

In addition, there are certain incompatibilities in the applications, and this occurs between different versions. It should be noted that new technologies are always aimed at being used in the most modern operating systems, so here we will explain how to know what version of Windows you have.

Follow these steps to know the information of the operating system that your computer has. Let's get started!

Article index

• 1 Simpler way
• 2 Is there another less tedious way?
  • 2.1 Windows 2.0 and Windows 3.0 
  • 2.2 Windows 1995 "Chicago"
  • 2.3 Windows 2000 (Millennium Edition)
  • 2.4 Windows XP, Name: "eXPerience".
  • 2.5 Windows Vista
  • 2.6 Windows 7 (Seven)
  • 2.7 Windows 8 / Windows 10
• 3 References

Simpler way

1- We will open the main Windows menu, by clicking on the Start icon. We can also access it by pressing the command prompt key.

2- Once this is done we can write directly in the search engine "team" or "About your PC". After having written one of those two words, we press ENTER.

3- At the top of the screen, it indicates the level of protection and supervision of your computer. This information is important to know if your antivirus works properly, as well as the firewall that protects when we browse the internet, among others..

4- In the middle part of the screen: "Device specifications". We will see the important information of the computer, the Device Name, Processor, installed RAM, Device Identifier, Product ID and System Type.

5-At the bottom of the page is: "Windows Specifications". Here we will find:

-The edition". At this point you can see clearly what windows do you have on your computer.

-"Version"

-"Installed on": is the date Windows was installed

-"Version of the operating system". You can go to the official Microsoft page and see if your version is up to date.

We have achieved it! We already know what Windows we have on the computer.

Is there another less tedious way?

The answer is yes! Yes, you can tell what Windows you have simply by looking at the style and characteristics of your home screen..

Windows 2.0 and Windows 3.0 

In 1987 Microsoft released Windows 2.0, the first version to include the control panel and desktop icons. For the first time, application windows could overlap each other. The window configuration presented by this system would last even with the introduction of Windows 3.1

Windows 1995 "Chicago"

This version was the first to include the taskbar and the Start button, which continued to be included in later versions of Windows and the transition from using a cooperative 16-bit multitasking architecture to using a 32-bit preemptive multitasking architecture..

Windows 2000 (Millennium Edition)

Designed with ease of use for average users without computer skills. In addition, Microsoft also improved its graphical interface with some of the features such as a cleaner and more easily accessible desktop..

Windows XP, Name: "eXPerience".

This Windows featured improvements in stability and efficiency. It had a much more attractive graphical interface for the average user, which meant a change from Microsoft promoted for easier use. We will notice that its colors are more striking than previous versions.

Windows Vista

Now the task bar is black and the icons on the desktop have more transparency, giving a versatile touch to the desktop.

Windows 7 (Seven)

The notable difference with this Windows is that its default taskbar is pre-designed to blend in with the desktop, thus giving the appearance of being integrated. And we can appreciate that the menu style has become more attractive and enlightened for users..

Windows 8 / Windows 10

The design presented by this new Operating System is subject to the unprecedented growth that Smartphones have had in recent years..

Including in its repertoire of predesigned applications, there is one with the function of "application store" (store).

References

1. Computer Hope (2018). Microsoft Windows history. Recovered from computerhope.com.
2. Microsoft Team (2017). Which Windows operating system am I running ?. Recovered from support.microsoft.com.
3. Microsoft Team (2017). Find operating system information in Windows. Recovered from support.microsoft.com.
4. Microsoft team. Windows. Recovered from microsoft.com.
5. Windows 10 Tips. Recovered from blogs.windows.com.
6. Microsoft Windows. Taken from es.wikipedia.org.