Which version of Windows operating system am I running?

Find operating system info in Windows 10

To find out which version of Windows your device is running, press the Windows logo key + R, type winver in the Open box, and then select OK.

Here’s how to learn more:

Select the Start button > Settings > System > About .

Under Device specifications > System type, see if you’re running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows.

Under Windows specifications, check which edition and version of Windows your device is running.

Related links

If you’re having a problem with activation, see Activate in Windows 10.

If you forgot the password you use to sign in to Windows devices or email, see How to reset your Microsoft password.

For info about updating Windows, see Windows Update: FAQ.

Find operating system info in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1

To find out which version of Windows your device is running, press the Windows logo key + R, type winver in the Open box, and then select OK.

If your device is running Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, here’s how to learn more:

If you’re using a touch device, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings. Continue to step 3.

If you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.

Select PC and devices > PC info.

Under Windows you’ll see which edition and version of Windows your device is running.

Under PC > System type you’ll see if you’re running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows.

Related links

If you’re having a problem with activation, see Activate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1

If you forgot the password you use to sign in to Windows devices or email, see How to reset your Microsoft password.

For info about updating Windows, see Windows Update: FAQ.

Find operating system info in Windows 7

Select the Start button, type Computer in the search box, right-click on Computer, and then select Properties.

Under Windows edition, you’ll see the version and edition of Windows that your device is running.

Support for Windows 7 ended on January 14, 2020

We recommend you move to a Windows 10 PC to continue to receive security updates from Microsoft.

Related links

If you’re having a problem with activation, see Activate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.

If you forgot the password you use to sign in to Windows devices or email, see How to reset your Microsoft password.

For info about updating Windows, see Windows Update: FAQ.

What Version of Windows Do I Have?

How to tell which version of Windows is installed on your computer

Do you know what version of Windows you have? While you usually don’t need to know the exact version number for whatever Windows version you have installed, general information about the operating system version you’re running is very important.

Why You Should Know Which Version of Windows You Have

Everyone should know three things about the Windows version they have installed: the major version of Windows, like 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!

Keep in mind that the taskbar icons and Start menu entries in these images might not be exactly what you have on your computer. However, the structure and general appearance of each Start button will be the same, so long as you don’t have a custom Start menu installed.

Windows 10

You have Windows 10 if you see a Start menu like this when you select the Start button from the desktop. 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 applet in Control Panel.

Windows 10 is the name given to Windows version 10.0 and is the latest version of Windows. If you just got a new computer, there’s a 99 percent chance you have Windows 10 installed. (Maybe closer to 99.9 percent!)

The Windows version number for Windows 10 is 10.0.

Windows 8 or 8.1

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 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 or not 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.

Windows 7

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.

Windows Vista

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.

Windows XP

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.

Unlike with newer versions of Windows, the 64-bit version of Windows XP was given its own version number: Windows version 5.2.

How to Find the Windows Version With a Command

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).

Find windows OS version from command line

Windows has command line utilities that show us the version of the Windows OS running on the computer, including the service pack number. There are multiple CMD commands that help with finding this, you can pick the one that suits your need. Ver command can show you the OS version whereas Systeminfo command can additionally give you service pack, OS edition and build number etc.

Find OS Version and Service Pack number from CMD

As you can see above, ver command shows only OS version but not the service pack number. We can find service pack number as well with Systeminfo command. Systeminfo dumps lot of other information too, which we can filter out using findstr command.

This command works on XP, Vista and Windows 7 and on Server editions also. Find below example for Win7.

In case of Windows 7 SP1, the output would be slightly different as below.

If you want to print more details, then you can use just ‘OS’ in the findstr search pattern. See example below for Server 2008.

Check Windows version using WMIC command

Run the below WMIC command to get OS version and the service pack number.

Example on Windows 7:

If you want to find just the OS version, you can use ver command. Open command window and execute ver command. But note that this does not show service pack version.

This command does not show version on a Windows 7 system.

How to tell what Windows I have (11 ways)

How do you tell which Windows you have? The answer to this question is not rocket science. It is not even a complicated thing to do. However, it is a question you may have to answer so that you receive technical support with a problem you have. If you have handled Windows devices before, the answer is only a couple of clicks away. On the other hand, if you are like our parents, you may call your children or friends at 8 AM to ask them how to do it. This tutorial is mainly for everyone who wants to save the cost of a call and find out what version of Windows they have on their own. Let’s get started:

Quick Steps:

1. Press the Windows + R keyboard keys to launch the Run window.
2. Type winver, and press Enter.
3. This opens a window called About Windows. It shows you the operating system that you’re using.

IMPORTANT: If you already know that you have Windows 10 and you want to find out exactly what edition and type, read how to check the Windows 10 version, OS build, edition, or type. Also, here’s how to validate whether Windows is activated and genuine.

1. How to tell what version of Windows you have just by looking at the sign-in screen

It may sound too easy to be true, but it is often enough to look at the Windows sign-in screen and find out whether your Windows is version 10, 7, or 8.1. Start your computer or device and wait for it to boot. When the sign-in screen shows up, check the way it looks.

If the sign-in screen on your PC looks similar to the screenshot below, then you are using Windows 10:

Windows 10 sign-in screen

If what you see when you sign in looks like the screenshot below, then you are using Windows 7. This version of Windows is all about lively blue colors. 🙂

Windows 7 sign-in screen

NOTE: Windows 7 also tells you its name and edition at the bottom of the sign-in screen. For instance, the Windows 7 edition in the screenshot above is the Ultimate one.

And if your sign-in screen looks like the one below, then you are using Windows 8.1. It looks boring, doesn’t it? 🙂

Windows 8.1 sign-in screen

2. How to check what Windows you have by pressing the Windows key

Windows 10, Windows 7, and Windows 8.1 differ quite a lot in what their user interface looks like. Just by looking at your desktop, taskbar, icons, Start Menu, or Start screen, you can immediately tell which Windows you have.

If you have Windows 10, then your desktop and icons have a flat design, your taskbar has a search field or at least a search button on it. Press the Windows key, and the Start Menu shows up. If it has tiles on it, like in the screenshot below, then you are using Windows 10.

Windows 10 desktop and Start Menu

When you press the Windows key, if your Start Menu is transparent and has a search field inside, and the edges of the taskbar and icons are rounded, then you are using Windows 7.

Windows 7 desktop and Start Menu

If you have a Start button on the bottom-left corner of your screen, but it does not open a Start Menu but a Start screen filled with tiles, then you are using Windows 8.1.

Windows 8.1 desktop and Start Screen

3. How to tell what Windows you have by locking your PC

You can also tell what version of Windows you have just by checking how the lock screen looks. The fastest way to lock your PC is to simultaneously press the Windows + L keys on your keyboard. If you are using a Windows tablet, you can also press the Power button twice to do the same.

If the lock screen looks similar to the one in the screenshot below, with a beautiful wallpaper image, and the icons for network and battery on the bottom-right side, then you are probably using Windows 10.

Windows 10 lock screen

If the lock screen looks like the one below, it is evident that you are using Windows 7. Windows 7 even tells you what edition you have on the bottom of the screen.

Windows 7 lock screen

If your lock screen looks similar to the one below and the network and battery icons are shown on the bottom-left corner, then you are using Windows 8.1.

Windows 8.1 lock screen

4. How to check what Windows version you have by running the winver command

To find which Windows edition you have, you can also use the winver command. There are several ways in which you can run this command:

Press the Windows + R keyboard keys to launch the Run window, type winver, and press Enter.

winver command in Run

winver command in PowerShell

You can also use the search feature to open winver.

winver command in Search

Regardless of how you choose to run the winver command, it opens a window called About Windows. This shows you the operating system that you’re using, Microsoft’s internal version of the operating system, and the Windows edition that you own.

winver command: About Windows

5. How to find the Windows you have from the System page

All the specifications of the operating system that you are using are located on the System page. There are several ways to get there. The fastest way to get to the System window is to press the Windows + Pause/Break keys on your keyboard.

Win + Pause (Break)

If you’re using Windows 10, this brings up the Settings app and takes you to the System page. There, you can see details about your PC, including Windows specifications.

Windows specifications in the Settings app

If you’re using a different Windows version, like Windows 7 or 8.1, the Win + Pause keyboard shortcut brings up the System window from the Control Panel. Except for a few minor visual differences, the System window is identical and displays the same information, regardless of what Windows you have.

In the Windows edition section from the top of the window, you get to see what Windows version and edition you are using.

Windows information in the Control Panel

6. How to tell what Windows you have using the System Information app

The System Information app offers another easy way to find out what Windows you have. Open it and check the first line from the System Summary: it should tell you the name of the Windows operating system you use.

OS Name in System Information

The System Information tool offers a lot of details about the system, not just the name of the OS. If you want to learn more about it, read: How to see details about your PC’s hardware and software, using System Information.

7. How to tell what Windows you have using DirectX

Another tool that’s surprisingly useful if you want to find out what Windows you have is Microsoft’s DirectX Diagnostic Tool. Open it either by using the search or by running the dxdiag command in CMD or Run (Win + R). After it opens, check the System Information area from the System tab – it tells you what Windows you have, including its edition and build number.

Operating System information in DirectX Diagnostic Tool

8. How to check your Windows version in cmd (Command Prompt)

Another simple yet non-intuitive method of finding out what Windows you have is offered by Command Prompt, and it doesn’t even require you to run a command – you just have to open it. Before anything else, Command Prompt tells you the version of Windows you use. If it shows Version 10, then you have Windows 10.

Windows 10 is shown as Version 10 in Command Prompt

If you see cmd display Version 6.1, then you have Windows 7.

Windows 7 is shown as Version 6.1 in Command Prompt

If Command Prompt shows Version 6.3, then you’re using Windows 8.1. If it shows Version 6.2, you’re using Windows 8.

Windows 8.1 is shown as Version 6.3 in Command Prompt

9. How to find what Windows you use with the systeminfo command (in Powershell or Command Prompt)

One other way to check the Windows version in cmd is to take advantage of the systeminfo command. Although you could just run this command and look for the information you want, it would be easier to pipeline all that data to a search for the term “OS,” like this: systeminfo | findstr OS. That gives you only a few lines of data, and the first one tells you what Windows you have.

systeminfo | findstr OS

10. How to tell what Windows you have using Registry Editor

If none of the previous methods suits you, you might prefer using Registry Editor to find out what version of Windows you have. Open Registry Editor and follow this path: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion. Then, on the right side of the window, the ProductName key tells you what Windows you use.

How to tell what Windows you have: ProductName in Windows Registry

11. How to tell what version of Windows is installed on a hard drive without booting it?

What if you have a hard drive on which there was a Windows operating system installed, but you don’t know what version? What if it can’t boot, but you need to know what Windows is on it. The easiest way to find out is to check the license.rtf file from the “Windows -> System32” folder.

license.rtf in Windows -> System32

Open it using WordPad or any other text editor you prefer. With the sole exception of Windows 10, license.rtf should tell you what Windows you have on its first page. In the screenshot below, you can see what it looks like if you’re using Windows 7.

license.rtf showing that you have Windows 7

If you’re using Windows 10, the license.rtf file doesn’t specify the Windows version you have. This lack of information is actually useful information: if it doesn’t say anything about the Windows version, you use Windows 10! 🙂 If you think about it, it kind of makes sense, as Windows 10 is the last Windows Microsoft will ever make, so the license terms apply forever and only get updated from time to time.

license.rtf showing that you have Windows 10

What Windows do you have?

Now you know quite a few different ways to find out what version of Windows you are using. Before closing this guide, share with us in a comment below the version of Windows that you use. We are curious to see which version is the most popular with our readers. Comment and let’s discuss.