Will my favorite programs run on Windows 10?

We get dozens of emails each week asking if a certain software program or hardware device will work on Windows 10. You like, “Will my PhotoStamp & Greeting Card Creator ’95 run on Windows 10. As much as we’d like to tell you we know everything, we don’t (Well maybe EB does? Nope not even she knows everything.) We’d really like to help everyone of you and answer every one of your questions about Windows 10, but we can’t possibly know every program that will run on Windows 10. There are hundreds of thousands – maybe even millions of programs – and there are only two of us.

But don’t worry, we’ve found a place you can go and get your questions answered – and it’s a place created by the folks who should know everything there is to know about Windows and Windows 10 – and that would be Microsoft. Indeed, if they don’t know the answer then we don’t know who does. Right? Right!

We bet that many of you never heard of the Windows Compatibility Center or WCC as we like to call it.

Without further rambling, yammering or blabber, we take you live to Microsft for the following information — we skimmed this stuff from the Windows Compatibilty Center page:

What is the Windows Compatibility Center?

The Windows Compatibility Center lists thousands of the most popular apps and devices to help you easily identify what will or won’t work with various versions of Windows. You can use the site to get links to driver downloads and software updates, as well as view what other users have to say about product compatibility.

Can I get downloads for drivers and software updates on Windows?

Yes, on a results page, click anywhere on the product listing to bring up a product details page

How is the product compatibility determined?

To determine product compatibility status for the Windows Compatibility Center, we consider the following:

The product has passed Windows certification requirements and received a logo, which indicates it has met Microsoft testing requirements for compatibility with either Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8, Windows RT and/or Windows 7.

The app publisher or device manufacturer stated this products works with Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8, Windows RT and/or Windows 7. Please note that these products have not undergone certification tests and may or may not be fully supported by the manufacturer. You should visit the manufacturer’s website for more information.

Windows 8.1 is designed with compatibility in mind. If an app or device ran on Windows 8, our goal is that it should run on Windows 8.1. During Windows development, we test most of the popular products and we are providing compatibility statements based on this testing. For products we have not tested, compatibility statements for Windows 8.1 are being provided based on the product’s compatibility status for Windows 8.

We also take your feedback into account and make updates accordingly so don’t forget to vote. Since compatibility status can change, please check back for updates.
We use four different icons so you can identify a product’s compatibility status with Windows.
The “Compatible” icon means the product is expected to work with Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8, Windows RT and/or Windows 7. Usually, you won’t need to do anything to ensure compatibility, and you’ll see “No action required” below “Compatible” on the product’s detail page. However, if a manufacturer or publisher offers a newer version or extra software is required, you’ll find an additional link to the publisher’s website.
The “Action recommended” icon indicates that you may need a solution to ensure that a product will work properly with Windows. Often a free upgrade is available, but some publishers may require a fee-based upgrade to the newest version. In either case, below “Action recommended” you’ll find a link to what you need.

The “Not compatible” icon means the product is not compatible, or is not expected to work with Windows. You can try these compatibility troubleshooting steps or visit the Microsoft Community to get additional help and tips from the community.
The “No info” icon means we are working to confirm whether or not this product works with Windows. We update information frequently, so check back soon. In the meantime, these options are available:

• Try these compatibility troubleshooting tips.
• Ask questions and get answers from Microsoft and the community.

This message is not a status. It is meant to clarify that the corresponding application is a desktop application and cannot be installed on a Windows RT device.

This is a message and not a status. It means that the corresponding application has multiple minor versions that have varying compatibility statuses. To view the compatibility statuses for each of the minor versions, click on the product.

Windows certification means this product passed Microsoft testing requirements and is compatible with 32-bit, 64-bit, or ARM-based versions of Windows. To use the certification logo, the product must pass Microsoft tests for installation, performance, reliability, and security.

And there’s a lot more info on that page and there’s a search form you can use to search for your favorite program to see if it’s compatible with Windows 10.

If you have questions about upgrading to Windows 10 and you’re  concerned your 1995 Photocard Deluxe won’t run on Windows 10 – you can use Windows Compatibility Center to find out.

If you have questions about software and hardware compatibility with Windows 10, take a trip to the Windows Compatibility Center and get answers right now.

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Get more information here or order your Get Ready for Windows 10 Service today!