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Windows 11 FAQ |
Update: 22 May 2023
1. What is the difference between 32 bit and 64 bit Windows 11 and Arm64?
The number of bits, refers the the addressing range of the processor. So, 2^32 = 4,294,697,296 bytes or 4 GB and 2^64 = 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 or 18 TB which is a huge difference.
This generally means, that 32 bit systems can only address upto 4 GB of memory, 64 bit systems can address a lot more than 4 GB. More memory means that applications can store and processor
more information in memory and do it faster, avoiding have to store (or page) data to disk temporarily when processing it.
A 64 bit operating system can only use 64 bit drivers for its hardware which includes graphics, network, sound, printers, joysticks and scanners etc.
The Arm64 version of Windows 11 can only run on Arm Processors, instead of Intel or AMD type processors, such as those running some Qualcomm SnapDragon processors, on Hyper-V or possibly Apple M1 and M2 processors via Parallels Desktop. A preview edition is available to download.
2. How can I tell if my computer is 64 bit capable?
Most recent processors such as the Intel Duo Core 2, i3, i5 , i7 and AMD processors support 64 bit. In particular, you are looking to see if it supports the EM64T instructions. The CPU-Z tool from CPUID can display the instructions a CPU supports.
3. How can I tell if I have Windows 11 64 bit?
You can tell via the Settings, System, About see the system type to see that it says '64-bit Operating System'.
Windows 11 64 bit also comes with two folders for programs called 'C:\Program files' and 'C:\Program files (x86)', there is also a
C:\Windows\SysWOW64 which contains 32 bit libraries and programs, the normal System32 folder now contains the 64 bit
version of libraries and programs.
4 Do I need to change any of my software to run on Windows 11 64 bit?
Most 32 bit software will run on a 64 bit operating system. Any old 16 bit software will NOT run on a 64 bit system.
Some software do come in 32 and 64 bit versions, sometimes in the same package or available as seperate pages.
Typical examples include:
5. What are the disadvantages of going to 64 bit?
* Older DOS and 16 bit software will not work. Alternatives include DOSBox and virtual machines using VirtualBox.
* 32 bit drivers will not work, you need to use 64 bit drivers for your primary hardware.
* Some software will not work on 64 bit systems. You need to check to make sure that your software works, see Windows Catalog.
6. What software can I run on my Windows 11 ARM64 computers?
Windows 11 ARM64 is still only available in Preview edition are can run a limited range of software, some is ARM64 native and some existing software for Intel
machines can be emulated to run on Windows 11 ARM64 machines.
The following example software can run natively on Windows 11 ARM64 machines: