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Windows 7, a major release of the Microsoft Windows operating system, has been released in several editions since its original release in 2009. Only Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate were widely available at retailers (including Enterprise for big businesses, companies etc.).[1] The other editions focus on other markets, such as the software development world or enterprise use. All editions support 32-bit IA-32 CPUs and all editions except Starter support 64-bit x64 CPUs. 64-bit installation media are not included in Home-Basic edition packages, but can be obtained separately from Microsoft.
According to Microsoft, the features for all editions of Windows 7 are stored on the machine, regardless of which edition is in use.[2] Users who wish to upgrade to an edition of Windows 7 with more features were able to use Windows Anytime Upgrade to purchase the upgrade and to unlock the features of those editions, until it was discontinued in 2015.[1][2][3] Microsoft announced Windows 7 pricing information for some editions on June 25, 2009, and Windows Anytime Upgrade and Family Pack pricing on July 31, 2009.[1][4][5]
Mainstream support for all Windows 7 editions ended on January 13, 2015, and extended support ended on January 14, 2020. After that, the operating system ceased receiving further support.[6] Professional and Enterprise volume licensed editions had paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) available until at most January 10, 2023.[7] Since October 31, 2013, Windows 7 is no longer available in retail, except for remaining stocks of the preinstalled Professional edition, which was officially discontinued on October 31, 2016.[8]
- Windows 7 Starter
- Windows 7 Starter is the edition of Windows 7 that contains the fewest features. It was only available in a 32-bit version and does not include the Windows Aero theme. The desktop wallpaper and visual styles (Windows 7 Basic) are not user-changeable. It was initially intended to be restricted to running up to three simultaneous programs like previous Starter releases of Windows, however this was dropped in the final release.[9] It only supports up to 2 GB of RAM.
- This edition was available pre-installed on computers, especially netbooks or Windows Tablets, through system integrators or computer manufacturers using OEM licenses.[1][10][11]
- Windows 7 Home Basic
- Windows 7 Home Basic was available in "emerging markets", in 141 countries.[12] Some Windows Aero options are excluded along with several new features.[1] This edition was available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions and supports up to 8 GB of RAM. Home Basic, along with other editions sold in emerging markets, includes geographical activation restriction, which requires users to activate Windows within a certain region or country.[13]
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- This edition contains features aimed at the home market segment, such as Windows Media Center, Windows Aero and multi-touch support. It supports up to 16 GB of RAM and was available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.[14]
- Windows 7 Professional
- This edition is targeted towards enthusiasts, small-business users, and schools.[1] It includes all the features of Windows 7 Home Premium, and adds the ability to participate in a Windows Server domain.[1] Additional features include support for up to 192 GB of RAM (increased from 16 GB),[15] up to two physical CPUs, operating as a Remote Desktop server, location aware printing, backup to a network location, Encrypting File System, Presentation Mode, Software Restriction Policies (but not the extra management features of AppLocker) and Windows XP Mode.[1] It was available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.[14]
- Windows 7 Enterprise
- This edition targeted the enterprise segment of the market and was sold through volume licensing to companies which have a Software Assurance (SA) contract with Microsoft.[1] Additional features include support for Multilingual User Interface (MUI) packages, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application support.[1] Not available through retail or OEM channels, this edition is distributed through SA.[1] As a result, it includes several SA-only benefits, including a license allowing the operating of diskless nodes (diskless PCs) and activation via Volume License Key (VLK).[16]
- Windows 7 Ultimate
- Windows 7 Ultimate is the edition of Windows 7 that contains the most features. It includes all the features of Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional while also adding some additional enterprise-oriented features that were also available on the SA-exclusive Windows 7 Enterprise, making it feature-complete with the latter; this edition was also available to home users on an individual license basis.[1] If a Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional user wished to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate, they would be able to do so by using Windows Anytime Upgrade, for an additional fee. This service was still available for any users who wish to upgrade.[1] Like Windows 7 Professional, it supports up to 192 GB of RAM and up to two physical CPUs, and was available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Unlike Windows Vista Ultimate, it does not include the Windows Ultimate Extras feature or any other exclusive features that Microsoft has stated.[1]
The main editions also can take the form of one of the following special editions:
- N and KN editions
- The features in the N and KN Editions are the same as their equivalent full versions, but do not include Windows Media Player or other Windows Media-related technologies, such as Windows Media Center and Windows DVD Maker due to limitations set by the European Union and South Korea, respectively.[17] The cost of the N and KN Editions are the same as the full versions, as the Media Feature Pack for Windows 7 N or Windows 7 KN can be downloaded without charge from Microsoft.[18]
- E edition
- The features in the E edition are the same as their equivalent full versions, but does not include Internet Explorer due to limitations set by the European Union. The cost of the E edition was cheaper than the full version.[19]
- Signature Edition
- The Signature Edition of Windows 7 is a commemorative edition of Windows 7 Ultimate for those throwing a Windows 7 launch party.[20] It is functionally the same as Windows 7 Ultimate.
In-place upgrade from Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 to Windows 7 is supported if the processor architecture and the language are the same and their editions match (see below).[1][3][21] In-place upgrade is not supported for earlier versions of Windows; moving to Windows 7 on these machines requires a clean installation, i.e. removal of the old operating system, installing Windows 7 and reinstalling all previously installed programs. Windows Easy Transfer can assist in this process.[1][3][22][23] Microsoft made upgrade SKUs of Windows 7 for selected editions of Windows XP and Windows Vista. The difference between these SKUs and full SKUs of Windows 7 is their lower price and proof of license ownership of a qualifying previous version of Windows. Same restrictions on in-place upgrading applies to these SKUs as well.[24] In addition, Windows 7 is available as a Family Pack upgrade edition in certain markets, to upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium only. It gives licenses to upgrade three machines from Vista or Windows XP to the Windows 7 Home Premium edition. These are not full versions, so each machine to be upgraded must have one of these qualifying previous versions of Windows for them to work.[25] In the United States, this offer expired in early December 2009.[26] In October 2010, to commemorate the anniversary of Windows 7, Microsoft once again made Windows 7 Home Premium Family Pack available for a limited time, while supplies lasted.[27]
Upgrade compatibility
There are two possible ways to upgrade to Windows 7 from an earlier version of Windows:
- An in-place install (labelled "Upgrade" in the installer), where settings and programs are preserved from an older version of Windows. This option is only sometimes available, depending on the editions of Windows being used, and is not available at all unless upgrading from Windows Vista.[28]
- A clean install (labelled "Custom" in the installer), where all settings including but not limited to user accounts, applications, user settings, music, photos, and programs are erased entirely and the current operating system is erased and replaced with Windows 7. This option is always available and is required for all versions of Windows XP.[29]
The table below lists which upgrade paths allow for an in-place install. Note that in-place upgrades can only be performed when the previous version of Windows is of the same architecture. If upgrading from a 32-bit installation to a 64-bit installation or downgrading from 64-bit installation to 32-bit installation, a clean install is mandatory regardless of the editions being used.
| Version and its specific edition of Windows to upgrade from | Edition of Windows 7 to upgrade to | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Basic | Home Premium | Professional | Enterprise | Ultimate | |
| Vista Home Basic | In-place | In-place | Clean | Clean | In-place |
| Vista Home Premium | Clean | In-place | Clean | Clean | In-place |
| Vista Business | Clean | Clean | In-place | In-place | In-place |
| Vista Enterprise | Clean | Clean | Clean | In-place | Clean |
| Vista Ultimate | Clean | Clean | Clean | Clean | In-place |
| XP | Clean | Clean | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| 2000/Me and earlier | Ineligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Ineligible |
In-place installation option available.
Requires clean install.
Requires full version of Windows and a clean install. Ineligible for upgrade pricing.
Anytime Upgrade editions
Microsoft supports in-place upgrades from a lower edition of Windows 7 to a higher one, using the Windows Anytime Upgrade tool.[1] There are currently three retail options available (though it is currently unclear whether they can be used with previous installations of the N versions),[30] however there are no family pack versions of the Anytime Upgrade editions. It was possible to use the Product Key from a Standard upgrade edition to accomplish an in-place upgrade (e.g. Home Premium to Ultimate).[31][32]
- Starter to Home Premium
- Starter to Professional1
- Starter to Ultimate1
- Home Premium to Professional
- Home Premium to Ultimate
- Professional to Ultimate1
1 Available in retail, and at the Microsoft Store
- Windows Thin PC
- On February 9, 2011, Microsoft announced Windows Thin PC, a branded derivative of Windows Embedded Standard 7 with Service Pack 1, designed as a lightweight version of Windows 7 for installation on low performance PCs as an alternative to using a dedicated thin client device. It succeeded Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs, which was based on Windows XP Embedded. Windows Thin PC was released on June 6, 2011.
- Mainstream support for Windows Thin PC ended on October 11, 2016, and extended support ended on October 12, 2021.[33]
- Embedded versions
- Windows 7 is also currently available in two distinct forms of Windows Embedded, named as Windows Embedded Standard 7 (known as Windows Embedded Standard 2011 prior to release, the newest being Windows Embedded Standard 7 with Service Pack 1) and Windows Embedded POSReady 7. Both versions are eligible for Extended Security Updates (ESU) for up to 3 years after their end of extended support dates.[7] In addition, binary identical for Embedded Systems (FES) variants of Professional and Ultimate editions are also available, differing only in licensing, and with their support periods also matching their non FES variants.
- Mainstream support for Windows Embedded 7 Standard ended on October 13, 2015, and extended support ended on October 13, 2020.[34] Mainstream support for Windows Embedded POSReady 7 ended on October 11, 2016, and extended support ended on October 12, 2021.[35] Extended Security Updates (ESU) ended for Windows Embedded 7 Standard on October 10, 2023.[34] ESU ended for Windows Embedded POSReady 7 on October 8, 2024.[36][35][37][38]
| Features | Starter | Home Basic | Home Premium | Professional | Enterprise | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensing scheme | OEM licensing | Retail and OEM licensing in emerging markets[22] | Retail and OEM licensing | Retail, OEM and volume licensing[42] | Volume licensing[42] | Retail and OEM licensing |
| Maximum physical memory (RAM) (32-Bit)[43] | 2 GB | 4 GB | ||||
| Maximum physical memory (RAM) (64-Bit)[43] | — | 8 GB | 16 GB | 192 GB | ||
| Maximum physical CPUs supported[a][44] | 1 | 2 | ||||
| Desktop Gadgets | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in AVCHD support[45] | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple monitors (High quality required)[vague] | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fast user switching | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Window Manager | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Mobility Center | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Printing via the Internet | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Parental Controls[46] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 64-bit edition available? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Aero | No | Partial (desktop composition only) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in DVD (MPEG-2 and Dolby Digital) decoder[3] | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-touch | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Media Center | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Media Player remote media experience[b] | No | No | Yes[47] | Yes[47] | Yes[47] | Yes[47] |
| Premium games included | No | No | Yes | Yes[c] | Yes[c] | Yes |
| HomeGroup support | Join only | Join only | Create or join | Create or join | Create or join | Create or join |
| Back up to network with Backup and Restore Center[49] | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Act as host for Remote Desktop Services | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic disks[50] | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Encrypting File System | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Location-aware printing | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Presentation mode | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Group Policy[51] | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Offline files and folder redirection[51] | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Server domain joining | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows XP Mode[d] | No | Partial | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Software restriction policies | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remote administration tools | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS)[e] | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AppLocker | No | No | No | Create policies, but cannot enforce | Create and enforce policies | Create and enforce policies |
| Aero glass remoting[52][53] | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Media Player multimedia redirection[53] | No | No | No | No | Yes[47] | Yes[47] |
| Enterprise search scopes[51]: 130 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Federated search[54] | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| BitLocker Drive Encryption | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| BranchCache Distributed Cache | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Subsystem for Unix-based Applications | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Supports Multilingual User Interface packages | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) enhancements[51]: 130 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) licensed[55] | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| VHD booting[f] | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Switching between any of the 37 available languages[57][58] | No | No | No | No | Yes[58] | Yes[58] |
| Features | Starter | Home Basic | Home Premium | Professional | Enterprise | Ultimate |
- Disabled by default.[48]
- Windows Virtual PC including a complete copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 using Remote Desktop Protocol to display individual applications integrated with the host OS (Windows 7). Windows XP Mode is available as a free download from Microsoft.
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