personal computer operating system by Microsoft that was released in 2012
Factsheet
Windows 8 Version of the Windows NT operating system
Developer Microsoft
Source model Closed-source
Source-available (through Shared Source Initiative)
Source-available (through Shared Source Initiative)
Windows 8 Version of the Windows NT operating system
Developer Microsoft
Source model Closed-source
Source-available (through Shared Source Initiative)
Source-available (through Shared Source Initiative)
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Windows_8
Windows 8 - Wikipedia
1 week ago - Windows 8 also added support for USB 3.0, Advanced Format, near-field communication, and cloud computing, as well as a new lock screen with clock and notifications. Additional security features—including built-in antivirus software, integration with Microsoft SmartScreen phishing filtering, ...
GCFGlobal
edu.gcfglobal.org › en › windows8 › windows-81-features › 1
Windows 8: Windows 8.1 Features
These changes include a redesigned interface, online features, and improved security. The first thing you'll notice about Windows 8 is that it looks totally different from previous versions of Windows.
Videos
17:53
Windows 8.1 New Features - YouTube
08:30
Why I still use Windows 8.1 in 2020... - YouTube
Windows 8: Exploring Windows 8
08:46
Windows 8 & 8.1: The Features That Shaped a New Era - YouTube
Top Ten Windows 8.1 Features
02:05
What Is Windows 8? - YouTube
What are the key features of Windows 8?
Windows 8 introduced several key features, including a Start screen with live tiles, a full-screen immersive user interface, a Charms bar for accessing system functions, improved search functionality, and native support for a universal serial bus (USB 3.0). It also brought enhanced security features such as Windows Defender and Secure Boot.
lenovo.com
lenovo.com › home
What are the Key Features of Windows 8? | Can I Still Use Desktop ...
Can I still use the desktop mode in Windows 8?
Yes, Windows 8 still includes the desktop mode that resembles the traditional Windows interface. In desktop mode, you can run traditional desktop applications, access the file explorer, and perform tasks just like in previous versions of Windows. However, the Start button is no longer present by default in the taskbar, which some users found confusing.
lenovo.com
lenovo.com › home
What are the Key Features of Windows 8? | Can I Still Use Desktop ...
How do I switch between the Start screen and desktop mode?
To switch between the Start screen and desktop mode, you can press the Windows key on your keyboard or click the Start button (if available) to go to the Start screen. Similarly, you can press the Windows key or click the desktop icon on the Start screen to switch back to the desktop mode.
lenovo.com
lenovo.com › home
What are the Key Features of Windows 8? | Can I Still Use Desktop ...
Lenovo
lenovo.com › home
What are the Key Features of Windows 8? | Can I Still Use Desktop Mode? | Lenovo US
Windows 8 introduced several key features, including a Start screen with live tiles, a full-screen immersive user interface, a Charms bar for accessing system functions, improved search functionality, and native support for a universal serial bus (USB 3.0).
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Features_new_to_Windows_8
Features new to Windows 8 - Wikipedia
August 11, 2025 - The transition from Windows 7 to Windows 8 introduced a number of new features across various aspects of the operating system. These include a greater focus on optimizing the operating system for touchscreen-based devices (such as tablets) and cloud computing.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › windows › compatibility › new-features-and-enhancements-windows-8
New features and enhancements - Compatibility Cookbook | Microsoft Learn
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
Hongkiat
hongkiat.com › home › 5 windows 8 features you’ll love
5 Windows 8 Features You'll Love - Hongkiat
December 11, 2023 - Windows To Go lets you copy your entire OS, including settings, wallpapers, files, and apps, onto a USB thumb drive. Plug this into another Windows 8 computer, and it boots up to look exactly like your own system, with all your settings. ... This feature has many practical uses.
Purdue
social.education.purdue.edu › edit › wp-content › uploads › 2013 › 02 › Windows-8-Features.pdf pdf
Windows 8 Features
Desktop app looks almost identical to the desktop in Windows 7. (Windows 8 uses the word app
Encyclopedia MDPI
encyclopedia.pub › entry › 32385
Features New to Windows 8 | Encyclopedia MDPI
November 3, 2022 - Windows 8.1 reverts two changes that were featured in Windows 8. Windows 8 removed the Start button on the taskbar in favor of other ways of invoking the Start screen. Windows 8.1 restores this button.[44][45] Windows 8 also showed the Start screen upon logon, as opposed to other editions of Windows that show the desktop.
Fandom
microsoft.fandom.com › wiki › Features_new_to_Windows_8
Features new to Windows 8 | Microsoft Wiki | Fandom
October 29, 2024 - Windows 8 introduced several new features, including USB 3.0 support, Live ID integration, the Windows Store, the ability to run from USB Flash drives with Windows To Go, and easier system restore options, among others.
LifeHack
lifehack.org › home › technology › 30 windows 8 features you should know before you upgrade your pc
30 Windows 8 Features You Should Know Before You Upgrade Your PC - LifeHack
March 6, 2024 - If you sign in your windows 8 device with Microsoft account, your personalization, desktop background, and settings are all there, which is similar to the synchronization feature of Google Chrome. You can now start a project on one PC, and finish it on another.
Computer Hope
computerhope.com › jargon › w › windows8.htm
What Is Windows 8?
A guide to Windows 8, highlighting its features, improvements over previous versions, new interface, system requirements, and historical context.
Puget Systems
pugetsystems.com › home › hardware articles › important new windows 8 features
Important New Windows 8 Features | Puget Systems
October 11, 2012 - While Task Manager is not a new feature exclusive to Windows 8, Microsoft has made some great changes to improve its usability. Most notably, Task Manager now uses a heatmap-like interface where the more system resources a process is using, the darker the shading of that specific cell.
CNET
cnet.com › tech › computing › the new features you need to know about in windows 8.1
The new features you need to know about in Windows 8.1 - CNET
October 15, 2013 - Hot Corners Microsoft introduced Hot Corners last year with the release of Windows 8. Each corner of the screen has a different function; the Charms menu is in the lower and upper right, the back button is in the lower left, and the running apps window is in the upper right. Users were previously forced to look to third-party alternatives to disable this feature.
PCWorld
pcworld.com › home › news › business news
Windows 8.1 surprises: 25 hidden features and little extras | PCWorld
April 25, 2025 - It won’t mean much to proper PC users, but it’s a helpful touch for early adoptees of Windows 8 or Windows RT tablets. That’s not the only change: You can now answer Skype calls and messages straight from the splash screen, too. The little tweaks continue once you actually open the Camera app, which can now take panoramic pictures in the style of Microsoft’s Photosynth app (seen at left)—though the feature isn’t supported on all hardware, even if you have a webcam.
Protect Your Bubble
protectyourbubble.com › blog › windows-8-top-ten-features
Top 10 Features Windows 8 | Protect Your Bubble
Not even a year old and Microsoft is releasing an update to Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 Blue. Since the OS works on tablets and PC’s, the new system is turning heads with a new concept – the ‘Convertible.’ Windows 8 was not without its share of critics originally, and most were because ...
Credera
credera.com › en-us › insights › seven-features-you-should-know-in-windows-8
7 Features You Should Know in Windows 8 | Credera
August 3, 2020 - What I found out is the new operating system allows the user to pull in menu items from the side of the screen much like you would with your phone. If you are on a tablet running Windows 8 you can swipe your finger from the far right towards the center of the screen and you will see the menu that includes the Control Panel.
Microsoft Community
techcommunity.microsoft.com › microsoft community hub › communities › products › windows server › ask the performance team
Popular new features in Windows 8.1 | Microsoft Community Hub
March 16, 2019 - You can now drag and drop Metro Style apps across monitors. Drag and drop works for both full screen and snapped apps! So if you are like me with multiple monitors, check out how Windows 8.1 can increase productivity:
IT Business Edge
itbusinessedge.com › home › applications
Ten Features to Like About Windows 8.1 | IT Business Edge
March 11, 2021 - Released last year, Windows 8 is an important operating platform for organizations that are invested in the Windows ecosystem. Under the hood, the new operating system from Microsoft delivers substantial security improvements and faster boot times, even as it integrates new features such as full touch support and the Windows Store for fuss-free downloading and […]
XDA Developers
xda-developers.com › home › windows › 5 great features windows 8 introduced that it doesn't get enough credit for
5 great features Windows 8 introduced that it doesn't get enough credit for
April 25, 2025 - You can access files on Windows 11 by saving drive space using this OneDrive feature. ... Windows 8 was lambasted for its strict focus on touch-based devices like the Surface RT and Surface Pro that launched alongside it.
BetaWiki
betawiki.net › wiki › Windows_8
Windows 8 - BetaWiki
Windows 8 was largely designed ... system, which features larger buttons, more distinct colors, and a modernized interface coupled with the removal of Aero transparency effects on windows....