Year Event

1983 Bill Gates announced Microsoft Windows on November 10, 1983.

1985 Microsoft Windows 1.0 is introduced on November 20, 1985, and is initially sold for $100.00.
1987 Microsoft Windows 2.0 was released on December 9, 1987, and is initially sold for $100.00.
1987 Microsoft Windows/386 or Windows 386 is introduced on December 9, 1987, and is initially sold for
$100.00.
1988 Microsoft Windows/286 or Windows 286 is introduced in June 1988, and is initially sold for $100.00.
1990 Microsoft Windows 3.0 was released on May, 22 1990. Microsoft Windows 3.0 full version was priced at
$149.95 and the upgrade version was priced at $79.95.
1991 Following its decision not to develop operating systems cooperatively with IBM, Microsoft changes the
name of OS/2 to Windows NT.
1991 Microsoft Windows 3.0 or Windows 3.0a with multimedia was released in October 1991.
1992 Microsoft Windows 3.1 was released in April 1992 and sells more than one million copies within the first
two months of its release.
1992 Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1 was released in October 1992.
1993 Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 was released on July 27, 1993.
1993 Microsoft Windows 3.11, an update to Windows 3.1 was released on December 31, 1993.
1993 The number of licensed users of Microsoft Windows now totals more than 25 million.
1994 Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11 was released in February 1994.
1994 Microsoft Windows NT 3.5 was released on September 21, 1994.
1995 Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 was released on May 30, 1995.
1995 Microsoft Windows 95 was released on August 24, 1995, and sells more than one million copies within
4 days.
1995 Microsoft Windows 95 Service Pack 1 (4.00.950A) was released on February 14, 1996.
1996 Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 was released on July 29, 1996.
1996 Microsoft Windows 95 (4.00.950B) aka OSR2 with FAT32 and MMX support was released on August
24, 1996.
1996 Microsoft Windows CE 1.0 was released in November 1996.
1997 Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 was released in November 1997.
1997 Microsoft Windows 95 (4.00.950C) aka OSR2.5 was released on November 26, 1997.
1998 Microsoft Windows 98 was released in June 1998.
1998 Microsoft Windows CE 2.1 was released in July 1998.
1998 In October 1998, Microsoft announced that future releases of Windows NT would no longer have the
initials of NT and that the next edition would be Windows 2000.
1999 Microsoft Windows 98 SE (Second Edition) was released on May 5, 1999.
1999 Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 was released in 1999.
2000 On January 4th, 2000, at CES, Bill Gates announced the new version of Windows CE will be called
Pocket PC.
2000 Microsoft Windows 2000 was released on February 17, 2000.
2000 Microsoft Windows ME (Millennium) was released on June 19, 2000.
2001 Microsoft Windows XP was released on October 25, 2001.
2001 Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit edition (Version 2002) for Itanium systems was released on March 28,
2003.
2003 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 was released on March 28, 2003.
2003 Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit edition (Version 2003) for Itanium 2 systems was released on March 28,
2003.
2003 Microsoft Windows XP Media Center edition 2003 was released on December 18, 2003.
2004 Microsoft Windows XP Media Center edition 2005 was released on October 12, 2004.
2005 Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 edition was released on April 24, 2005.
2005 Microsoft announced its next operating system, code-named "Longhorn" will be named Windows Vista
on July 23, 2005.
2006 Microsoft released Microsoft Windows Vista to corporations on November 30, 2006.
2007 Microsoft released Microsoft Windows Vista and Office 2007 to the general public on January 30, 2007.
2008 Microsoft released Microsoft Windows Server 2008 to the public on February 27, 2008.
2009 Microsoft released Windows 7 on October 22, 2009.
2012 Microsoft released Windows Server 2012 on September 4, 2012.
2012 Microsoft released Windows 8 on October 26, 2012.
2015 Microsoft released Windows 10 on July 29, 2015.

Windows 1.01.
First run

First run in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong aspect
ratio (correct).

Empty desktop

Empty desktop in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).
 Desktop with applications

Desktop with applications in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra

border (remove) and wrong aspect ratio (correct).

Notepad
 Notepad in Windows 1.01 (Notepad). The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).

Text editor

Text editor in Windows 1.01 (Write). The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).
Calculator

Calculator in Windows 1.01 (Calculator). The screenshot has an extra

border (remove) and wrong aspect ratio (correct).

Calendar

Calendar in Windows 1.01 (Calendar). The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).
Clock

Clock in Windows 1.01 (Clock). The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).

Address book

Address book in Windows 1.01 (Cardfile). The screenshot has an extra

border (remove) and wrong aspect ratio (correct).
Media player
CD player
Volume level
Sound

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Terminal

Terminal in Windows 1.01 (Terminal). The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).

Phone dialer

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Browser
Mail

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Keyboard map

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Settings menu

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

General
 General in Windows 1.01 (Control Panel). The screenshot has an extra
border (remove) and wrong aspect ratio (correct).

Appearance

Appearance in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong aspect
ratio (correct).
Desktop themes
Display
Screensaver
Keyboard

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Mouse
Time and date
These features can be found in the General section. The only customizable feature was the
double-click speed.

International
Accessibility
Power management

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Application manager
This feature can be found in the File manager section.

File manager
 File manager in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong aspect
ratio (correct).

Running applications

Running applications in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has wrong aspect ratio (correct).

Task manager

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Help
Search
Trash can

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Run

Run in Windows 1.01 (Run). The screenshot has wrong aspect ratio (correct).

Run in Windows 1.01 (Load). The screenshot has wrong aspect ratio (correct).

Command prompt

Command prompt in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).
Welcome splash

Welcome splash in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).

Login screen
Logout screen

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Shutdown window
 Shutdown window in Windows 1.01 (End Session). The screenshot has wrong aspect
ratio (correct).

Shutting down
Shutdown complete

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Welcome screen

Welcome screen in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).
Licence

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

File copying

File copying in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong aspect
ratio (correct).

Installation complete
 Installation complete in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).

About GUI

About GUI in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has wrong aspect ratio (correct).

About application
 About application in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has wrong aspect ratio (correct).

Font selection

Font selection in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has wrong aspect ratio (correct).

Open file

Open file in Windows 1.01. The screenshot has wrong aspect ratio (correct).

Colour selector
This feature can be found in the Appearance section.
Wrong password

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Screenshots from Windows 2.03.

First run

First run in Windows 2.03. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).
Empty desktop

Empty desktop in Windows 2.03. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Desktop with applications

 Desktop with applications in Windows 2.03. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Notepad
 Notepad in Windows 2.03 (Notepad)

Text editor
 Text editor in Windows 2.03 (Write)

Calculator

Calculator in Windows 2.03 (Calculator)

Calendar

Calendar in Windows 2.03 (Calendar)

Clock

Clock in Windows 2.03 (Clock)

Address book

Address book in Windows 2.03 (Cardfile)

Media player
CD player
Volume level
Sound

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Terminal
 Terminal in Windows 2.03 (Terminal)

Phone dialer

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Browser
Mail

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Keyboard map

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Settings menu

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

General

General in Windows 2.03 (Control Panel)

Appearance
 Appearance in Windows 2.03

Appearance in Windows 2.03

Desktop themes
Display
Screensaver
Keyboard

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Mouse
 Mouse in Windows 2.03 (Mouse Options)

Windows 2.0 added the ability to swap mouse buttons and customize mouse acceleration.
Probably by omission, the double-click speed setting can still be found in the Settings >
General menu.

Time and date

This feature can be found in the General section.

International
 International in Windows 2.03

Accessibility
Power management

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Application manager
This feature can be found in the File manager section.

File manager
 File manager in Windows 2.03

Running applications

Running applications in Windows 2.03

Task manager

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Help
Search
Trash can

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Run

Run in Windows 2.03 (Run)

Run in Windows 2.03 (Load)

Command prompt
 Command prompt in Windows 2.03

Welcome splash
 Welcome splash in Windows 2.03. The screenshot has an extra border (remove) and wrong
aspect ratio (correct).

Login screen
Logout screen

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Shutdown window
 Shutdown window in Windows 2.03 (End Session)

Shutting down
Shutdown complete

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Welcome screen
 Welcome screen in Windows 2.03. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Licence

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

File copying

File copying in Windows 2.03. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Installation complete
 Installation complete in Windows 2.03. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

About GUI

About GUI in Windows 2.03

About application

About application in Windows 2.03

Font selection

Font selection in Windows 2.03

Open file
 Open file in Windows 2.03

Colour selector
This feature can be found in the Appearance section.

Wrong password

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Screenshots from Windows 3.0.

First run

First run in Windows 3.0. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Empty desktop
 Empty desktop in Windows 3.0. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Desktop with applications

 Desktop with applications in Windows 3.0. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Notepad
 Notepad in Windows 3.0 (Notepad)

Text editor
 Text editor in Windows 3.0 (Write)

Calculator

Calculator in Windows 3.0 (Calculator)

Calendar

Calendar in Windows 3.0 (Calendar)

Clock
 Clock in Windows 3.0 (Clock)

Address book

Address book in Windows 3.0 (Cardfile)

Media player
CD player
Volume level
Sound

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Terminal

Terminal in Windows 3.0 (Terminal)

Phone dialer

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Browser
Mail

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Keyboard map

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Settings menu

Settings menu in Windows 3.0 (Control Panel)

General

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Appearance

Appearance in Windows 3.0 (Color)

Appearance in Windows 3.0 (Desktop)

Desktop themes

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Display

This feature is not yet documented on this site.

Screensaver

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Keyboard

Keyboard in Windows 3.0 (Keyboard)

Windows 3.0 allowed only for changing the key repeat rate. Please note the use of word
‘typematic,’ removed in later releases.

Mouse
 Mouse in Windows 3.0 (Mouse)

Time and date

Time and date in Windows 3.0 (Date & Time)

International
 International in Windows 3.0 (International)

Accessibility
Power management

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Application manager
 Application manager in Windows 3.0

File manager
 File manager in Windows 3.0

Running applications

Running applications in Windows 3.0

Task manager
 Task manager in Windows 3.0 (Task List)

Help

Help in Windows 3.0 (Program Manager Help)

Search

Search in Windows 3.0

Trash can

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

Run

Run in Windows 3.0 (Run)

Command prompt
 Command prompt in Windows 3.0 (DOS Prompt)

Welcome splash
 Welcome splash in Windows 3.0. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Login screen
Logout screen

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Shutdown window
 Shutdown window in Windows 3.0 (Exit Windows)

Shutting down
Shutdown complete

This GUI doesn’t have these features.

Welcome screen
 Welcome screen in Windows 3.0. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Licence

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.

File copying
 File copying in Windows 3.0. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

Installation complete
 Installation complete in Windows 3.0. The screenshot has an extra border (remove).

About GUI
 About GUI in Windows 3.0 (About)

About application

About application in Windows 3.0

Font selection
 Font selection in Windows 3.0

Open file

Open file in Windows 3.0 (File Open)

Colour selector
 Colour selector in Windows 3.0

Wrong password

This GUI doesn’t have this feature.