List of Microsoft Windows components

The following is a list of Microsoft Windows components.

Configuration and maintenance

Component	Description	Command	Introduced
Settings	Allows users to change system settings, similar to the Control Panel, but has less options	start ms-settings:	Windows 8
Control Panel
Control Panel	Allows users to view and change basic system settings and controls, such as adding hardware, adding and removing software, controlling user accounts, and changing accessibility options	control.exe	Windows 1.0
Device Manager	Allows the user to display and control the hardware attached to the computer, and control what device drivers are used	devmgmt.msc	Windows 95
Windows Mobility Center	Centralizes the most relevant information related to mobile computing	mblctr.exe	Windows Vista
Security and Maintenance	Centralizes and reports on the status of anti-virus, Automatic Updates, Windows Firewall, and other security-related components of the operating system		Windows XP SP2
Administrative Tools
Microsoft Management Console	Provides system administrators and advanced users with a flexible interface through which they may configure and monitor the system	mmc.exe	Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack
Windows System Assessment Tool	Built-in benchmarking tool that analyzes the different subsystems (graphics, memory, etc.), and uses the results to allow for comparison to other Windows Vista systems, and for software optimizations. It rates the computer's performance using the Windows Experience Index.	winsat.exe	Windows Vista
System Restore	Allows for the rolling back of system files, registry keys, installed apps, etc., to a previous state in the event of a system failure	rstrui.exe	Windows Me
Windows Recovery Environment	Helps diagnose and recover from serious errors which may prevent Windows from booting successfully, or restore the computer to a previous state using System Restore or a backup image	shutdown /r /o	Windows Vista
Microsoft Drive Optimizer	Rearranges files stored on a hard disk to occupy contiguous storage locations in order to optimize computer performance	dfrgui.exe	Windows 95, Windows 2000
Event Viewer	Lets administrators and users view the event logs on a local or remote machine	eventvwr.msc	Windows NT 3.1
Resource Monitor (previously Reliability and Performance Monitor)	Lets administrators view current system reliability and performance trends over time	resmon.exe	Windows Vista
Logical Disk Manager	Logical volume manager developed by Microsoft in conjunction with Veritas Software	diskmgmt.msc	Windows NT 4.0 (Separate Tool), Windows 2000
Registry Editor	Allows users to browse and edit the Windows registry	regedit.exe	Windows 3.1
Task Scheduler	Allows users to script tasks for running during scheduled intervals	taskschd.msc	Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95
Software installation and deployment
Windows Update	An online service providing updates such as service packs, critical updates and device drivers. A variation called Microsoft Update also provides software updates for other Microsoft products.	control.exe update	Windows 98
Windows Installer	An engine for the management of software installation. Includes a GUI framework, automatic generation of the uninstallation sequence and deployment capabilities for corporate networks.	msiexec.exe	Office 2000
ClickOnce	Technology for deploying .NET Framework-based software via web pages, with automatic update capabilities. Intended for per-user only applications.	mage.exe and mageUI.exe	.NET Framework 2.0

User interface

Component	Description	Introduced
Action Center	View notifications sent from apps and change common settings	Windows 10
Command Prompt	Text-based shell (command line interpreter) that provides a command line interface to the operating system	Windows NT 3.1
Windows PowerShell	Command-line shell and scripting framework.	Windows XP
Windows Shell	The most visible and recognizable aspect of Microsoft Windows. The shell provides the container inside of which the entire graphical user interface is presented, including the taskbar, the desktop, Windows Explorer, as well as many of the dialog boxes and interface controls. In Windows Vista, a new compositing glass-like user interface called Windows Aero has been shown.	Windows 95
File Explorer (previously Windows Explorer)	Provides an interface for accessing the file systems, launching applications, and performing common tasks such as viewing and printing pictures	Windows 95
Windows Search	Starting with Windows Vista, search is a tightly shell-integrated component of Windows. A downloadable Windows Desktop Search software is available for Windows XP and older versions.	Windows Vista, downloadable for older versions
Search Folders	Virtual folders that retrieve items based on queries rather than hierarchical folder trees on disk.	Windows Vista
Special Folders	Folders which are presented to the user through an interface as an abstract concept, instead of an absolute path. This makes it possible for an application to locate where certain kinds of files can be found, regardless of what version or language of operating system is being used. See also Windows Shell namespace.	Windows 95
Start menu	Serves as the central launching point for applications. It provides a customizable, nested list of apps for the user to launch, as well as a list of most recently opened documents, a way to find files and get help, and access to the system settings. By default, the Start Button is visible at all times in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.	Windows 95
Taskbar	The application desktop bar which is used to launch and monitor applications	Windows 95
Task View	Displays all open windows and activities (via timeline) at a glance and switch between virtual desktops, starting in version 2004, users can now rename desktops	Windows 10
File associations	Used to open a file with the appropriate app. Users can assign file associations uniquely to specific actions, known as verbs.	Windows 1.0

Applications and utilities

Component	Description	Introduced
Easy Transfer	Used to transfer many files at once from one computer to another	Windows Vista
Contacts	Keeps a single list of contacts that can be shared by multiple apps	Windows Vista
Camera	Allows the user to take pictures or record video	Windows 8
Calculator	Calculation application	Windows 1.0
Calendar	Calendaring application	Windows Vista
Character Map	Utility to view and search characters in a font, copy them to the clipboard and view their Windows Alt keycodes and Unicode names	Windows 3.1
Cortana	Digital personal assistant	Windows 10 Version 1507
Edge	Web browser	Windows 10 Version 1507
Feedback Hub	Platform for exchanging communication with Windows Insiders and developers	Windows 10 Version 1607
Groove Music (previously Xbox Music)	Digital media player and media library application that is used for playing audio. In addition to being a media player, Groove includes the ability to copy music to compact discs, synchronize content with a digital audio player (MP3 player) or other mobile devices, and let users purchase or rent music from the Windows Store.	Windows 8
Movies & TV (previously Xbox Video)	Digital media player and media library application that is used for playing video. In addition to being a media player, Movies & TV lets users purchase or rent movies and TV episodes from the Windows Store.	Windows 8
OneDrive (previously SkyDrive)	Freemium cloud storage folder and sync service	Windows 8
OneNote	Integrated note-taking app, based on the Microsoft Office product of the same name	Windows 8
On-Screen Keyboard (osk.exe)	Virtual keyboard
Paint 3D	Simple graphics painting app	Windows 10 Version 1703
Photos	Simple image viewer	Windows 8
Steps Recorder (called Problem Steps Recorder in Windows 7)	Utility that allows the user to capture steps they took to reproduce a problem	Windows 7
Windows To Go	Utility to create bootable versions of Windows 8 and above	Windows 8
Notepad	Simple text editor	Windows 1.0
Narrator	Screen reader utility that reads dialog boxes and window controls in a number of the more basic applications for Windows	Windows 2000
Sound Recorder	Simple audio recording app that can record from a microphone or headset, and save the results in WAVE format and Windows Media Audio format in some Windows versions	Windows 3.0 Multimedia Extensions
Skype	Messaging and calling service	Windows 8.1, downloadable for previous versions
Sticky Notes	Tool for jotting notes on the desktop	Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
WordPad	Simple word processor with basic formatting, successor to Microsoft Write. It has facilities to format and print text, but lacks intermediate features such as a spell checker and thesaurus.	Windows 95
Private Character Editor	Utility to create private use characters as defined under Unicode and various East Asian encoding schemes	Windows 3.1 East Asian editions
Remote Desktop Connection	Client implementation of the Remote Desktop Protocol; allows a user to securely connect to a computer running Terminal Services (Remote Desktop on Windows XP and Server 2003) and interact with a full desktop environment on that machine, including support for remoting of printers, audio, and drives.	Windows XP, downloadable for previous Windows versions
Remote Assistance	Allows a user to temporarily take over a remote computer over a network or the internet to offer help with and resolve issues	Windows XP
Mobility Center	Allows a user to adjust settings related to mobile computing	Windows Vista
Speech Recognition	Allows a user to input voice commands	Windows Vista
IExpress	Allows users to create self-extracting, self-installing INF installation-based packages	Internet Explorer 6
Xbox Console Companion (previously Xbox and Xbox Games)	Account manager for Xbox Live user accounts and a screen recording tool	Windows 8
Xbox Game Bar	Provides a overlay for compatible games allowing for screen capture, chatting over the Xbox network, showing the frame rate of games, and playing music via Spotify	Windows 10 May 2019 Update (Version 1903)
Magnifier	Screen enlargement app	Windows 98
Fax and Scan	Integrated faxing and image scanning application	Windows Vista, older faxing and scanning applications were present in previous Windows versions
Photo Viewer	Simple image viewer that can play a simple slideshow	Windows 7
Mail	Email aggregator	Windows 8
Maps	Map viewer that allows users to look for locations, and plan routes	Windows 8
Media Center	Designed to serve as a home-entertainment hub, to be viewed from a distance up to 3 meters (~10 feet) and controlled by specially designed remote controls. Lets users browse and view pictures, videos, and music from local hard drives, optical drives, and network locations, along with viewing, recording and deferred-playing live TV. Features an interactive TV guide with scheduled recording capabilities. Can also be used for visualization of other information (like sports scores) within the interface	Windows XP Media Center Edition
Task Manager	Provides information about computer performance and displays details about running applications, processes, network activity, logged-in users, and system services	Windows 3.0
Disk Cleanup	Utility for compacting rarely used files and removing files that are no longer required	Windows 98
Snipping Tool	Screen-capture tool that allows for taking screenshots (called snips)	Experience Pack for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005
Microsoft Store (previously Windows Store)	Initially known as Windows Store, it started as an app store for Windows 8. In Windows 10, it expanded into a broad digital distribution platform for apps, games, music, digital video and e-books. In 2017, it was renamed Microsoft Store and started offering hardware in United States, Canada and United Kingdom.	Windows 8
MSN apps	Provide information from MSN web services	Windows 8
Alarms & Clock(pre Alarms)	App that allows Windows users to set alarms, stopwatches, timers, and view a world clock	Windows 8
Windows Security (previously Windows Defender Security Center)	Antivirus	Windows 10 Version 1703
Solitaire Collection	Set of solitaire card games	Windows 10 Version 1507, downloadable for Windows 8.x

Windows Server components

Component	Description	Supported by
Active Directory	A set of technologies introduced with Windows 2000 that allows administrators to assign enterprise-wide policies, deploy apps to many computers, and apply critical updates to an entire organization. Active Directory stores information and settings relating to an organization in a central, organized, accessible database. Networks can vary from a small installation with a few objects, to global-scale directories with millions of objects.    Related topics: Domain controller, Flexible single master operation	Windows 2000 and later server versions
Group Policy	Provides centralized management of user and computer settings in an Active Directory environment. Group policy can control a target object's registry, NTFS security, audit and security policy, software installation, logon/logoff scripts, folder redirection, and Internet Explorer settings. Policy settings are stored in Group Policy Objects (GPOs), and may be linked to one or more sites, domains or organizational units.    Related topics: Administrative Templates	Windows 2000 and later
Internet Information Services	Web server	Windows NT family

File systems

Component	Description	Supported by
FAT12, FAT16	The original file systems used with MS-DOS. The standard file systems used with Windows 1.0 through Windows 95.	All versions
FAT32	Extensions to FAT supporting larger disk sizes. The standard file system for Windows 98 and Me.	Windows 95 OSR2 and later versions
NTFS	Standard file system of Windows NT; supports security via access-control lists, as well as file system journaling and file-system metadata. Windows 2000 added support for reparse points (making NTFS junction points and Single instance storage possible), Hard links, file compression, and Sparse files. Encryption of data is provided by Encrypting File System. Symbolic links and transactioning of file operations via Transactional NTFS are features new to Windows Vista. Although Windows 9x operating systems cannot read or write NTFS formatted disks, they can access the data over a network if it is shared by a computer running Windows NT.	Windows NT (all versions)
ISO 9660 (CDFS)	The predominant file system for CD-ROM and DVD-ROM media. Windows includes support for Joliet extensions and the ISO 9660:1999 standard. ISO 9660:1999 is supported since Windows XP.	MS-DOS and Windows 9x via extensions, such as MSCDEX.EXE (Microsoft CDROM Extension), natively in Windows NT 3.5
Universal Disk Format (UDF)	A file system for storing files on optical media. It is an implementation of the ISO/IEC 13346 standard (also known as ECMA-167). It is considered to be a replacement of ISO 9660. Successive versions of Windows have supported newer versions of UDF.	Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista
HPFS	High-Performance File system, used on OS/2 computers. Read and write capability in Windows 95 (where it also listed network computer NTFS-formatted drives as "HPFS", even though it had no direct NTFS capabilities). HPFS write support was dropped in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 98, and dropped altogether shortly before the release of Windows 2000.	Windows 95 (Read/write), Windows 98, Windows NT (read), 3.1/3.51 (read/write/boot)
ReFS	A newer file system, based on NTFS. This system adds built-in integrity checking and removes the need for chkdsk, among other features. The maximum partition size is 1 YB.	Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1

Core components

Component	Acronym	Description
Windows kernel (Windows NT) Main article: Architecture of Windows NT
Ntoskrnl.exe		The Windows kernel image. Provides the kernel and executive layers of the kernel architecture, and is responsible for services such as hardware virtualization, process and memory management, etc.
hal.dll	HAL	Provides and handles the interaction between software and hardware via the Hardware Abstraction Layer.
kernel32.dll		This application provides kernel operations to apps in the Win32 mode, like memory management, I/Os, process creation, etc.
Core processes (Windows NT)
System idle process	SIP	A counter which measures how much idle capacity the CPU has at any given time. The process runs in the background and monitors processing bandwidth, occupied memory and the Windows virtual paging file.
Session Manager Subsystem	SMSS	Performs several critical boot-time operations, such as the creation of environment variables, starting CSRSS, and performing file-copy operations that were queued up from before the system was booted (pending file rename operations). During system operation, it handles Windows File Protection and the creation of logon sessions via Winlogon.
Client/Server Runtime Subsystem	CSRSS	User-mode side of the Win32 subsystem. Provides the capability for applications to use the Windows API.
Local Security Authority Subsystem Service	LSASS	Responsible for enforcing the security policy on the system. Verifies users logging on to the computer and creates security tokens.
Winlogon		Responsible for handling the secure attention key, loading the user profile on logon, and optionally locking the computer when a screensaver is running. On Windows NT systems prior to Windows Vista, Winlogon is also responsible for loading GINA libraries which are responsible collecting logon credentials from the user.
Svchost.exe		A generic host process name for services that run from dynamic-link libraries (DLLs). Several Svchost processes are typically present on a Windows machine, each running in a different security context, depending on what privileges the contained services require.
Windows on Windows and WOW64	WoW	An abstraction layer that allows legacy code to operate on more modern versions of Windows; typically this means running 16-bit Windows applications on 32-bit Windows, and 32-bit applications on 64-bit Windows.
Virtual DOS machine	NTVDM	Allows MS-DOS apps to run on Intel 80386 or higher computers when there is already another operating system running and controlling the hardware. Introduced in Windows 2.1; not available in any 64-bit edition of Windows.
System startup (Windows NT) Main articles: Windows NT Startup Process and Windows Vista Startup Process
NTLDR, IA64ldr, Winload		The boot loader; performs basic system initialization options such as loading the hardware abstraction layer and boot-time device drivers, prior to passing control to the Windows kernel. In versions prior to Vista, NTLDR and IA64ldr also display menus to the user if multiple operating systems are defined in boot.ini, or if F8 is pressed.
Recovery Console		Provides the means for administrators to perform a limited range of tasks using a command line interface, primarily to aid in recovering from situations where Windows does not boot successfully.
ntdetect.com		Used during the boot process to detect basic hardware components that may be required during the boot process
Windows Boot Manager		In Windows Vista and later operating systems, displays boot menus to the user if multiple operating systems are configured in the system's Boot Configuration Data.
Graphical subsystem
Desktop Window Manager	DWM	The compositing manager introduced in Windows Vista that handles compositing and manages special effects on screen objects in a graphical user interface
Graphics Device Interface	GDI/GDI	The kernel graphics component for representing graphical objects and transmitting them to output devices such as monitors and printers
Windows USER		The Windows USER component provides core user interface, messaging and visual elements

Services

Further information: Windows service

This list is not all-inclusive.

Display name	Service key name	Description	Introduced
Active Directory Service	NTDS	Network Authentication Management	Windows 2000 Server
Alerter service	Alerter	Sends administrative alerts over the network to client computers, administrators and users	Windows NT
Application Layer Gateway service	ALG	Provides support for plugins that allow network protocols to pass through Windows Firewall and work behind Internet Connection Sharing	Windows 2000
Application Experience service		Processes application compatibility cache requests for applications as they launch
Application Management	AppMgmt	Processes requests to enumerate, install, and remove applications that are installed on the computer or deployed through an organization's network	Windows 2000
Background Intelligent Transfer Service	BITS	Transfers files between machines using idle network bandwidth. Used by Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services, and Systems Management Server to deliver software updates to clients, as well as by Windows Messenger.	Windows XP
Computer Browser	Browser	Crawls neighboring computers on the network and locates shared resources. One of the computers acts as the Master Browser and supplies this information to other computers designated as browsers.	Windows for Workgroups
Delivery Optimization	DoSvc	A peer-to-peer distribution service that downloads Windows updates and Microsoft Store apps from the local network or Internet peers, and redistributes them to others. Can be configured using either the Settings app or Group Policy. The Settings app can turn it on or off, and specify whether the service operates on the local network only, downloads from and uploads to the Internet peers as well. Group Policy allows finer control. Delivery Optimization relies on a centralized web service that does not index contents under 10 MB. Computers without Internet access cannot use Delivery Optimization.	Windows 10 Anniversary Update
Distributed Link Tracking	TrkWks, TrkSrv	Used to track links to files on NTFS volumes. Windows uses these services to find linked files if they are renamed or moved (locally or to another machine).	Windows 2000
Distributed Transaction Coordinator	MSDTC	Allows transactional components to be configured through COM by coordinating transactions that are distributed across multiple computers and/or resource managers, such as databases, message queues, file systems, and other transaction–based resource managers.	Windows 2000 and later NT-based
DNS Client	DNSCache	Resolves and caches domain names (e.g. “en.wikipedia.org”) to IP addresses	Windows 2000
Event Log	EventLog	Stores and retrieves events that can be viewed in the event viewer. Part of services.exe.	Windows NT
Extensible Authentication Protocol	EAPHost	Provides EAP authentication to connecting clients	Windows 2000
Indexing Service	CISVC	Indexes contents and properties of files on local and remote computers; provides rapid access to files through flexible querying language.	Windows 2000 and later NT-based
Interactive Services Detection	UI0Detect	For compatibility; when a service-displayed user interface is detected, it gives the user an option to switch to Session0 to see it	Windows Vista
Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)	SharedAccess	When enabled, it allows other computers on the local network to access an internet connection that is available to the host computer	Windows 2000; Windows Vista onward
Network Location Awareness	NLA	Manages network configurations and information, and notifies applications of changes	Windows XP
Network Store Interface Service	NSIS	Collects routing information of active network interfaces, shares this with other services and notifies applications of changes	Windows XP
NTLM Security Support Provider	NTLMSSP	Uses the NTLM MS-CHAP protocol to encapsulate and negotiate options in order to provide signed and sealed communication. Deprecated now in favor of Kerberos authentication.	Windows NT
Peer Name Resolution Protocol	PNRPSvc	Resolves domain names using Peer Name Resolution Protocol	Windows XP
Plug and Play	PlugPlay	Enables autodetection and configuration of hardware	Windows 2000
Windows Print spooler	Spooler	Manages printer devices and moves files into memory for printing	Windows 95, Windows NT
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)	RpcSs	Provides Remote Procedure Call features via remotely accessible Named Pipes	Windows NT family
Routing and Remote Access Service	RRAS	API and server software that enables applications to administer the routing and remote-access service capabilities of the operating system, to function as a network router.	Windows 2000
Secondary Logon	SecLogon	Allows users to run apps with a different account than the one they logged in with. Allows non-administrative accounts to perform administrative tasks.
Security Accounts Manager	SamSs	Manages user account security information	Windows NT family
System Event Notification Service	SENS	Monitors system events, such as network, power, logon, logoff, terminal services session connection and disconnection, and delivers these to applications and other system components.	Windows 2000
Superfetch	SysMain	Monitors file usage patterns and boosts system speed by caching frequently accessed files to RAM	Windows Vista
Task Scheduler	Schedule	Lets users setup and schedule automated tasks	Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper	LmHosts	Enables support for NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) service and NetBIOS name resolution	Windows NT family
Volume Shadow Copy	VSS	Creates multiple versions of files that change. The ability to store persistent snapshots was added in Windows Server 2003.	Windows XP
Windows Audio	AudioSrv	Manages audio devices for Windows-based apps. Controls all audio functions.	Windows XP
Windows Error Reporting	WERSvc	Generates error logs and reports errors. On Windows Vista and later, it notifies of solutions.	Windows XP
Windows Firewall	MpsSvc	Blocks unauthorized network connections to and from the computer	Windows Vista
Windows Firewall(née Internet Connection Sharing)	SharedAccess	Provides a simple firewall feature which was introduced in Windows XP. It also shares the internet on the local network, if the internet connection sharing feature is turned on.	Windows XP only
Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)	STISvc	Handles scanner and camera inputs	Windows Me
Windows Time	W32Time	Synchronizes the system time with external time servers. From Windows Server 2003 forward, full and compliant NTP support is provided.	Windows 2000
Windows Update	WUAUServ	Provides updates for the operating system and its installed components	Windows XP
Wireless Zero Configuration	WZCSvc (XP), WLANSvc	Configures and manages 802.11 wireless adapters	Windows XP, Server 2003 only
Windows Messenger service	Messenger	Allows users to send pop-up messages to other computers over the network	Windows NT family
WebClient		Enables Windows-based apps to create and interact with Internet-based files	Windows XP

DirectX

• Direct3D
• DirectDraw
• DirectInput
• DirectMusic
• DirectPlay
• DirectShow
• DirectSound
• DirectX Media Objects
• DirectX plugin
• DirectX Video Acceleration

Networking

• Administrative share
• Distributed File System
• My Network Places (formerly Network Neighborhood)
• Network Access Protection
• Remote Installation Services
• Server Message Block
• Windows Rights Management Services

Scripting and command-line

• Batch file
• CHKDSK
• Cmd.exe
• ComSpec
• Ipconfig
• Net / Net Send
• Netdom.exe: Windows Domain Manager
• Netsh
• Netstat
• QBasic
• Regsvr32
• Robocopy
• Win32 console
• Windows Script Host
• Windows PowerShell
• XCOPY

Kernel

• Commit charge
• Kernel Transaction Manager
• Win32 Thread Information Block

.NET Framework

• Assembly
• CLI Languages
• Metadata
• .NET Remoting
• ADO.NET
• ASP.NET
• Base Class Library
• Common Intermediate Language
• Common Language Infrastructure
• Common Language Runtime
• Common Type System
• Virtual Execution System
• Windows CardSpace
• Windows Communication Foundation
• Windows Forms
• Windows Presentation Foundation
• Windows Workflow Foundation

Security

Component	Description	Introduced
AppLocker	Policy-based component that enables or disables execution of software based on rules such as location, properties and digital signature	Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions Windows Server 2008 R2
BitLocker Drive Encryption	Disk encryption software, designed to protect data by providing encryption for entire volumes	Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate editions, Windows Server 2008
Credential Guard	Virtualization-based isolation of stored credentials to prevent theft and pass-the-hash attacks.	Windows 10 Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise, or , Windows Server 2016
Data Execution Prevention	Security feature that is intended to prevent an application or service from executing code from a non-executable memory region	Windows XP Service Pack 2
Encrypting File System	File system driver that provides file system-level encryption	Windows 2000
Security Account Manager	Database stored as a registry file	Windows NT 3.1
SYSKEY	Utility that encrypts the hashed password information in a SAM database using a 128-bit encryption key	Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3
User Account Control	Technology and security infrastructure utility that aims to improve the security of Microsoft Windows by limiting application software to standard user privileges until an administrator authorizes an increase	Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008
Windows Firewall	Utility designed to block unauthorized access while permitting authorized communications. An earlier edition known as Internet Connection Firewall that was disabled by default was included with the original Windows XP release.	Windows XP Service Pack 2
Windows Defender	Security utility to prevent, remove and quarantine malware (viruses, Trojan horses, etc.)	Downloadable for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
Windows Resource Protection	Protects Registry keys and folders in addition to critical system files	Windows Vista

Deprecated components and apps

Component	Description	Category	Introduced	Last OS included	Superseded by
3D Pinball	Pinball game	Game	Plus! 95 for Windows 95	Windows XP	—
ActiveMovie	Streaming media technology	API	Windows 95	Windows Me	DirectShow
Cardfile	Personal information manager	Personal organizer	Windows 1.0	Windows Me	Outlook Express, Windows Mail, or Windows Live Mail
Chess Titans	Chess game	Game	Windows Vista	Windows 7	Microsoft Chess
DriveSpace	Disk compression utility	Data compression	MS-DOS	Windows Me	—
Windows DVD Maker	DVD authoring software	Video	Windows Vista	Windows 7	—
File Manager	File manager app	File manager	Windows 3.0	Windows Me	Windows Explorer
FreeCell	FreeCell game	Game	Win32s	Windows 7	Microsoft Solitaire Collection
Hearts	Version of the Hearts game using Black Lady scoring	Game	Windows for Workgroups 3.11	Windows 7	Microsoft Hearts
Insider Hub			Windows 10 Version 1507	Windows 10 Version 1511	Feedback Hub
Windows Help and Support	Online and offline reference manual for troubleshooting.	Utility	Windows Me	Windows 8.1	Microsoft Tips or Get Started
HyperTerminal	Communication utility based on a low end version of HyperACCESS	Communication	Windows 95	Windows XP	—
Hold 'Em	Version of the Texas hold 'em game	Game	Windows Vista	Windows Vista	—
Hover!	Video game in a combination of bumper cars and capture the flag	Game	Windows 95	Windows 95	—
InkBall	Game where the user tries to get colored balls into the correct holes	Game	Windows XP Tablet PC Edition	Windows Vista	—
Internet Explorer	Web browser	Web browser and FTP client. See also: Internet Explorer versions, Features, History, Removal, Browser Helper Objects	Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95	Windows 10	Microsoft Edge
Mahjong Titans	Version of the Mahjong solitaire game	Game	Windows Vista	Windows 7	Microsoft Mahjong
Windows Mail	E-mail client	E-mail	Windows Vista	Windows Vista	Mail (Windows)
Internet Mail and News	E-mail and news client	E-mail	Windows 95	Windows 95	Outlook Express, Windows Mail, or Windows Live Mail
Minesweeper	Version of the minesweeper game	Game	Microsoft Entertainment Pack, Windows 3.1	Windows 7	Microsoft Minesweeper
Media Control Interface	An app that can play media files and record sound by passing commands as strings.	API	Windows 3.0	Windows Me	—
Windows Media Player	Digital media player app	Media player	Windows 3.0 Multimedia Extensions	Windows 10	Windows Media Player, Movies & TV, or Groove Music
Microsoft Calendar	Calendaring app	Personal organizer	Windows 1.0	Windows 3.1	Windows Calendar, Windows Live Mail, or the Calendar app for Windows
Microsoft Diagnostics	Tool that provides detailed technical information about user's software and hardware	Diagnostics	MS-DOS	Plus! 95 for Windows 95	Microsoft System Information
Microsoft Fax	Faxing app	Fax	Windows 95	Windows XP	Windows Fax and Scan
Microsoft Private Folder	Tool to protect private data	Personal organizer	Windows XP	Windows XP
Windows Help	Documentation browser that used a proprietary format	Online help	Windows 3.0	Windows XP	Microsoft Help
Windows Feedback			Windows 10 Version 1507	Windows 10 Version 1511	Feedback Hub
NTBackup	Built-in backup app	Backup	Downloadable for Windows NT 4.0	Windows XP, Windows Server 2003	Backup and Restore, Windows Server Backup
Outlook Express	E-mail client	E-mail	Internet Explorer 4	Windows XP	Windows Mail or Windows Live Mail
Paint	Simple graphics painting app	Application	Windows 1.0	—	—
Program Manager	Shell composed of a task-oriented graphical user interface, consisting of icons (shortcuts for apps) arranged into app groups.	GUI	Windows 3.0	Windows XP	Windows Explorer
Purble Place	Educational game for children, teaching pattern recognition, shapes, and colors	Game	Windows Vista	Windows 7	—
Reader	e-book reader	e-book reader	Windows 8	Windows 10 Creators Update	Microsoft Edge (PDF), XPS Viewer (XPS), Photos (TIFF)
Reversi	Version of Reversi.	Game	Windows 1.0	Windows 3.0	Internet Reversi only on Windows Me and Windows XP
Solitaire	Klondike Solitaire game	Game	Windows 3.0	Windows 7	Microsoft Solitaire Collection
Spider Solitaire	Spider Solitaire game	Game	Microsoft Plus! 98	Windows 7	Microsoft Solitaire Collection
System File Checker	Utility that allows users to scan for and restore corruptions in Windows system files	Security	Windows 98	Windows Server 2003	Windows Resource Protection
Tinker	Puzzle game in which the player controls a robot through various mazes and obstacle courses	Game	Windows Vista	Windows Vista	—
Video for Windows	Multimedia framework	API	Windows 3.1	Windows 95	DirectShow
Windows Address Book	List of contacts that can be shared by multiple apps	Contact manager	Internet Explorer 3	Windows XP	Windows Contacts, People, or Windows Live Mail
Windows Desktop Gadgets	Widget engine for Microsoft Gadgets	User interface	Windows Vista	Windows 7	Live tiles
Windows File Protection	Sub-system in the operating system, aims to prevent apps from replacing critical Windows system files.	Security	Windows Me as System File Protection	Windows XP	Windows Resource Protection
Windows Journal	Notetaking application that allows for the creation of handwritten notes	Accessories	Windows XP Tablet PC Edition	Windows 10 Threshold 2	General improvements in Ink API
Windows Messaging	E-mail client	E-mail	Windows 95	Windows 95	Internet Mail and News, Windows Mail, or Windows Live Mail
Windows Messenger	Instant messaging client	Internet messaging	Windows XP	Windows XP, Windows Server 2003	Windows Live Messenger or Skype
Windows Movie Maker	Non-linear video editing software	Video	Windows Me	Windows Vista	Windows Live Movie Maker or Microsoft Photos
Windows NetMeeting	Video conferencing client	Web conference	Windows 95 OSR2	Windows XP	Windows Meeting Space
Windows Photo Gallery	Image organizer	Photo	Windows Vista	Windows Vista	Windows Live Photo Gallery or Microsoft Photos
Windows Picture and Fax Viewer	Image viewer	Photo	Windows XP	Windows XP	Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Fax and Scan, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Photo Viewer, or Microsoft Photos
Windows Write	Simple word processor	Word processor	Windows 1.0	Windows NT 3.51	WordPad

APIs

• ClearType
• Media Foundation
• Windows Driver Foundation
• Windows Imaging Component
• Windows Management Instrumentation

Miscellaneous (to be categorized)

• ActiveSync
• Compatibility Appraiser collects telemetry information.
• DMRC (Device Metadata Retrieval Client) interfaces to metadata about devices from Windows 7 onwards.
• I/O technologies
• Macro Recorder
• Microsoft Agent
• Prefetcher
• ReadyBoost
• Sync Center
• Text Services Framework
• Universal Audio Architecture
• Windows Color System
• Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure (WDI)
• Windows Mobile Device Center
• Windows Rally
• Windows Registry
• Windows Speech Recognition
• XML Paper Specification

See also

• Outline of Microsoft
• List of Unix daemons
• List of games included with Windows