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Windows on Arm runs apps built for Arm64 directly and can emulate many existing x86 and x64 Windows apps. The Windows version matters: Microsoft documents x86 emulation on Windows 10 on Arm, and both x86 and x64 emulation on Windows 11 on Arm. Drivers are the key boundary: they must be built for Arm64, even when the app that uses them runs under emulation.
What is Windows on Arm?
Windows on Arm is Windows running on a PC with an Arm processor rather than the x86- or x64-based processors commonly used in PCs. Software built for Arm64 can run natively on that hardware. For many existing Windows apps built for x86 or x64, Windows can instead translate their instructions through emulation.
That gives an Arm PC two ways to run software: native execution for Arm64 apps, and emulation for supported x86 or x64 user-mode apps. Emulation broadens app compatibility, but it does not make every app, feature, or connected device compatible.
Which apps can run, and does the Windows version matter?
Microsoft’s documented support differs by Windows release. Its guide lists x86 emulation on Windows 10 on Arm, while Windows 11 on Arm supports both x86 and x64 emulation. See Microsoft’s Windows on Arm emulation guide for the version-specific details.
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| App or component | How it runs on Arm | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Arm64 app | Runs natively on an Arm processor. | Requires an Arm64 build of the app. |
| x86 app | Can run through emulation on Windows 10 on Arm and Windows 11 on Arm, according to Microsoft. | Emulation covers user-mode code, not drivers. |
| x64 app | Can run through emulation on Windows 11 on Arm, according to Microsoft. | Microsoft’s guide does not list x64 emulation for Windows 10 on Arm. |
| Driver | Must run as a native Arm64 driver. | x86 or x64 driver code is not made compatible by app emulation. |
Compatibility can also change as Windows, apps, and drivers are updated. A general statement that many apps work does not establish that a particular app or feature will work on your setup.
What does emulation do, and what is Prism?
Emulation translates instructions from an x86 or x64 app so an Arm processor can execute them. In Windows 11 version 24H2, Microsoft identifies Prism as the included emulation engine. Microsoft describes performance and CPU-usage optimizations in Prism; that is not a guarantee that every emulated app will run as quickly or smoothly as its native version. Read Microsoft’s explanation of how emulation works on Arm for more detail.
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Emulation applies to user-mode code—the app code running outside the Windows kernel. It does not translate drivers. An app may open successfully while a feature that depends on an unsupported driver remains unavailable.
Why drivers are the biggest compatibility limit
Drivers let Windows communicate with hardware and provide certain low-level services. Microsoft says kernel-mode drivers and user-mode print drivers must be built as native Arm64 binaries to work on Arm64 devices. That requirement applies even if an associated x86 or x64 app can run through emulation. See Microsoft’s Windows on Arm FAQ.
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This matters for peripherals, printers, and software features that install or rely on a driver. Before relying on a device or feature, confirm that its manufacturer provides an Arm64-compatible driver. If the driver is missing, emulating the app will not supply it.
Native apps versus emulated apps
Microsoft recommends native Arm64 builds for the best performance and battery life. Native apps avoid the overhead of translating x86 or x64 instructions, but the real-world difference depends on the app and the PC’s hardware. The documentation does not establish one performance gap that applies to all workloads.
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| Consideration | Native Arm64 app | Emulated x86 or x64 app |
|---|---|---|
| Execution | Runs directly on the Arm processor. | Windows translates supported user-mode instructions for Arm execution. |
| App availability | Requires a developer-provided Arm64 version. | Can let existing apps run without a full native port, subject to Windows-version support and app compatibility. |
| Performance and battery | Can avoid emulation overhead; actual results depend on the app and hardware. | May incur emulation overhead; Microsoft does not specify a universal performance penalty. |
| Drivers | Still requires compatible Arm64 drivers when the app uses them. | Does not emulate drivers; any required driver must be Arm64. |
How developers can transition apps to Arm64
A developer can create a fully native Arm64 build or migrate parts of an existing x64 app incrementally. For the latter, Windows 11 supports Arm64EC, an application binary interface that allows Arm64EC code to run natively in a process while x64 code in that process continues under emulation. Microsoft says Arm64EC is not available on Windows 10 on Arm. Details are in Microsoft’s Arm64EC documentation.
This approach can reduce the need to convert an entire app at once, but it is a developer migration strategy—not a setting that users can turn on to fix an incompatible app or driver.
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How to check whether your apps and devices will work
- Check the Windows release. Confirm whether the PC runs Windows 10 or Windows 11 on Arm; x64 emulation is documented for Windows 11 on Arm, not Windows 10 on Arm.
- Look up essential apps. Check Microsoft’s maintained Windows on Arm Ready Software compatibility information for apps and games. Treat it as a useful check, not a guarantee that every feature or future version is covered.
- Check drivers separately. For printers, peripherals, and driver-dependent features, verify that the manufacturer offers an Arm64 driver. App compatibility alone does not confirm driver support.
- Test the actual workflow when possible. Confirm that the app opens and that the features you rely on work with your specific devices and software version.
What to try if an app has problems
First identify where the failure occurs: the app itself, its installer, a driver, or one particular feature. If the app launches but a hardware-related feature does not, check driver support before treating it as an emulation problem. If the app will not launch, check its current compatibility information and whether its publisher offers an Arm64 build.
Windows provides per-app emulation settings for uncommon compatibility issues with Prism. Some options can imitate earlier emulator behavior or change optimization choices. Microsoft cautions that changing them can reduce performance or cause an app to crash or fail to launch, so they are troubleshooting choices rather than general fixes. See Microsoft’s guidance on emulation settings.
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