Windows 8.1

(Redirected from Blue)
Windows 8.1
Version of Microsoft Windows
Logo
Screenshot
OS familyWindows NT
Version6.3
CodenameBlue
Architecturex86, x64, ARM32
Latest build6.3.9600.17415
Release date2013-10-17
Support end2023-01-10
Server counterpart
Windows Server 2012 R2
Replaces
Windows 8
Replaced by
Windows 10 (original release)

Windows 8.1 is an operating system by Microsoft. It is a free upgrade for all Windows 8 users. Although the operating system was marketed by Microsoft as a major update for Windows 8, Microsoft's traditional support policy treats Windows 8.1 similarly to a service pack.

Mainstream support ended on 9 January 2018, while extended support ended on 10 January 2023. Windows 8 users were given the option to upgrade to Windows 8.1 in order to receive support within 2 years since its release.[1]

Main changes[edit | edit source]

RTM[edit | edit source]

  • The Start button was brought back (although it still leads to the Metro start screen).
  • The "All Apps" view was added to the Start screen.
  • Added Device Encryption for compatible hardware.
  • The snapping functionality for Metro apps was updated.
  • Added new sizes for Start screen titles.
  • Internet Explorer 11 was introduced. The Metro UI version also received some updates.
  • Introduced Assigned Access which allows the computer to be locked to running a single Metro app.
  • Changes to the search function.
  • Windows Store received an updated user interface and added the ability for apps to automatically update.
  • Added support for Wi-Fi Direct, Miracast, tethering and NVMe.
  • Text and GUI elements can now scale up to 200%. Additionally, scaling settings can now be setup independently on each display in multi-monitor configurations.
  • Clicking the File Explorer icon in the taskbar will take the user to This PC instead of Libraries, unlike in Windows 7 and 8. Additionally, Libraries are disabled by default, but it can be re-enabled by right-clicking on the navigation pane and choosing "Show libraries" or "Show all folders".
  • The Windows Experience Index has been removed. However, the command-line tool to determine the rating values (WinSAT) is still included.
  • The Backup and Restore Control Panel applet has been removed in favor of File History.
  • Support for Windows SideShow has been removed.
  • Several features from Windows Easy Transfer have been removed such as the ability to start new transfers directly, the ability to transfer data from Windows XP and Windows Vista and the ability to use the Easy Transfer Cable and network connection transfer methods.
  • The ability to shutdown the operating system by dragging the lock screen image toward the bottom of the screen was added.
  • New customization options for the Start screen.
  • New Metro applications introduced, with many existing ones updated.
  • Redesigned PC Settings. Additionally, this app is now displayed on the apps list and can now be pinned on the Start screen.

Update 1[edit | edit source]

  • When the user hovered over the top of a Metro app, a title bar appears with minimize and close buttons.
  • Right-clicking on the Start screen opens up a menu instead of touch-oriented controls at the bottom.
  • By default, the tiles for This PC, PC Settings, Documents and Pictures are pinned to the Start screen.
  • The "Go to the desktop instead of Start when I sign in" feature in Taskbar and Navigation Properties first introduced in the original release is now enabled by default.
  • Metro apps can now be pinned to the taskbar.
  • Power and Search buttons have been added to the start screen.
    • It is also possible to enable the power button on a tablet by going to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell\Launcher registry key, then create a new DWORD value named Launcher_ShowPowerButtonOnStartScreen and set it to 1, then restart Explorer.
  • Added dividers between apps in the "All Apps" view in Start.
  • SkyDrive was renamed to OneDrive[a].
  • Added a link to Control Panel in the PC Settings app.
  • The default media player and photo viewer has been changed to Windows Media Player and Windows Photo Viewer respectively.
  • Two new SKUs have been introduced, "Windows 8.1 with Bing" and "Windows 8.1 Single Language with Bing", to boost sales of Windows 8.1. These SKUs were only available to OEMs and were reduced in price compared to the regular Core SKU.

System requirements[edit | edit source]

Microsoft recommends Windows 8.1 to be installed on a system with a processor with a speed of at least 1 GHz, at least 1 GB (2 GB for x64 versions) of RAM, 16 GB (20 GB for x64 versions) of hard drive space, and a DirectX 9-based WDDM display adapter or better display adapter.[2] Windows 8.1 drops support for x64 processors without the CMPXCHG16b, PrefetchW and LAHF/SAHF instructions, as attempting to boot on these processors will cause an UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR bugcheck.

Windows 8.1 can be installed on processors as early as the Pentium 4 (Prescott, Socket 775). The x64 version of Windows 8.1 can be installed on processors as early as the Athlon 64 with Socket AM2 or Cedar Mill Pentium 4. Windows 8.1 can also be run with as low as 512 MB of RAM.

Hardware compatibility[edit | edit source]

Windows 8.1 is officially compatible with Intel processors up to 6th generation. On 7th generation (up to 10th generation), Windows 8.1 is not supported due to lack of Windows Update and Intel Graphics, however, hacks have been made to get both working.[3] For 11th generation and 12th generation, no known hacks have appeared for Intel Graphics, but the chipset drivers for 10th generation, 11th generation, and 12th generation have been confirmed to install without any issues.

List of known builds[edit | edit source]

Milestone 1[edit | edit source]

Confirmed build 9255.0.fbl_esc_end_rel.121017-1159
Confirmed build 9257.0.fbl_core1_kernel.121021-1715
Leaked build 9271.0.fbl_partner_out01.121121-1401
Leaked build 9278.0.fbl_partner_out02.121203-1705
Leaked build 9282.0.fbl_partner_out03.121207-2000
Leaked build 9286.0.fbl_partner_out04.121213-2011
Confirmed build 9291.0.fbl_dnt2_hdx(alenart).121226-2335
Leaked build 9293.0.fbl_partner_out05.130103-2000
Leaked build 9298.0.fbl_partner_out06.130111-2000
Confirmed build 9298.0.fbl_grfx_dev.130113-1800
Leaked build 9299.0.fbl_partner_out06.130114-1719
Leaked build 9299.0.fbl_partner_out06.130117-1707
Leaked build 9304.0.fbl_partner_out07.130119-0745
Leaked build 9309.0.fbl_partner_out08.130125-1954
Confirmed build 9319.0.winmain.130208-1820
Unconfirmed build 9319.0.fbl_partner_out10.130212-0210
Leaked build 9347.0.winmain_bluem1.130220-1500

Milestone 2[edit | edit source]

Confirmed build 9353.0.winmain.130228-1837
Leaked build 9354.0.winmain.130301-1710
Confirmed build 9354.0.fbl_partner_intelsoc.130304-2000‎‎
Confirmed build 9360.0.winmain.130311-1741
Leaked build 9364.0.fbl_partner_out13.130315-2105
Confirmed build 9366.0.winmain.130319-1625
Leaked build 9369.0.fbl_partner_out14.130324-1300
Leaked build 9370.0.fbl_loc.130325-2000
Confirmed build 9373.0.winmain.130328-1740
Leaked build 9374.0.fbl_partner_out15.130329-2355
Unconfirmed build 9379.0.fbl_partner_out16.130410-0711
Leaked build 9385.0.fbl_partner_out17.130415-2049
Confirmed build 9386.0.winmain.130415-1811
Leaked build 9389.0.fbl_ie.130418-2012
Confirmed build 9390.0.winmain.130419-1743
Leaked build 9390.0.fbl_partner_out17a.130422-2355
Leaked build 9391.4.fbl_partner_out18.130429-1915

Milestone Preview[edit | edit source]

Confirmed build 9397.0.winmain.130430-1805
Unconfirmed build 9399.0.fbl_srv2_ci_mgmt.130503-2030
Unconfirmed build 9403.0.fbl_srv2_partners.130509-2000
Confirmed build 9405.0.winmain.130510-1737
Confirmed build 9405.0.fbl_partner_out20.130510-2330
Unconfirmed build 9405.0.fbl_partner_out20.130515-1746
Confirmed build 9410.0.fbl_partner_out21.130522-1653
Confirmed build 9411.0.winmain.130520-1745
Confirmed build 9415.0.winmain.130524-1723
Leaked build 9415.0.fbl_partner_out22.130525-0845
Unconfirmed build 9418.0.winmain_bluemp.130530-1905
Leaked build 9425.0.winmain_bluemp.130609-0025
Confirmed build 9428.0.winmain_bluemp.130612-1715
Leaked build 9431.0.winmain_bluemp.130615-1214

Pre-RTM[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 9419.0.fbl_partner_out23.130603-1634
Confirmed build 9420.0.winmain.130603-1734
Confirmed build 9447.0.fbl_partner_out21.130621-0700
Leaked build 9448.0.fbl_partner_out25.130621-2030
Unconfirmed build 9449.0.winmain.130624-1645
Leaked build 9449.0.fbl_loc.130624-1930
Confirmed build 9450.0.winmain.130625-1705
Leaked build 9452.0.fbl_uex_txt.130629-1316
Confirmed build 9452.0.fbl_uex_txt.130630-1800

RTM Escrow[edit | edit source]

Confirmed build 9456.0.fbl_partner_out27.130703-2335
Confirmed build 9456.0.fbl_uex_txt.130708-1800
Leaked build 9457.0.fbl_loc.130708-1930
Leaked build 9460.0.fbl_partner_out28.130712-1918
Leaked build 9465.0.fbl_partner_out29.130719-2136
Leaked build 9466.0.fbl_loc.130722-1930
Leaked build 9468.0.winblue_rtm.130725-1203
Leaked build 9471.0.fbl_partner_out30.130726-2004
Confirmed build 9477.0.winmain.130802-1938
Leaked build 9477.0.fbl_partner_out31.130803-0736
Leaked build 9477.0.fbl_partner_out21.130803-1037
Leaked build 9478.0.winblue_rtm.130804-1505
Leaked build 9483.0.winblue_rtm.130809-2020
Confirmed build 9483.0.winblue_rtm_cbt.130810-1900
Confirmed build 9490.0.winblue_rtm.130819-1515
Leaked build 9491.0.winblue_rtm.130820-1410

RTM[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 9600.16384.winblue_rtm.130821-1623

Post-RTM[edit | edit source]

Confirmed build 9600.fbl_uex_drx.130826-1600
Leaked build 9600.16384.winblue_rtm_partner.130828-1900
Confirmed build 9600.16398.winblue_gdr_cbt.130909-1930

GA Update[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 9600.16422.winblue_gdr.131006-1505

Update 1 pre-release builds[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 9600.16581.winblues14_gdr_lean.131222-2030
Unconfirmed build 9600.16593.winblue_s14.140103-2115
Leaked build 9600.16596.winblues14_gdr_lean.140112-2038
Leaked build 9600.16596.winblues14_gdr_lean.140114-0237
Leaked build 9600.16601.winblues14_gdr_uex.140121-2030
Unconfirmed build 9600.16606.winblues14_gdr_lean.140126-2042
Confirmed build 9600.16608.winblues14_gdr_lean.140130-2030
Leaked build 9600.16610.winblue_s14.140201-1007
Leaked build 9600.17024.winblue_gdr_s14sku_partner.140214-1700

Update 1[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 9600.17031.winblue_gdr.140221-1952

Update 2[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 9600.17238.winblue_gdr.140723-2018

Update 3[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 9600.17415.winblue_r4.141028-1500

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-81
  2. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20220731022400/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/system-requirements-2f327e5a-2bae-4011-8848-58180a4353a7
  3. ↑ https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/intel-uhd-graphics-630-video-driver-for-win7-x64/33098/353?u=moline
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Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ The name change also applies when updating the application via Microsoft Store
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