Getting Started
| Component of Microsoft Windows | |
 | |
 Getting Started in Windows 7 RTM | |
| Other name(s) | Welcome Center |
|---|---|
| Introduced in | Windows Vista build 5308.6 |
| Last included in | Windows 8 build 7779 |
Getting Started, previously known as Welcome Center in Windows Vista and early Windows 7 builds, is a control panel applet included in Windows Vista and Windows 7 that contains tips on how to use Windows as well as provides easy access to basic functionality such as adding new users or connecting the computer to a network. Computer specifications were originally shown as well in Windows Vista but it was replaced with "Find out what is new in Windows 7" links in Windows 7. Another feature that existed in Windows Vista was to launch Welcome Center when the computer boots up. This feature was removed in Windows 7 as well.
It was introduced with Windows Vista build 5308, where it replaced the Windows XP Tour, and was removed early in the development of Windows 8. The Microsoft Tips application serves a similar purpose in current versions of Windows.
History[edit | edit source]
Applications that opened after the first boot and helped user to explore new features of the OS existed in the system way before Windows Vista. The "Welcome to Windows" application was used in Windows 95. It also appeared in Windows 98. The application had an option to launch on every boot. It was removed in Windows Me. Windows XP introduced Windows XP Tour, but it could only be opened by user manually through Start menu.
Early Windows Longhorn builds contained a feature called "Start page". It was introduced in build 3683 and was removed in build 4008.
