You may not have really thought virtually Windows build numbers in the past unless it was part of your job to do so. Only they've get more important with Windows ten. Here'south how to detect out what build—and edition and version—of Windows ten y'all're running.

Windows has always used build numbers. They represent significant updates to Windows. Traditionally, almost people have referred to Windows based on the major, named version they're using—Windows Vista, 7, viii, and and then on. Inside those versions, we besides had service packs to refer to: Windows 7 Service Pack 1, for example.

With Windows ten, things have inverse a flake. For one matter, Microsoft claims there volition exist no more new versions of Windows—Windows x is here to stay. Microsoft has also done away with service packs, instead moving to releasing two big builds each twelvemonth and giving them names. If you really need to refer to a specific version of Windows, though, it'south easiest to refer to it by its version number. Microsoft has hidden the version number somewhat in an endeavour to make Windows 10 await ever-up-to-appointment, but it's not hard to find.

RELATED: How Windows 10'southward "Builds" Are Different From Service Packs

Note: In addition to builds, at that place also are notwithstanding different editions of Windows 10—Home, Professional, Enterprise, and and then on—with unlike features. Microsoft is also even so offer both 64-bit and 32-bit versions of Windows 10, too.

Find Your Edition, Build Number, and More with the Settings App

The new Settings app too offers build, edition, and version data in a user-friendly course. Hitting Windows+I to open Settings. In the Settings window, navigate to System > About.  Scroll down a scrap and you'll see the information you're later on.

Navigate to Arrangement > About and scroll downwardly. You lot'll run across the "Version" and "Build" numbers here.

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  • Edition. This line tells you which edition of Windows 10 you lot're using—Home, Professional, Enterprise, or Education. If yous're using Dwelling and you'd like to upgrade to Professional person, y'all tin upgrade to the Professional edition from within Windows 10. Switching to Windows 10 Enterprise or Didactics editions volition require a complete reinstall and a special central that isn't made available to normal home Windows users.
  • Version. The version number gives yous the best data on what version of Windows 10 you're running. The number is based on the date of the almost contempo large build release and uses a YYMM format. For case, in the screenshot in a higher place, the "1607" version tells us that the version we're running is from the 7th month (July) of 2016. That's the large Anniversary Update of Windows 10. The Fall Creators Update was released in September of 2017, so it'southward version 1709.
  • OS Build. This line shows the specific operating system build you're running. It gives you sort of a timeline of minor build releases in between the major version number releases. In the screenshot above, the "14393.693" build was really the 13th build released afterwards version 1607 shipped in July, 2016. This information is somewhat less important to most people than the major version numbers, but it can still assistance you identify exactly what you're running. If you're curious, y'all can check out the whole history of versions and builds for Windows x on Microsoft's TechNet site.
  • System Type. This line tells you whether you're using the 32-scrap version of Windows 10 or the 64-scrap version. Information technology also tells you whether your PC is uniform with the 64-bit version or not. For instance, "64-scrap operating system, x64-based processor" indicates you're using a 64-fleck version of Windows 10 on a 64-bit processor. "32-chip operating system, x64-based processor" indicates you're using a 32-bit version of Windows ten, simply you could install the 64-bit version on your hardware if you lot preferred.

RELATED: What's the Difference Between 32-fleck and 64-bit Windows?

Observe Your Edition and Build Number with the Winver Dialog

Yous can also use the old standby Windows Version (winver) tool to find some of this information. Hit Offset, type "winver," and so printing Enter. You could too press Windows Key + R, type "winver" into the Run dialog, and printing Enter.

The second line in the "About Windows" box tells you which version and build of Windows 10 you have. Think, the version number is in the course YYMM—so 1607 ways the seventh month of 2016. A couple of lines down, you'll see the edition of Windows 10 y'all're using—Windows 10 Pro in our example.

The "About Windows" box does non show whether you're using a 64-bit or 32-chip version of Windows 10, but information technology does requite you a quicker way to check your version and build than navigating through the Settings app.

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All this information—edition, version, build number, and build type—can be important if you're trying to determine whether Windows 10 has received a specific update, whether you take access to a feature available only in certain editions, or whether y'all should download the 64- or 32-bit version of a program. And, if you lot're super interested in keeping up with information technology, we even have a way to display your build number right on your desktop. Enjoy!

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