Windows 10 guide to upgrades, compatibility and more

Introduction

Windows 10 is the newest addition to Microsoft's line of operating systems, and with a new upgrade strategy, it might be the last.

Microsoft's line of Windows operating systems forms a family tree that spans from the first user interface in Windows 3.0 to Windows 98's Microsoft Chat and, of course, to the missteps of Windows 8 and its reliance on touch-based technology. Now, Windows 10 is here, and with its new upgrade strategy, it may be the final Windows offspring.

With that type of pressure on the OS you probably have a lot of questions about it. Is the OS stable? Can it hit the ground running in your company? What are the most important features and how do they work? This Windows 10 guide has the answers to those questions and more. Discover how application compatibility works, changes users can make to the Action Center and the affect the presence of Cortana has in the OS.

1How to upgrade-

A look at the Windows 10 upgrade process

When it comes to upgrading to a new operating system there are usually a ton of questions you must answer. Chief among them is will the change be worth it? With Windows 10, the answer to that question has a lot of variables, including training needs, mobile enablement and more. For example, if users have experience with previous versions of Windows, then their training needs will probably be minimal. If you don't have the right mobile devices, you might not even be able to add Windows 10. Find out more about how to upgrade in this section of our Windows 10 guide, including how to make the jump from Windows XP and some factors that could stand in the way of an upgrade.

2Compatibility and consistency-

How Windows 10 works across apps and devices

One of the big features in Windows 10 is Universal Windows apps. They let users deploy the same apps on any device and have the same experience. The Universal Windows apps tool works, but it's not perfect -- it has some resolution issues. That pro-and-con situation is common with Windows 10 features: Users can also employ Google Android and Apple iOS apps on Windows 10, but developers have to build Windows versions of the apps for them to do so, for example.

3Cortana and customization-

Make Windows 10 your own

Windows 10 gives users the flexibility to customize a lot of the operating system. In the Action Center, for example, users can pick and choose what information the tool displays to fit their exact needs. Users can also make changes to the Start menu which should make them happy after the issues many of them had with Windows 8 in that area.

Cortana also enters the Window 10 fray, helping users search not only the Web, but their internal systems as well. The digital assistant could open some doors that increase efficiency in the corporate world.

4Security and more-

Is Windows 10 safe?

Microsoft introduced some new security features with Windows 10, one of which is Windows Hello, a biometric authentication tool that lets users sign in with their fingerprints. Other key features include Device Guard, containerization and Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics. To give you even more assurance the OS will work, Windows 10 is virtually bug free so far.