Microsoft will start testing x64 emulation in ARM version Windows 10 in November

Microsoft will add support for emulation of 64-bit software to an Insider build of the ARM version of Windows 10 in November. Microsoft previously announced that it is working on this. Now the ARM version only supports 32bit software emulation.

As of November, x64 emulation will be added to the Insider Program for the Windows 10 version for laptops with ARM hardware, Microsoft writes. It is not yet known exactly when that will happen and when the functionality will come to the stable version of the operating system. Earlier this year, indications appeared that Microsoft is working on x64 emulation.

Windows on ARM can already run 64-bit software, but only if it is developed for ARM hardware. The operating system uses the WOW64 layer to emulate x86 code. This Windows-on-Windows subsystem can only emulate 32bit x86 software. 64bit programs developed for Intel and AMD PCs will therefore not work on Windows laptops with Snapdragon processors.

Microsoft also says there will be a new version of Edge for ARM hardware that runs faster and uses less energy. There will also be an optimized client of the Teams software and Visual Studio will be adapted for Windows on ARM.