Windows on Arm has spent years fighting the same problem. The hardware could be impressive, but buyers still had to wonder whether the software they needed would actually work. Microsoft now says that situation has changed considerably.
You see, according to a new update from Microsoft, the Works on Windows on Arm catalog now includes more than 7,000 verified apps and games. The database uses compatibility information from Microsoft and is designed to give users a clearer picture of what they can expect to run on an Arm-based Windows PC.
That number matters because software compatibility has long been one of the biggest arguments against buying a Windows on Arm machine. Microsoft has improved its emulation technology over the years, while developers have increasingly released native Arm versions of their applications.
Microsoft is now going further, describing Windows on Arm as a “first-class platform for any workload.” That’s a strong claim. More than 7,000 verified apps and games certainly gives the company more evidence to support it than it had a few years ago, but a big number alone doesn’t make every compatibility concern disappear.
The company highlighted continued growth across STEM and education, security, productivity, creativity, social media, and entertainment software. Previous additions include software from Google, Adobe, Slack, Dropbox, Blender, Figma, CrowdStrike, McAfee, Cisco, and other familiar names.
Microsoft’s App Assure program is also working with developers through its Arm Advisory Service. The company offers technical guidance, workshops, code samples, and access to Microsoft engineers to help software companies bring their applications to Arm.
There is another reason this app growth is becoming increasingly important. Qualcomm will no longer be the only big name pushing modern Windows on Arm processors.
NVIDIA is entering the market with RTX Spark, adding another silicon provider alongside Qualcomm and its Snapdragon X family. Microsoft says RTX Spark Windows PCs from Surface, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and MSI are expected this fall.
That could be particularly important for Windows on Arm. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips helped demonstrate that Arm could work in mainstream Windows laptops, but another major chip company entering the market gives PC manufacturers more options. It also gives developers another reason to treat Windows on Arm as something worth supporting rather than a niche they can safely ignore.
Still, Microsoft’s 7,000 figure shouldn’t be interpreted as meaning every Windows compatibility problem has disappeared.
Windows has accumulated decades of software, drivers, peripherals, games, enterprise tools, and obscure utilities. A catalog containing thousands of verified applications is encouraging, but the application that matters most to a particular user could still be the one that doesn’t work properly.
That’s why Microsoft’s Works on Windows on Arm database may ultimately be more useful than the headline number itself. Someone considering an Arm PC can check compatibility before spending money rather than simply hoping everything works.
Personally, I’m excited about the industry’s broader transition to Arm. Apple has already demonstrated what the architecture can deliver when hardware and software are designed around it, and Windows finally appears to be building the ecosystem needed to make Arm a mainstream choice on the PC side too.
That doesn’t mean x86 is disappearing anytime soon, nor should consumers buy an Arm machine simply because of the architecture inside it. But more competition between architectures, chipmakers, and PC manufacturers should ultimately be good for consumers.
The situation is already very different from the early days of Windows on Arm. Buyers aren’t just choosing from a handful of experimental machines anymore. Microsoft is preparing for Arm PCs powered by multiple chip companies and sold by many of the biggest PC manufacturers.
For Microsoft, the real victory will come when consumers stop asking whether they should buy a Windows on Arm PC and simply buy a Windows PC based on price, performance, battery life, and features.
More than 7,000 verified apps and games suggests Windows on Arm is getting closer to that point. Now Microsoft, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, PC makers, and software developers need to make sure the remaining compatibility gaps don’t get in the way.
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