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Windows at Stanford

View information about the latest Windows updates and options

University IT provides resources that help you configure your Windows system and applications for use in the Stanford computing environment. Before downloading your preferred version of Windows, review the Browser Recommendations webpage. To view software compatibilities with various versions of Windows, visit the Essential Stanford Software page.

Windows version options

Review the Service and Software Sunset Schedule page to keep up-to-date on which Windows versions are currently supported.

Windows 11 is available in many versions including:

  • Windows 11 Home
  • Windows 11 Education 
  • Windows 11 Pro
  • Windows 11 Enterprise

The versions are differentiated by the features they provide. Windows 11 Home is marketed to the home user, Windows 11 Education is available to schools through academic volume licensing, and Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise are marketed to the business user.

Due to security concerns and to ensure compatibility with our campus computing infrastructure, University IT will support only Windows 11 Education, Windows 11 Pro, and  Windows 11 Enterprise. 

Note: Windows 11 Education is available for Stanford-owned computers through Stanford's campus agreement with Microsoft.  Check with your desktop support staff for more information.

Windows Arm software

Windows Arm is a version of Microsoft's Windows operating system (OS), designed to run on Arm-based processors and fine-tuned for the Arm architecture. Window Arm devices may have varying levels of compatibility with Stanford software, including:

  • Stanford Device Registration
  • Cisco Secure Client

Updating to Windows 11

Before updating Windows 10 to 11, refer to Microsoft documentation for system requirements. Then verify if your device is ready to upgrade.

 To check if Windows 11 is ready for your device:

  1. Select Start and click Settings.
  2. In the Settings options, click Update & Security then Windows Update in the left hand menu.
  3. Click the Check for updates button. 

To download Windows 11, select the Install & download button.

Additional resources