4 Ways To Tell If You’re Using 32-Bit Or 64-Bit Windows

Important when it comes to installing software

Although we’re gradually transitioning into a fully 64-bit PC world, not everyone is currently running a 64-bit version of Windows. Knowing if your Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit is important when it comes to installing some software, especially drivers.

Finding out if you’re running 32-bit or 64-bit Windows isn’t difficult, though, and there are multiple ways for you to do so. In this article, let’s look at four of the most simple and easy ways to determine which version of Windows is running on your PC.

System Information

My pick for the simplest and most straightforward way to determine if you’re using 32-bit or 64-bit Windows lies within Windows’ system information.

To locate this, press theWindows + Xkeys, then click onSystem. A newAboutwindow will pop up, first showing your PC’s protection status.

Halfway down this page, you’ll find theDevice Specificationsheading.

Here, the information listed as yourSystem Typewill plainly state which version of Windows you’re running.

Command Prompt

Another simple way to figure out the architecture of your processor and if you’re running 32-bit or 64-bit Windows is by using the Command Prompt.

Typecmdinto the search bar of your Windows Start Menu. The best match should beCommand Prompt. Rather than opening it like you would normally, right-click on the search result and selectRun as Administrator.

When the Command Prompt terminal has opened, type in theset procommand. After hitting theEnterkey, the prompt will return a list of information about your machine’s processor and operating system.

Here, there are three ways to determine which version of Windows you’re running:

The processor-specific flags should indicate whether you’re using a 32-bit or 64-bit processor.

Unless you’ve changed your PC’s hardware, the presence of theProgramFiles(x86)flag should tell which version of Windows you’re running. This will only appear if you’re on a 64-bit version of Windows.

Program Files

This simple trick is a spinoff of the Command Prompt method. Again, if your machine has never gone through a hardware change since installing Windows, the presence of multiple Program Files folders tells you everything that you need to know.

First, navigate to yourC:drive in Windows Explorer.

If you’re running a 32-bit version of Windows, you should only see theProgram Filesfolder (and all programs inside of it will be 32-bit).

However, for 64-bit versions of Windows, theProgram Filesfolder will contain 64-bit applications, while theProgram Files (x86)folder will contain all 32-bit applications.

The 64-bit versions of Windows have backward compatibility with 32-bit applications, but the 32-bit versions of Windows cannot run 64-bit applications. This is why the folders are structured this way.

If you’d like to know more, check out Help Desk Geek’s article explainingwhy 64-bit Windows needs two Program Files folders.

Task Manager

While this method takes a bit more effort than the others, it also provides information specific to the applications you’re currently running.

There will now be a Platform column that displays the software architecture of each of your running processes.

It should quickly be easy to figure out which version of Windows you’re running based on this: 32-bit will have no 64-bit applications shown, while 64-bit versions of Windows are apparent if even a single application is 64-bit.

As the number of newly released systems running a 32-bit architecture continue to plummet, the confusion between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows will become less of a problem. Until then, though, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Craig is a long-time writer, coder, and marketer with years of experience in the technology and gaming spaces. Since 2008, he’s worked remotely with some of the most notable publications in these industries, specializing in Windows, PC hardware and software, automation, and the like.Read Craig’s Full Bio

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4 Ways To Tell If You’re Using 32-Bit Or 64-Bit Windows#

System Information#

Command Prompt#

Program Files#

Task Manager#

4 Ways To Tell If You’re Using 32-Bit Or 64-Bit Windows

System Information

Command Prompt

Program Files

Task Manager