Windows on Arm runs native Arm64 apps and can emulate many x86 and x64 user-mode apps, but it cannot use emulation to make an incompatible driver work. A program may open normally while a printer, scanner, VPN, or other feature it depends on does not. For a specific PC or peripheral, compatibility depends on the Windows release, exact device model, and availability of an Arm64 driver.
What Windows on Arm can emulate
Windows includes app emulation; users do not install a separate emulator. It translates blocks of instructions from supported x86 or x64 apps into Arm64 instructions and caches translated blocks to reduce later translation work. Windows also uses compatibility mechanisms such as filesystem and registry redirection for x86 apps, and Arm64X system binaries that can serve x64 and Arm64 processes. These mechanisms help ordinary user-mode apps run without a native Arm64 version, but they do not make kernel components portable. Microsoft’s Windows on Arm overview describes the implementation.
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| Windows version | Emulated app architectures | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 on Arm | x86 | x64 emulation is not supported, according to Microsoft’s Windows on Arm FAQ. |
| Windows 11 on Arm | x86 and x64 | Windows 11 24H2 introduced Prism, Microsoft’s updated emulator. It is available on supported Windows 11 on Arm devices running 24H2; some performance features require hardware found only in Snapdragon X series, according to Microsoft. |
Prism improves performance and reduces CPU use compared with earlier emulation, but an emulated app is not guaranteed to perform like a native Arm64 build. Results vary with the app, workload, processor, and Windows release. Microsoft recommends native Arm apps for the best performance, responsiveness, and battery life.
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Why drivers are different from apps
Emulation is for user-mode application code; it does not support drivers. Microsoft states: “In all cases, kernel-mode drivers and user-mode print drivers MUST be built as native Arm64 binaries to work on Arm64 devices.” The Windows on Arm FAQ also explains that x86 or x64 installers cannot be run to install an Arm64 driver on an Arm64 device. Look for an Arm64 driver from the device maker or one supplied with Windows rather than relying on an old driver installer.
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This distinction explains a common compatibility surprise: an app can launch under emulation, yet a feature that relies on a driver may not work. Check dependencies such as kernel drivers, print drivers, VPN components, plug-ins, or shell extensions separately from whether the main app opens.
Printers, scanners, and other peripherals
Peripheral support depends on the driver available for the exact model. Microsoft says printers and scanners need drivers built into Windows 11 or provided by the hardware developer. If the manufacturer has no Arm64 driver, Microsoft suggests trying to add the printer through Windows settings, while warning that functionality may be limited without a compatible driver. Microsoft’s Surface FAQ notes that common drivers are generally available, but that is not a certification of every peripheral; older and specialized devices need particular care.
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Basic printing alone does not establish that all device functions work. Verify the features you actually need, such as scanning, duplex printing, vendor utilities, or status reporting. The same principle applies to other peripherals: check the driver and feature support for the precise hardware, not just the product family name.
How to check whether your app or device will work
- Identify the setup. Note the exact Windows release and the PC model. For a peripheral, record its full model and hardware revision if the manufacturer lists one.
- Check the app’s architecture and support notes. Find out whether it has a native Arm64 version or runs as x86 or x64 under emulation, then review the publisher’s current compatibility guidance. Microsoft points to Windows on Arm Ready Software as a maintained resource for checking many apps and games.
- Check for architecture-specific dependencies. Ask the app publisher whether essential drivers, VPN components, plug-ins, or other system-level features support Arm64. A successful launch is not proof that these parts work.
- Search the manufacturer’s support page for the exact peripheral. Confirm that it offers an Arm64 driver for the model and Windows release you intend to use. For a printer without one, try adding it through Windows settings as Microsoft suggests, then test the functions that matter.
- Confirm before relying on it. If the app or peripheral is essential, verify with the vendor or test it on the intended PC and Windows build. Microsoft’s platform guidance does not certify every model.
Native apps and developer migration options
For software makers, Microsoft describes Arm64EC as an incremental porting approach: Arm64EC code can interoperate with x64 code in the same process. This gives developers a way to move parts of an app to Arm64 without converting everything at once, but it does not guarantee that every app or dependency is compatible. Microsoft’s overview explains Arm64EC and the platform’s emulation model.
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Microsoft’s Surface support page lists Microsoft 365 apps, Chrome, Spotify, Zoom, WhatsApp, Blender, Affinity Suite, and DaVinci Resolve as examples of native Arm64 apps. App support can change, so check each publisher’s current information rather than treating this as a permanent or exhaustive list. Microsoft Surface support provides those examples.
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