Understanding Compatibility Settings

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 17, 2020)

When a program is created to work with Windows, it is typically created to work with a particular version of Windows. For instance, I have an older graphics-editing program that was designed to be used with Windows XP. It worked very well, and I became quite attached to the program. It did everything that I needed it to do, so there was no need to update it to a newer version. (The only thing added in the past decade for the program has been bells and whistles that I would never use.)

When I installed the program under Windows 7, it didn't work quite right. So, I took advantage of a rather esoteric Windows feature called the Compatibility Wizard. This feature configures an operating environment for older programs (such as my graphics-editing program) so that the older program thinks it is running in the older operating system. In other words, my graphics-editing program now thinks it is operating under Windows XP—even though it is really running in Windows 7—so it is happy and does its work well.

Don't make the mistake of assuming that my experience with the Compatibility Wizard means that it is only available in Windows 7. It is also available in later versions of Windows, as well.

You may never have the need to use the Compatibility Wizard, but it is good to know it is there and ready to help. It won't work in all instances, particularly with programs that relied on low-level function calls and older drivers. However, it is something to try if your old, faithful programs are no longer as faithful as you want.

How you actually use the Compatibility Wizard is covered in a different tip.

 This tip (5851) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Returning the Minimum of Integers of a Range

If you have a range of numbers that contain both integers and decimal numbers, you may have a need to determine the ...

Discover More

Deleting Commented Text

Word allows you to add comments to your document to aid in the development of the document. At some point you may want to ...

Discover More

Always Printing Drawing Objects

Add a bunch of drawing objects to your document, and you may wonder how to make sure they all appear on a printout. How ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Changing Behavior for Audio CDs

When you place an audio CD in you PC, Windows attempts to play the CD, by default. If you don't want Windows to behave in ...

Discover More

Disabling Automatic Updates

If you don't like that Windows automatically downloads and applies updates in the middle of the night, you can gain some ...

Discover More

Reverse the Wheel

With multiple devices used today, the way we scroll can change depending on the device. If you're used to reverse ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 5 - 2?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

Newest Tips
Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.