Check if Windows Is 32 Bits or 64 Bits

Knowing what system architecture you are running on your computer sounds daunting, but it's essential when you're upgrading or building a computer. You need to know your operating system type when downloading drivers for your hardware since 64-bit drivers will not work on a 32-bit operating system. To check if Windows is 32 bits or 64 bits, you'll need to view your system properties, but the process varies slightly depending on the Windows version you have.

Steps

Windows 8 and 10

  1. Open the Power User menu. Press the Windows key + X to open this menu. Click on System.
  2. Look for System Type. This is located under the System heading. It will say either 32-bit Operating System or 64-bit Operating System.
  3. Look at the processor type. You can install a 32-bit Windows 8 on either a 32- or 64-bit processor. To see what your processor is capable of running, look for the processor type underneath the System heading.
    • x86 is 32-bit, and x64 is 64-bit

Windows 7 and Vista

  1. Open the Start menu. Right-click on Computer.
  2. Select Properties. This will open your system information. Underneath the System header, you will see either 32-bit or 64-bit listed next to System type.
  3. Find your processor type. Since you can have a 32-bit operating system installed on a 64-bit processor, it may be helpful to know if you’re actually running a 64-bit processor. With the System Information open from the previous step, click Device Manger in the left frame.
    • Select Processors from the list on the left. Click the “+” sign to expand the categories. Double-click on your processor. If you have multiple of the same processors listed, that means you are running a multi-core processor. Double-click on any of the listed options.
    • Open the Details tab. Select “Hardware Ids” from the drop down menu. If you see x86, then you’re running a 32-bit processor. If you see x64, then it’s a 64-bit.

Windows XP

  1. Open the Start menu. Right-click My Computer and click on properties. Open the General tab.
    • Check the listing under System. 64-bit Windows will say “Windows XP Professional/Home x64 Edition”. If it just says Windows XP Professional/Home, then you are running 32-bit Windows.
  2. Click Start, then Run. You can also check by opening the Help and Support Services window. Enter “winmsd.exe” into the Run line and press Enter.
    • Select System Summary in the left frame. In the right frame, locate Processor. If it is an x86 processor, then it is 32-bit. If it says IA-64 or AMD64, then it is 64-bit.

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