How to Determine If Windows 10 Is 32-bit or 64-bit
You may be wondering that “Is my computer 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 10?” You must know it when you need to download Windows drivers for your hardware devices, because there are drivers for 32-bit and 64-bit. Here are a couple of ways to help you find out whether Windows 10 is 32-bit or 64-bit on your computer.
1. Use Control Panel to Determine If Windows 10 Is 32-bit or 64-bit Version
If you’ve no idea about whether you have a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Window 10, you could view the operating system installation information in Control Panel. Take these steps:
Step 1. Open Control Panel
Step 2. Click System and Security
Step 3. Click System
Step 4. Click View basic information about your computer. The System type will tell whether your Windows 10 is 32-bit or 64-bit operating system.
Note: Either x64-based processor or x86-based processor indicates the hardware architecture. It is allowed to install a 32-bit edition of Windows 10 on either an x86 or x64 based system, but a 64-bit edition can only be installed on x64 hardware.
2. Run Command Prompt to Check If Windows 10 Is 32-bit or 64-bit Version
To determine whether your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 10, you could also use command to open the Control Panel applet that contains the information of the system type. Take these steps:
Step 1. Open Command Prompt
Step 2. Type the following command and hit Enter
control /name Microsoft.System
The System type will tell whether your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 10.
3. Check “Program Files” Folder Name
Checking the Programs Files folder name could also help know whether your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit of Windows 10. Because if your version of Windows 10 is 64-bit, you can install both 32-bit and 64-bit version of programs, so there are two different “Program Files” folders on your PC. But if there’s only one folder for 32-bit versions of Windows, your computer is 32-bit version and it can only install 32-bit version of programs. Check the Program Files folder name below:
(1 ) Two program folders exist on a 64-bit version of Windows 10:
32-bit location: C:\Program Files (x86)\
64-bit location: C:\Program Files\
(2) 32-bit versions of Windows 10 have just one folder:
32-bit location: C:\Program Files\
If you know other ways to tell whether Windows 10 is 32-bit or 64-bit, welcome to share with us in the comments section below.
Regarding this matter, can someone explain why some computers with less than 4 gigs of RAM use a 64-bit OS?