Microsoft created the Windows operating system and acquired LinkedIn in 2016.
Windows grew from Microsoft's early personal-computing software into a family of operating systems used on consumer and business computers. Its graphical interface helped make computers more accessible, while later versions became central to enterprise computing and software compatibility.
Microsoft announced its acquisition of LinkedIn in June 2016 and completed the transaction later that year. LinkedIn remained a professional-networking service, while Microsoft connected it with its wider business software and cloud strategy without eliminating the LinkedIn brand.
The acquisition illustrates why market-cap companies are often valued for collections of businesses rather than a single product. Microsoft's portfolio includes Office, Azure, Xbox, Windows, GitHub, and LinkedIn. It is not correct to say Microsoft owns all major professional networks: LinkedIn is Microsoft's professional platform, while services such as Facebook and Instagram belong to Meta.