Microsoft developed Windows and is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in 1975. The company first became widely known for supplying a version of the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800 microcomputer. Its major breakthrough came through operating-system software licensed to IBM for the original IBM PC, released in 1981.
Windows became Microsoft’s best-known product after its 1985 release and grew into a dominant desktop operating system. Microsoft later expanded into Office productivity software, the Xbox gaming business, Azure cloud computing, enterprise tools, and the LinkedIn professional network.
A common mix-up is treating Windows and Microsoft as interchangeable names. Windows is a Microsoft product, while Microsoft is the broader corporation. Microsoft is incorporated in Washington and trades on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the symbol MSFT.