Which company develops the Microsoft Windows operating system?

Microsoft develops the Microsoft Windows operating system. Windows is Microsoft’s family of operating systems for personal computers, enterprise devices, servers, and other hardware.

Microsoft began in 1975, founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Its early success came from software such as Microsoft BASIC and MS-DOS. Windows 1.0 launched in 1985 as a graphical environment that ran on top of MS-DOS; later releases gradually became more independent operating systems.

The company’s Windows division works alongside other Microsoft businesses, including Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Xbox, and Surface. Windows itself is not developed by Apple, IBM, or Oracle, although software from all three companies can run on or integrate with Windows in different ways.

A common mix-up is confusing the operating system with the computer manufacturer. Many companies—including Dell, Lenovo, HP, and ASUS—make Windows PCs, but Microsoft develops the Windows software and licenses it to hardware manufacturers.