Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 is a release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on August 27, 2013, and broadly released for retail sale on October 17, 2013, about a year after the retail release of its predecessor, and succeeded by Windows 10 on July 29, 2015. Windows 8.1 was made available for download via MSDN and Technet and available as a free upgrade for retail copies of Windows 8 and Windows RT users via the Windows Store. A server version, Windows Server 2012 R2, was released on October 18, 2013.

Windows 8.1 aimed to address complaints of Windows 8 users and reviewers on launch. Enhancements include an improved Start screen, additional snap views, additional bundled apps, tighter OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) integration, Internet Explorer 11 (IE11), a Bing-powered unified search system, restoration of a visible Start button on the taskbar, and the ability to restore the previous behavior of opening the user's desktop on login instead of the Start screen.

Windows 8.1 also added support for then emerging technologies like high-resolution displays, 3D printing, Wi-Fi Direct, and Miracast streaming, as well as the ReFS file system.[7]

Windows 8.1 received more positive reception than Windows 8, with critics praising the expanded functionality available to apps in comparison to Windows 8, its OneDrive integration, its user interface tweaks, and the addition of expanded tutorials for operating the Windows 8 interface. Despite these improvements, Windows 8.1 was still criticized for not addressing all issues of Windows 8 (such as poor integration between Metro-style apps and the desktop interface), and the potential privacy implications of the expanded use of online services.

Official mainstream support for Windows 8.1 ended on January 9, 2018, and extended support will end on January 10, 2023,[8] while the server equivalent, Windows Server 2012 R2, had its mainstream support ended on October 9, 2018, and extended support will end on October 10, 2023. Mainstream support for Embedded editions of Windows 8.1 ended on July 10, 2018 and extended support will end on July 11, 2023.

As of October 2022, 2.7% of traditional PCs running Windows are running Windows 8.1, making it 4th most popular Windows since Windows 11 surpassed it.[9]

Windows 8.1 was revealed at Build 2013, held at San Francisco's Moscone Center.