Are all C/C++ programs compatible with any Windows edition, including Windows 11

Question

Are all C/C++ programs compatible with any Windows edition? Is support for C/C++ programs an integral part of Windows operating systems?

Are there any C/C++ programs that are not compatible with Windows 11, and Windows in general?

I'm asking this question, because i have some important apps written in C/C++, and i want to move to Windows 11. However, although the apps are compatible with any Windows from XP to 10, i don't know if they are compatible with Windows 11, and if they will be compatible with future Windows editions. This is why i want to know if compatibility for C/C++ is an integral part of Windows - will Microsoft continue to insert C/C++ compatibility in future Windows editions?

Answer 1

Rodrigo's answer is a bit lacking and correct and yet not. It really depends on what else those applications use. Eg c++ is only the language which is not what's important. The apps may or may not be compatible with something they use.

You really just need to test it and find out or ask whoever created it or whatever. We can't tell you without something else to go on if they use an API that's no longer available or whatever.

If its just using the C++ library or something simple then its more likely. But, the more they use Windows API's, 3rd party libraries, or other things then it becomes less likely over time.

Answer 2

Hi Val,

I'm Rodrigo and I will help you.

Yes, Windows 11 is compatible with C and C++ applications, like Windows 10 is too.

Make sure that Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable is installed since some apps need it to run properly.