[ This article is for Windows Phone 8 developers. If you’re developing for Windows 10, see the latest documentation. ]
This topic describes the features that are available in Windows Phone Silverlight 8.1 apps.
Windows Phone 8 APIs
Most features and APIs available in Windows Phone 8 apps continue to be available for Silverlight 8.1 apps. Some of these APIs will behave differently when called from a Silverlight 8.1 app. For a list of all affected APIs, see Platform compatibility and breaking changes for Windows Phone Silverlight 8.1 apps.
Features that are supported only in Silverlight 8.1 apps
There are a few features you can use only in apps that target Silverlight 8.1. These include:
Your app can register as a photos provider for contacts in the People Hub. For information about implementing this feature, see Implementing contact bindings in a Windows Phone Silverlight 8.1 app.
Your app can register as a photos provider that’s displayed in the Photos Hub. For information about implementing this feature, see Implementing online media extensibility in a Windows Phone Silverlight 8.1 app.
Seamless VoIP call upgrade
Silverlight 8.1 VoIP apps can seamlessly upgrade calls from cellular to VoIP when it is supported by both the caller and the callee. For information about implementing this feature, see Upgrade calls from cellular to VoIP in a Windows Phone Silverlight 8.1 app.
Windows Phone 8.1 features supported for Silverlight 8.1 apps
Most of the features that are supported for Windows Phone Store apps also can be used in Silverlight 8.1 apps. The following table lists supported features.
Development tools, including new tools for testing apps |
Test app features in Windows Phone Emulator
Test and troubleshoot apps with the Windows Phone Developer Power Tools |
Accessibility (UI Automation, large text, high contrast) |
Accessibility |
Roaming app data |
Quickstart: Roaming app data (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
File access, including input and output streams and Windows.Storage..::.KnownFolders |
Quickstart: Reading and writing a file (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Storage enhancements, data backup and restore, removable storage |
PathIO
FileIO
Windows.Storage.Compression
Windows.Storage.AccessCache |
Data enhancements |
Windows.Data.Xml.Dom
Windows.Data.Xml.Xsl |
Storage pickers and providers |
Working with file pickers |
Share contract |
Sharing and exchanging data (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Push Notifications with Windows Push Notification Service (WNS) |
Push notification overview (Windows Store apps)
Choosing MPNS or WNS for a Windows Phone Silverlight 8.1 app |
Tiles, badges, and notifications |
Tiles, badges, and notifications (Windows Store apps) |
Background tasks |
Supporting your app with background tasks (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Background transfers |
Transferring data in the background (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
App-to-app single sign-on |
Single sign-on for apps and websites |
Networking (Http, AtomPub, Syndication) |
Connecting to networks and web services (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML)
Windows.Web.Http
Windows.Web.AtomPub
Windows.Web.Syndication |
Web authentication broker |
Quickstart: Connecting to an online identity provider (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Credential Locker |
Storing user credentials using the Credential Locker (Windows Store apps using JavaScript and HTML) |
Bluetooth LE |
Supporting Bluetooth Devices |
RFComm |
Supporting Bluetooth Devices |
Wi-Fi Direct |
Windows.Devices.WiFiDirect |
Enumerating devices |
Enumerating devices (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
NFC secure payment |
Windows.ApplicationModel.Wallet |
InputPane |
InputPane |
Email and attachments |
Sending an email message |
Contacts and Appointments |
Managing user contacts and appointments (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Sensors |
Choosing the right sensors to use (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Geolocation and Geofencing |
Detecting geolocation (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Capturing photos and video using the Windows.Media.Capture APIs |
Capturing or rendering audio, video, and images (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Media editing |
Windows.Media.Editing |
Media transcoding |
Transcoding (Windows Store apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Audio effects |
Windows.Media.Effects |
Windows Imaging Component (WIC) |
Windows Imaging Component |
Direct2D |
Direct2D |
DirectWrite |
DirectWrite |
Microsoft Media Foundation |
Microsoft Media Foundation |