Build desktop Windows apps using the Win32 API

Learn how to build desktop apps for Windows PCs using C++ and the Win32 API.

Get started

Overview

• Get started with desktop Windows apps that use the Win32 API

Tutorial

• Get started with Win32 and C++

Download

• Downloads and tools for Windows development
• Samples and resources

Develop

Overview

• Desktop app technologies
• Modernize your desktop apps

Reference

• Windows API index (by feature)
• Programming reference for the Win32 API (by header)

Resources and community

Download

• Download a virtual machine

Overview

• Windows Desktop Application Program
• Compatibility FAQs
• Windows developer support
• @WindowsDocs on X (Twitter)
• One Dev Minute videos

Related docs

Overview

• Build desktop apps for Windows
• Windows App SDK
• C++/WinRT
• Building an MSIX package from your code
• .NET documentation
• Universal Windows Platform documentation
• Windows previous versions documentation

Related technologies

Overview

• Windows AI Foundry
• Windows IoT Core
• Mixed Reality documentation
• Virtualization documentation
• Game Dev