Microsoft Windows SDK

Software development kit by Microsoft

Microsoft Windows SDKDeveloper(s)| Microsoft

|

Stable release|

10.0.22000.755 / October 25, 2022; 15 months ago (2022-10-25)

Operating system| Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11
Type| Application programming interface (API)
Website| developer.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/sdk-archive

Microsoft Windows SDK, and its predecessors Platform SDK, and .NET Framework SDK, are software development kits (SDKs) from Microsoft that contain documentation, header files, libraries, samples and tools required to develop applications for Microsoft Windows and .NET Framework.[1] Platform SDK specializes in developing applications for Windows 2000, XP and Windows Server 2003. .NET Framework SDK is dedicated to developing applications for .NET Framework 1.1 and .NET Framework 2.0. Windows SDK is the successor of the two and supports developing applications for Windows XP and later, as well as .NET Framework 3.0 and later.[2]

## Features[edit]

Platform SDK is the successor of the original Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 3.1x and Microsoft Win32 SDK for Windows 9x. It was released in 1999 and is the oldest SDK. Platform SDK contains compilers, tools, documentations, header files, libraries and samples needed for software development on IA-32, x64 and IA-64 CPU architectures. .NET Framework SDK however, came to being with .NET Framework. Starting with Windows Vista, the Platform SDK, .NET Framework SDK, Tablet PC SDK and Windows Media SDK are replaced by a new unified kit called Windows SDK. However, the .NET Framework 1.1 SDK is not included since the .NET Framework 1.1 does not ship with Windows Vista. (Windows Media Center SDK for Windows Vista ships separately.) DirectX SDK was merged into Windows SDK with the release of Windows 8.[3]

Windows SDK allows the user to specify the components to be installed and where to install them. It integrates with Visual Studio, so that multiple copies of the components that both have are not installed; however, there are compatibility caveats if either of the two is not from the same era.[4][5] Information shown can be filtered by content, such as showing only new Windows Vista content, only .NET Framework content, or showing content for a specific language or technology.

Windows SDKs are available for free; they were once available on Microsoft Download Center but were moved to MSDN in 2012.

A developer might want to use an older SDK for a particular reason. For example, the Windows Server 2003 Platform SDK released in February 2003 was the last SDK to provide full support of Visual Studio 6.0. Some older PSDK versions can still be downloaded from the Microsoft Download center; others can be ordered on CD/DVD.[6]

Microsoft SDK version release history[7] Name | Version number | Build number | Release date | Download | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit | 3.1 | ? | 1992 | [1] |
Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit | 3.11 | ? | ? | ? |
Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit | 3.1 | ? | ? | ? |
Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit | 3.5 | 3.50.612.1 | 1994-04 | [2] |
Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit | 3.51 | ? | 1995-06 | [3] |
Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit | 4.0 | 4.0.1381.1 | 1996-11 | [4] |
Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit | v5.0  | 5.0.1636.1  | 1998-06 | ? | Included in Visual Studio 6
Microsoft Platform SDK April 1999 | ? | ? | 1999-04 | [5] | MSDN subscription CD-ROM disc.

Last Platform SDK to officially install on Windows 95

Microsoft Platform SDK September 1999 | ? | 5.0.2128.8 | 1999-09 | [6], [7] | MSDN subscription CD-ROM disc.

Also known as Microsoft Platform SDK for Windows 2000 RC2.

Includes Alpha to AXP64 cross toolset.

Last Platform SDK to fully support Visual C++ 5.0

Microsoft Platform SDK January 2000 | ? | ? | 2000-01 | ? | MSDN subscription CD-ROM disc.
Microsoft Platform SDK April 2000 | ? | 5.0.2195.32 | 2000-04 | [8] | MSDN subscription CD-ROM disc.
Microsoft Platform SDK November 2000 | ? | 5.0.2296.5 | 2000-11 | [9] | MSDN subscription CD-ROM disc.

Also known as Microsoft Platform SDK for Whistler Beta 1.

Includes preliminary tools for Itanium.

Microsoft Platform SDK February 2001 | ? | ? | 2001-02 | ? |
Microsoft Platform SDK June 2001 | ? | ? | 2001-06 | [10] | MSDN subscription CD-ROM disc.

Last Platform SDK to officially develop for Windows 95. (Does not officially install on Windows 95)

Microsoft Platform SDK August 2001 | v5.1 | 5.1.2601.0 | 2001-08 | [11], [12] | MSDN subscription CD-ROM disc.

Last Platform SDK to unofficially develop for Windows 95. (Does not officially install on Windows 95)

Microsoft Platform SDK November 2001 | v5.2 | 5.2.3590.2 | 2001-11 | [13] |
Microsoft Platform SDK May 2002 | v5.2 | 5.2.3639.1 | 2002-05 | [14] |
Microsoft Platform SDK July 2002 | v5.2 | 5.2.3663.0 | 2002-07 | [15] |
Microsoft Platform SDK August 2002 | v5.2 | 5.2.3672.1 | 2002-08 | [16] |
Microsoft Platform SDK November 2002 | v5.2 | 5.2.3718.1 | 2002-11 | [17] |
Microsoft Platform SDK February 2003  | v5.2  | 5.2.3790.0  | 2003-02  | [18] | Last version with VC6 support[8] and latest version with Windows 95 and Windows 98 support.
.NET Framework SDK Version 1.1  | ?  | 1.1.4322.573  | 2003-03-29  | [19] | Included in Visual Studio 2003. Does not include the Platform SDK.
Microsoft Platform SDK for Windows XP SP2  | ?  | 5.1.2600.2180  | 2004-08  | [20] | Introduced strsafe.h
Windows Server 2003 SP1 Platform SDK  | v5.2  | 5.2.3790.1830.15  | 2005-05-02  | [21] |
Windows Server 2003 R2 Platform SDK  | v5.2  | 5.2.3790.2075.51  | 2006-03-14  | [22] | Last Platform SDK to develop for Windows 2000.[9] Also suggested by MS to work with VS6 with no guarantee as it has not been tested with specific requirements.[10]
.NET Framework 2.0 Software Development Kit  | ?  | 2.0.50727.42  | 2006-11-29  | [23] | Included in Visual Studio 2005 Professional. Does not include the Platform SDK.
Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit for Windows Vista and .NET Framework 3.0 Runtime Components  | v6.0  | 6.0.6000.16384  | 2006-10-30  | [24] | The C++ compilers in this SDK release support the /analyze key.
Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit Update for Windows Vista  | v6.1  | 6.1.6000.16384.10  | 2007-03-22  | [25] | First unified .NET and Platform SDK. Does not support Visual Studio .NET 2003 and Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003
Included in Visual Studio 2008[11] | v6.0a  | 6.1.6723.1  | 2007-11-19  | [26] |
Windows SDK for Windows Server 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5  | v6.1  | 6.0.6001.18000.367  | 2008-02-05  | [27] | .NET Framework 3.5
Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1  | v7.0  | 6.1.7600.16385  | 2009-07-24  | [28], [29] |
Included in Visual Studio 2010  | v7.0a  | 6.1.7600.16385  | 2010-04-12  | [30] | .NET Framework 4. Works only with Visual Studio 2010 and not Visual Studio 2010 Express. This is also the last version to include offline documentation.[12]
Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4  | v7.1  | 7.1.7600.0.30514  | 2010-05-19[13][14] | [31], [32] | It is the latest version that officially supports Windows XP target. .NET Framework 4 needed. Higher sub-version from .NET Framework is not recognised by installation. Building the samples with nmake.exe is not supported, most of the NMAKE macros are removed.
Included in Visual Studio 2012 Update 1 (or later)  | v7.1A  | 7.1.51106  | ?  | ?  | Introduces the "v110_xp" platform toolset
Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 8 and .NET Framework 4.5  | v8.0  | 6.2.9200.16384  | 2012-11-15[15] | [33] | .NET Framework 4.5, Windows Store apps and Integrated DirectX SDK
Included in Visual Studio 2012  | v8.0A  | 8.0.50727  | ?  | ?  |
Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 8.1  | v8.1  | 8.100.25984.0  | 2013-10-17  | [34] | Windows 8.1, .NET Framework 4.5.1, Windows Store apps and Integrated DirectX SDK
Included in Visual Studio 2013  | v8.1A  | 8.1.51636  | ?  | ?  | Includes the "v120_xp" platform toolset
Windows Standalone SDK for Windows 10  | v10  | 10.0.10240.0  | 2015-07-29  | [35] | Also included in Visual Studio 2015[16]
Windows Standalone SDK for Windows 10, Version 1511[17] | v10  | 10.0.10586.212  | 2015-11-30  | [36] | Also included in Visual Studio 2015 Update 1 & 2[18]
Windows Standalone SDK for Windows 10, Version 1607  | v10  | 10.0.14393.795  | 2016-08-02  | [37] | Also included in Visual Studio 2015 Update 3
Windows Standalone SDK for Windows 10 Creators Update, Version 1703  | v10  | 10.0.15063.0  | 2017-04-05  | [38] | Included in Visual Studio 2017 ver.15.1
Windows 10 SDK for Fall Creators Update, version 1709  | v10  | 10.0.16299.15  | 2017-10-10  | [39] | Included in Visual Studio 2017 ver.15.4
Windows 10 SDK for April 2018 Update, version 1803  | v10  | 10.0.17134.0  | 2018-05-08  | [40] | Included in Visual Studio 2017 ver.15.7
Windows 10 SDK for October 2018 Update, version 1809  | v10  | 10.0.17763.0  | 2018-10-02  | [41] | Included in Visual Studio 2017 ver.15.8
Windows 10 SDK for Windows 10, version 1903  | v10  | 10.0.18362.0  | 2019-05-21  | [42] | Included in Visual Studio 2019
Windows 10 SDK for Windows 10, version 2004  | v10  | 10.0.19041.0  | 2020-05-12  | [43] |
Windows 10 SDK for Windows 10, version 2004  | v10  | 10.0.19041.685  | 2020-12-16  | [44] | Servicing update
Windows 10 SDK for Windows 10, version 21H1  | v10  | 10.0.20348.0  | 2021-05-25  | [45] |
Windows 10 SDK for Windows 11  | v10  | 10.0.22000.194  | 2021-10-04  | [46] |
Windows SDK for Windows 11  | v10  | 10.0.22621.755  | 2022-10-25  | [47] | Released as part of Windows 11, version 22H2. Includes servicing update 10.0.22000.755 on October 25, 2022,

Includes ARM64 support for the Visual Studio 17.4 release

Removed features of Windows SDK  Version | Removed feature

|

Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1[19] |

* capicom.dll (CAPICOM is deprecated)
* iacom.dll
* ialoader.dll
* msistuff.exe
* perflibmig.exe
* permcalc.exe
* secutil.exe
* windowssideshowvirtualdevice.exe (replaced by DeviceSimulatorforWindowsSideShow.msi)
* wpfperf.msi (now included in the Windows Performance Toolkit suite)
* xamlpad.exe (XAMLPad)

Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4[20] |

* UISpy.exe (Replaced by newer tools)
* Wpt_arch.msi
* Managed code samples (Moved to Code Gallery)
* DExplore document viewer (Can be separately installed)

Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 8[21] |

* Command-line build environment, including:
* Windows SDK Platform Toolset
* Visual C++ Compilers and C Runtime (CRT)
* Windows SDK Configuration Tool
* Tools and reference assemblies for versions of the .NET Framework earlier than 4.5
* Apatch.exe
* Bind.exe
* Checkv4.exe
* Consume.exe
* DeviceSimulatorForWindowsSideShow.msi
* Err.exe
* FDBrowser.exe
* FXCopSetup.exe
* Guidgen.exe
* Make-Shell.exe
* MDbg.exe
* Mpatch.exe
* MSIZap.exe
* PTConform.exe
* ReBase.exe
* sddlgen.exe
* setenv.cmd
* SetReg.exe
* SoapSuds.exe
* Sporder.exe
* TcpAnalyzer.exe
* TSPDesigner.exe
* UTL2IDL.exe
* ValidateSD.exe
* VirtualLightSensor.exe
* WinDiff.exe
* WpfPerf.exe
* All Windows samples (moved to Code Gallery)
* Microsoft Help Viewer
* IntelliSense XML documentation comments for the .NET Framework reference assemblies

Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 8.1[22] | Nothing
Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 10  | Nothing[23]

## Documentation[edit]

The Windows SDK documentation includes manuals documenting:

* Desktop app development with Windows API and managed code
* Metro-style app development using Windows Runtime and Universal Windows Platform
* Web app development using ASP.NET, HTML, CSS and JavaScript
* Language-related topics for C++, C#, Visual Basic.NET, F#, JavaScript, CSS and HTML, such as syntax and conventions (Windows PowerShell language is not covered.)

## See also[edit]

* MSDN Library
* Windows Driver Kit
* Windows App SDK
* Windows 10 Version History

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Windows SDK: Download Windows Server 2008 SDK and more". Microsoft Developer Network. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
2. ^ "Windows SDK Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)". Microsoft Developer Network. Microsoft Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 September 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
3. ^ "Where is the DirectX SDK?". Windows Dev Center. Microsoft. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
4. ^ "Windows SDK Fails to Install with Return Code 5100". Support. Microsoft. 5 June 2012.
5. ^ Stewart, Heath (1 April 2011). "Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Compiler Update for the Windows SDK 7.1". Setup & Install by Heath Stewart. Microsoft.
6. ^ Microsoft Software Development Kits CD Order Archived 2011-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
7. ^ Windows and Windows Phone SDK archive
8. ^ Windows® Server 2003 SP1 Platform SDK Web Install, Microsoft Download Center "The last SDK that will work with VC 6.0 is the February 2003 Edition, you can order a CD on the fulfillment site."
9. ^ "Windows Server 2003 R2 Platform SDK Web Install". www.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 2006-04-22. Retrieved 2006-04-22.
10. ^ "Platform SDK February 2003 installation + IE8". Social.msdn.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
11. ^ Microsoft Windows SDK Blog: New samples in Win 7 SDK: Direct2D and DirectWrite
12. ^ "Windows SDK 7.1 release notes". Retrieved 23 July 2014.
13. ^ Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4 iso image
14. ^ Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4 web installer
15. ^ Windows SDK for Windows 8 – Windows Dev Center. Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved on 2014-02-16.
16. ^ Building Apps for Windows 10 with Visual Studio 2015
17. ^ Windows 10 SDK Release Notes
18. ^ Visual Studio 2015 Update 1 Release Notes
19. ^ Release Notes, Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
20. ^ Release Notes, Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4
21. ^ "Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 8". Windows Dev Center. Microsoft. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
22. ^ "Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 8". Windows Dev Center. Microsoft. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
23. ^ "Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 10". Windows Dev Center. Microsoft. Retrieved 20 February 2016.

## External links[edit]

* Windows SDK Blog
* Windows SDK Archive

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Microsoft development tools

Development
environments|

| Visual Studio|

* Code
* Express
* Team System Profiler
* Tools for Applications
* Tools for Office

|

Others|

* Blend
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|

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* ASP.NET
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* ADO.NET
* Entity Framework
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* CardSpace
* Communication Foundation
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* LINQ
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Device drivers|

* WDK
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Database|

| SQL Server|

* Express
* Compact
* Management Studio
* Business Intelligence Development Studio
* MSDE

|

SQL services|

* Analysis
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Other|

* Visual FoxPro
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* Access Database Engine
* Extensible Storage Engine

Source control|

* Visual SourceSafe
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Testing and
debugging|

* CodeView
* OneFuzz
* Playwright
* Script Debugger
* WinDbg
* xUnit.net

Delivery|

* Active Setup
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* npm
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* vcpkg
* Web Platform Installer
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* WiX
* Windows Package Manager
* Microsoft Store

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