Windows 10 won’t get x64 app emulator for ARM

If you have a Surface Pro X or another type of ARM-based PC, you will need to upgrade to Windows 11 to run x64 applications.

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Microsoft Edge on ARM (source: Microsoft)
Microsoft Edge on ARM (source: Microsoft)
  • Microsoft won’t make available the x64 emulator for Windows 10.
  • The emulation will only be available on Windows 11.
  • If you have an ARM-based device, you must upgrade it to Windows 11 to run 64-bit Intel-based apps.

Microsoft confirms that the x64 emulator for ARM won’t be available for Windows 10. When the company first announced the emulator to run x64 apps on ARM-based devices (such as on Surface Pro X), it was planned to arrive for the next feature update, but now, the feature is only available on Windows 11.

In the announcement, Microsoft says, “x64 emulation for Windows is now generally available in Windows 11,” meaning that you must upgrade the device to the new version before you run 64-bit applications designed for Intel-based systems (pretty much every other app).

Although this isn’t good news for many ARM-based devices owners, Windows 10 will continue to support x86 apps using emulation through October 14, 2025. However, you will be forced to upgrade to use x64 apps.

The company is not sharing details for the decision since Windows 11 is based on Windows 10, and there’s nothing that can prevent it from adding the x64 emulation. However, it seems to be clear that this might be another part of the strategy to get more devices upgraded to Windows 11.

About the author
Avatar for Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.