Windows 10: Launch older programs - here's how

It's not always guaranteed that programs or games that ran on Windows 7 and Windows 8 will work on Windows 10. Windows 10 has a compatibility mode, but it doesn't always work if you want to launch older programs.

How to start older programs in Windows 10?

When you want to start an older program in Windows 10, the first thing you should try is to run the program as administrator, as this is a very common reason why programs don't work.

1. Make a right click on the program and select Run as administrator. Now confirm the administrator popup.
2. If that didn't help, you can try Windows compatibility mode. Make a right click on the .exe of the program and select "Properties".
3. In the window that opens now, go to the "Compatibility" tab and check the "Run program in compatibility mode" box. Under it, select the Windows version in which the program should work.
4. Click "OK" to confirm the settings.
5. If this also did not help, you can use a virtual machine. To do this, install the virtual machine of your choice and in it the operating system on which the program should run. Now you can run the program inside the virtual machine.
6. If this method does not work either, you can try to install a second older Windows version next to your current one.