Official documentation
How emulation works on Arm
Microsoft, Microsoft Learn, 2026
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- Microsoft's technical explanation of x86 and x64 emulation on Windows on Arm, including the Prism emulator introduced with Windows 11 24H2 and the limit that emulation does not cover drivers.
- How much weight it carries
- Official Microsoft documentation and the primary source for how emulation behaves. Real app performance under emulation varies by app.
Facts taken from this source
- Microsoft says Windows 10 on Arm supports emulation only for x86 apps, not for x64 apps.
“Windows 10 on Arm also supports emulation, but only for x86 apps.” (Introduction, Prism section)
- Microsoft says x86 and x64 emulation on Windows on Arm covers only user-mode code and does not support drivers, so kernel-mode components must be compiled for Arm64.
“Note that emulation only supports user mode code and doesn't support drivers. Any kernel mode components must be compiled as Arm64.” (How emulation works)
- Microsoft says Windows 11 on Arm emulates both x86 and x64 apps, with performance improved by the Prism emulator introduced in Windows 11 24H2.
“Windows 11 on Arm supports emulation of both x86 and x64 apps. Performance is enhanced with the introduction of the new emulator Prism in Windows 11 24H2.” (Introduction)