If you own a Windows 10 PC built on an ARM processor, then you’ve likely realized your system comes with a key limitation: It can’t run traditional 64-bit Windows apps that’ve been designed for Intel or AMD systems.
But on Wednesday, Microsoft revealed in a blog post it’s working on a solution: The company is preparing an emulator for ARM-based devices capable of running x86 64-bit Windows applications.
The emulator will start rolling out in November as a beta through the Windows Insider Program, which anyone can sign up for. The company made the announcement as Microsoft said more app partners are embracing Windows on ARM, which include products such as the Surface Pro X, the Lenovo Flex 5G, and the Samsung Galaxy Book S.
The emulator promises to make the products a little more appealing. Windows on ARM devices are best suited to run 32-bit and 64-bit apps specifically designed for ARM’s architecture. But many software vendors have yet to port their PC applications to the architecture. As a result, ARM-based hardware faces a limited library of apps compared with all the traditional applications available for an Intel or AMD Windows PC.
Microsoft didn’t reveal anything else about the emulator. So we’ll have to wait and see if it runs smoothly or ends up providing a sub-par, sluggish experience. Currently, Windows 10 on ARM devices can only run x86 32-bit Windows applications through an emulator. However, running the 32-bit apps can still be slow, as we pointed out in our review of the Surface Pro X. So don’t be surprised if the emulator comes with some limitations.