Microsoft has deleted a page from its website that showed the limitations of Windows 10 on ARM. On the page, the company listed what kind of applications won't be able to run on the emulation layer for Windows 10. The page, titled 'Limitations of apps and experiences on ARM', can still be found in Google's cache.
On the page, Microsoft writes that ARM devices running Windows 10 for ARM are able to run x86 software, but that they are unable to use x86 and x64 drivers. Only specific ARM64 drivers can be used with Windows 10 for ARM. The page also states that the emulator will only support 32-bit apps (x86), x64 won't be supported
Also, games using OpenGL 1.1 or later, or games requiring hardware-accelerated OpenGL won't work. Microsoft also specifically mentions that games relying on 'anti-cheat' drivers won't be supported.
The company goes further to explain that “apps that customize the Windows experience”, won't work on Windows 10 on ARM. These could be assistive-technology apps but also apps for cloud storage. The latter is specifically mentioned because cloud storage apps commonly use shell extensions ( e.g. right click menu). Microsoft mentions that either a part of the app, or the app at all doesn't work.
If apps running on Windows 10 for ARM only work with mobile screen sizes, they also might not work correctly. They could appear upside-down, have render issues, or might even fail to start at all because they try to use API's only available on a mobile device.
Last, the company writes Windows 10 on ARM also doesn't support virtual machines like Virtualbox, Hyper-V or VMWare Player.
The page was published on the 15th of February and pulled today after lots of media wrote about it. It's unclear why Microsoft decided to remove the page from its website.
Windows 10 on ARM will run on ARM processors, such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon, and contain an emulator it can run x86 software.
