Windows 8 has been in the market for over a month now but do you really know every single new feature in the new operating system? This list of features gives you an impressive insight as to what features are available with Windows 8, some of the features we didn’t even know were there or may have overlooked. Take a look at the list of features below.





Microsoft claims that Windows 8 is top-notch when it comes to security, manageability, usability, performance and more. With such an extensive feature list, this makes it possible. While we know that everyone, including end-users, admins, app developers, and others benefit from features that provide security, manageability, usability, and performance, do these users even know what features exist in Windows 8? Here is an entire list of features that are present in Windows 8, including new features and changes from previous versions of Windows:

User Account Control changes

Hyper-V on Client (almost the same as Server 2012 Hyper-V)

Internet Explorer 10 with Enhanced Protected Mode

Virtual Network Switch

Powershell v3 In-Box, Powershell Intellisense, Powershell API Help and Command Generator, New Powershell ISE

Virtual Fibre Channel

SMB 3.0 Attached Storage

Explorer VHD/ISO mount

Guest NUMA Direct

Direct Attached FC HBA

Dynamic Memory

64 TB Dynamic Virtual Disk

64 Logical CPU

VM 10-finger Touch

Extensible Virtual Switch

New Performance Tools

Fast and Fluid UI

Low Power Busses

VM NIC VMQ

VM NIC Teaming

OS BuilIn Smart Screen Filter (Has blocked >1.5B malware and >150M phishing attacks)

New Explorer with Ribbon

IIS 8.0

Do Not Track (DNT) capability

SmartScreen Filter protects third-party browsers

IE10 ASLR Support for none-ASLR aware AddIns

Secure Boot

New Task Manager

Powershell Web Interface

Trusted Boot

Windows to go

New MDT, WAIK, MDOP

Measured Boot

Offline Domain Join

WMI 2.0

Remote Attestation Service

New Activation Model

New App Certification

Remote Applications

Connected Standby

Virtual Smartcards

Windows RT (Windows on ARM)

BuiltIn USB 3.0 Support

Direct Access improvements

TPM 2.0

BuiltIn Bluetooth 4.0 Support

Branch Cache Improvements

UEFI 2.3.1

New Driver Model (WDM 1.2)

DaRT 8.0

Storage Spaces – Thin/Thick Provisioning

Hundreds of new Powershell CMDLets (z.B. 162 für Hyper-V)

New VDI

New Windows Defender (Forefront Scan Engine)

New Firewall with Packet Filtering

Internet Explorer 10 64-Bit with 32-Bit support

Fast Boot

PS ISE integrated CMD List

.Net Framework 4.5 SP1

Hybrid Shutdown

Improved, comprehensive Compiler Defenses(GS, ASLR, DEP, SAFESEH, SEHOP, Heap Spray, robust, etc.)

Async APIs (85% of WinRT APIs and included in .Net 4.5)

High Contrast Mode changes

Office 2013 RT (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote included in Windows RT edition)

Windows RT APIs and new Kernel Services(e.g. Background Tasks, Suspended Apps)

Maintenance Tasks

Suspended Desktop Application (Windows RT)

Suspended Apps

Shared Kernel – Phone, Tablet, Notebook, PC

Offloaded File/Folder Operation (ODX Protocol)

New Application Model – Platform neutral (Intel/AMD/ARM)

Windows to go parse-through VM

Windows Store App Resource Protection

OPP Brokered API Isolation

Live Tiles

App Contracts – Secure App Data exchange (Search, Share, FilePicker,PlayTo)

Office 2013 Student (Windows RT)

RICH Touch Support, 10-finger Touch Support

Secure Device Access – App Capabilities

Process Isolation – Low Integrity App container

VM 3D graphic support

Sidebar Removal

HTML 5 Support

Search throughout apps

New Windows 8 OS Switch Point via App Manifest

StartScreen Mouse- and Keyboard Support

File History

Windows Refresh / Reset

Windows 7 Backup included but deprecated

Optical Disk Power Management

Windows Store App Forward Compatibility

Flat Desktop Design and Improvements

Windows Store (Link to certified Desktop Apps possible)

Windows Store Apps using JavaScript and HTML

Device Encryption and Bitlocker

Windows Store Installer

Sideloading Installation

Windows Intune Support

WACK, WADK, WSDK, WDK

ACT 6.0

New Compatibility Assistant

New Windows Update – Less Reboots

Startup Application Diagnostics

Enhanced Cloud Integration – Linked Microsoft Account

Surface RT Ports for HDMI, USB, Bluetooth 4.0, SDCard

Convertible Devices Support

Support for almost infinite number of Hardware Formfactors

> 385 Shims

Automatic Compat. Mitigations (>7.500 Applications)

PowerShell Web Service Interface

Remote Attestation Service

Settings Roaming

Huge number of different Device-Formfactors

Start Button replaced by link to new Start-Screen

Technical Start Menu (right click, bottom-left corner)

New Start Screen

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