A Windows 10 Checkup

Q. My Windows 7 PC is eligible for Windows 10 and I have signed up for the upgrade later this month. But how do I know if my programs and hardware devices will still work with the new system?

A. Microsoft says Windows 10 is “designed to be compatible with the vast majority of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices,” but this is no guarantee that everything will work. However, you can use the same Get Windows 10 app you used to reserve your copy of the system to get a rough idea of potential compatibility issues.

Click the Get Windows 10 icon in the taskbar’s notifications area, and when the app’s window opens, click the menu icon in the upper-left corner. From the list on the left, select Check Your PC to have the app scan your computer for known potential conflicts or compatibility issues with Windows 10.

Microsoft updates its findings regularly, so you can check again if you have installed new applications or updates to your existing programs. You can also look up hardware and software products in the Windows Compatibility Center to see if the items work with the current Windows 10 Technical Preview.

TIP OF THE WEEK: Want to pick which apps you see and use directly on your phone’s lock screen? In Android 5.1 and later, open the Settings icon and make your selections in the Sounds & Notification area. When a notification from certain types of apps (like mail or a message) pops up on your Android lock screen, you can interact with it. For example, swipe down within the notification box to expand it and see its contents without having to unlock the screen. Double-tap the notification to open its corresponding app, or swipe it off the screen to dismiss it.