How To Run Old Programs With Compatibility Mode In Windows 10

Published 2020-06-07

Do you have a program that you used to run in Windows XP or Windows 7? Well, if you cannot find an updated version of that program for Windows 10, then it might be a small problem. But the good news is that Microsoft has inculcated a hidden compatibility mode in windows 10 that can run old programs with ease.

Prerequisites for The Windows Compatibility Mode

The first step before running an old program is to turn on the compatibility mode in Windows 10 and launch the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. Here are the steps to do that:

Step 1. Type “Run Programs” in the search box on the taskbar and from the searches locate the control panel option labelled as “run programs made for previous versions of Windows.”

Step 2. This will open the “Program Compatibility Troubleshooter” wizard. Click on the Next button to move to the next step.

Step 3. Let the Troubleshooter scan and detect issues before it creates a list of programs on Windows 10.

Step 4. Now select the program that does not run and click on Next.

Step 5. If it is not listed then select “Not Listed” and import the executable file by locating the folder where it is stored and click on Next.

Note: You will have two options to go forward here on: Try Recommended Settings & Troubleshoot program.

Step 6. Choose the first option labelled as “Try Recommended Settings” and click on Next. After the fixation and change in settings is completed, try running your program and click on Yes to save the settings.

Step 7. If the above option does not work, then you can perhaps try the second option labelled as “Troubleshoot Programs”, and you will get a lot of options to choose from including the operating system it was initially intended to run upon.

Also Read: How to Fix Compatibility Issues Of A Graphic Card Driver

Steps on How to Run Old Programs with Compatibility Mode in Windows 10

If the above basic step did not fix the problem, then there are other methods to run old program versions with the compatibility mode in Windows 10. However, it is recommended to fulfil the prerequisites before these methods.

Method 1. Try Reducing The Colour Mode

Most of the older programs used a limited set of colours as compared to the modern applications on Windows 10. This can cause a blank screen while running older programs because they do not recognize the new colour patterns. To run the program with limited colours, follow these steps:

Step 1. Right Click on the older program’s executable file and wait for the dialog box to open.

Step 2. Choose the Properties tab and locate the Compatibility option.

Step 3. Choose “Reduced Colour Mode” and click on Apply

Check if the older program runs fine in the reduced colour compatibility mode in Windows 10.

Also Read: How To Solve Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry High Disk Usage Problem in Windows 10

Method 2. Try Changing The Resolution To 640×480

The next step is the reduced colour trick did not work is to reduce the screen resolution. The steps to enter a low-resolution Windows compatible mode are:

Step 1. Locate the executable file of the older program and make a right-click on it.

Step 2. Choose the Properties tab and locate the Compatibility option.

Step 3. This time choose the screen resolution as “640×480”.

This will fix the issue and run the program in the compatibility mode in Windows 10. Also, you might receive a prompt stating “Did this program work correctly”?

Also Read: How To Disable Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry On Windows 10?

Method 3. Try Changing The Dots Per Inch Settings

The final step to run your program in Windows-compatible mode is to change the DPI settings. This can be done by following the below-mentioned steps:

Step 1. Right Click on the older program’s Exe file, and a dialog box will open.

Step 2. Choose the Properties tab and locate the Compatibility option.

Step 3. This time click on Change High DPI Settings, and you will get two options to choose from.

Step 4. Select both options one by one from “fix scaling problems” or “override high DPI scaling behavior” and check your program after each option to know if the program runs fine in the compatibility mode in Windows 10.

Also Read: How To Restore Sound To My Computer

The Final Word On How To Run Old Programs With Compatibility Mode In Windows 10

Some older apps do not work on your Windows 10 because they were designed to run on earlier versions of the Windows operating system. However, Microsoft has tried to include a hidden compatibility mode in Windows 10 to help users use their favourite old programs.

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