32-bit and 64-bit Windows Differences

We’ve discussed all the differences between 32-bit and 64-bit Windows, but we’ll review the points briefly here. Whether your copy of Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit depends on your processor (CPU). Like Windows, modern processors are either 32-bit or 64-bit. 64-bit machines can process much more information at once, making them more powerful.

If you have a 32-bit processor, you must also install the 32-bit Windows. While a 64-bit processor is compatible with 32-bit versions of Windows, you’ll have to run 64-bit Windows to take full advantage of the CPU’s benefits.
To see what your copy of Windows and your processor are on Windows 10, open the Start Menu and type About to open the About your PC menu. Here, under System type, you’ll see if Windows and your processor are 32-bit or 64-bit. To check this on older versions of Windows, type System into the Start Menu to open the System Control Panel entry. Under System type, Windows will tell you if your system is 32-bit or 64-bit.

Note that x86 refers to 32-bit architecture, while x64 refers to 64-bit.