Design Hardware for Windows: Getting Started
Ensuring that your hardware works well with Windows is a vital step in providing a solid end-user experience. The key advantages of following the guidance and best practices for designing your hardware are:
- No problems, system failures, or incompatibilities that are caused by your hardware – it just works.
- No unexpected issues when qualifying your hardware for a Windows logo.
- Faster time to market.
- Reduced support incidents.
All of these lead to greater acceptance of your hardware in the marketplace.
Designing Devices for Windows
Learn how to design your devices so that they are compatible with Windows.
Review the Windows Certification Program Requirements for Your Device
To ensure the best compatibility of your device with Windows, you should review the Windows Logo Program requirements for your class of device, even if you do not intend to qualify your device for a Windows logo. Reviewing these requirements before you begin designing your hardware can help you avoid costly rework of your hardware later in your development cycle.
To access the Windows 7 Logo Program requirements for your device, see the Windows 7 Logo Program Requirements and Policies page.
For more information about the Windows Logo Program, see the Windows 7 Logo Program page.
The new Windows Hardware Certification program (formerly known as the Windows Logo program) makes it easier to certify your hardware for Windows 8. Use the Windows 8 hardware requirements to build and certify your Windows-compatible devices, systems, and filter drivers across all Windows platforms.
Review Information About Your Type of Device
The numerous devices that can connect to a computer are organized into device classes. For each device class that is supported by the Windows platform, there is unique guidance for ensuring reliability, good performance, and the best compatibility with Windows.
To find the information that is relevant to your device, see the Devices Overview page and select the device class for your type of device. See also the Hardware Design for Windows 7 and Hardware Design for Windows 8 pages.
Review Information About How Your Device Connects to a Computer
Your device will connect to a computer via a physical connection such as a USB port, a wireless connection such as Bluetooth, or a wired or wireless network. Each method of connectivity has its own unique requirements for the best compatibility with Windows. Therefore, it is important to follow the device connectivity guidance for the way in which your device will connect to a computer:
- For USB devices, see the USB Technologies page.
- For PCI and PCI Express devices, see the PCI Technologies page.
- For wired and wireless network connected devices, see the Windows Rally Technologies page.
- For Bluetooth devices, see the Wireless Technologies page.
For more information about device connectivity, see the Device Connectivity Overview page.
Designing Systems for Windows
Learn how to design your systems so that they are compatible with Windows.
Review the Windows Logo Program Requirements for Your System
To ensure the best compatibility of your system with Windows, you should review the Windows 7 Logo Program requirements for your system, even if you do not intend to qualify your system for a Windows logo. Reviewing these requirements before you begin designing your hardware can help you avoid costly rework of your hardware later in your development cycle.
To access the Windows 7 Logo Program requirements for your system, see the Windows 7 Logo Program Requirements and Policies page.
For more information about the Windows 7 Logo Program, see the Windows 7 Logo Program page.
The new Windows Hardware Certification program (formerly known as the Windows Logo program) makes it easier to certify your hardware for Windows 8. Use the Windows 8 hardware requirements to build and certify your Windows-compatible devices, systems, and filter drivers across all Windows platforms.
Review Information About Systems
There is a great deal of information available for designing your system to ensure reliability, good performance, and the best compatibility with Windows. This information is organized into several categories:
- 64-Bit System Design
- Firmware and Boot Environment
- Hardware Management and Security
- Performance
- Plug and Play
- Power Management and ACPI
- System Internals
There is also specific information available based on the type of system you are designing:
- For information that is specific to portable computer platforms, see the Mobile and Tablet PC Platform Design page and the Battery Life and Energy Efficiency page.
- For information that is specific to server platforms, see the Windows Server Platform page and the Virtualization page.
In addition, review any information on the Hardware Design for Windows 8 and Hardware Design for Windows 7 pages that is relevant to your particular system.
For more information about designing systems for Windows, see the Systems Overview page and the Hardware Design for Windows page.
