Alternatives to Windows APIs in Windows 8.x apps

Learn which features of the Windows API can be used in a Windows Runtime app or Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app and which APIs to use as alternatives for those that cannot.

Note  

Some API are supported only for Windows Store apps and not Windows Phone Store apps, and vice-versa. Specific compatibility details for a particular API can be found in its reference topic or relevant header file. For more information, see Win32 and COM

App installation

None of the existing app installation APIs are supported in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app. Here's some alternatives to the app installation APIs:

• App packages
• Packaging and deployment API
• Windows.ApplicationModel.Package class
• Windows.Management.Deployment namespace

Devices

A subset of the device APIs is supported in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app. For more info, see Win32 and COM (devices).

For device APIs that cannot be used in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app, here are some alternatives.

Graphics

Subsets of these graphics APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app:

• Direct2D
• Direct3D 11
• DirectWrite
• DirectXMath
• DXGI
• WIC

For more info, see Win32 and COM (graphics).

When designing a Windows Runtime app or UWP app, you'll likely want to use HTML5 or XAML to display graphics. For more info, see:

• Displaying graphics (XAML)
• Using graphics with canvas, SVG, and CSS3 (HTML)

Multimedia

Subsets of these multimedia APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app:

• Core audio
• Media Playback
• Media Foundation
• Windows Audio Session API (WASAPI)

For more info, see Win32 and COM (multimedia).

When designing a Windows Runtime app or UWP app, you'll likely use HTML5 or XAML to integrate media. For more info, see:

• How to play a local media file using HTML5
• Quickstart: video and audio (XAML)

Networking

Subsets of these networking APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app:

• DHCP
• Mobile Broadband
• RPC
• Windows Sockets (Winsock)
• Windows Web Services

For more info, see Win32 and COM (networking).

Here's some alternatives to networking APIs that cannot be used in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app.

Printing and documents

A subset of the printing and documents APIs is supported in a Windows Store app. For more info, see Win32 and COM (printing and documents).

When designing a Windows Store app, you'll want to provide the best printing experience:

• Printing (JavaScript)
• Printing (XAML)

Security

None of the existing security APIs are supported in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app. Here's some alternatives to the security APIs:

Windows.Security.Credentials

Windows.Security.Credentials.UI

Windows.Security.Cryptography

Windows.Security.Cryptography.Certificates

Windows.Security.Cryptography.Core

Windows.Security.Cryptography.DataProtection

Storage

Subsets of these storage APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app:

• Directory create, delete, and enumerate
• File mapping

For more info, see Win32 and COM (data).

Here's some alternatives to storage APIs that cannot be used in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app.

System

Subsets of these system APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app:

• Heap API, thread local storage (TLS)
• Last error
• Synchronization

For more info, see Win32 and COM (system).

Here's some alternatives to system APIs that cannot be used in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app.

User interface

Subsets of these user interface APIs are at least partially supported in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app:

• National Language Support (NLS)
• Strsafe functions
• Text Services Framework (TSF)
• UI automation
• Windows Animation Manager

For more info, see Win32 and COM (user interface).

Here's some alternatives to user interface APIs that cannot be used in a Windows Runtime app or UWP app.

Related topics

API reference for Windows Runtime apps