Microsoft is making strides to expand Windows on Arm by introducing advanced emulation capabilities that could soon bring a wider variety of x64 software and popular games to Arm-powered PCs. This enhancement, which comes with the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744, is now available for testers in the Canary Channel and specifically aims to boost software compatibility on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus processors.
The update focuses on Microsoft’s new “Prism” emulator, which aims to make it easier for more complex, high-performance applications to run smoothly on Arm-based systems, even if they don’t have native ARM64 versions. Prism expands support for processor extensions that many games and professional applications require, including AVX, AVX2, BMI, FMA, and F16C. These extensions power advanced calculations, enabling more intensive tasks like high-definition gaming and high-performance computing to run effectively. Microsoft hopes that with Prism, x64 games like Starfield and Helldivers 2—which use AVX2 for complex graphics and physics simulations—will work seamlessly on Arm-based devices.
This development is particularly promising for Qualcomm’s latest processors, as they are designed to maximize performance while minimizing power consumption. The new emulation could help bridge compatibility gaps that have held back Windows on Arm devices, enabling them to run more Windows applications and potentially becoming viable options for serious gamers and professionals.
The update brings another benefit: it allows more 64-bit x86 software to utilize these processor extensions, giving users better compatibility with software that requires advanced computing power. However, Microsoft notes that 32-bit applications will not yet detect the new emulator support, meaning some older or less-optimized programs might still encounter issues.
Microsoft has already shown progress with a range of applications thanks to Prism’s emulation. For example, Adobe Premiere Pro 25, initially blocked from running on Arm, now operates on Arm-powered PCs under limited-use testing while Adobe continues developing a native ARM64 version. Similarly, Adobe Photoshop and popular streaming and browsing apps like Hulu and Chrome are already fully compatible with Windows on Arm.
This update also highlights Microsoft’s broader commitment to improving Windows on Arm’s appeal as a versatile platform capable of handling both productivity tools and leisure applications. Microsoft’s move aligns with the increasing market demand for Arm-based devices, which offer efficient power usage without compromising processing strength. With Prism’s full release on the horizon, Windows on Arm users can look forward to potentially broader support and a more seamless experience with apps that were previously incompatible or had performance issues.
