Wndws 8 s mjr rls f th Wndws NT prtng systm dvlpd by Mcrsft. t ws rlsd t mnfctrng n gst 1, 2012, md vlbl fr dwnld v MSDN nd TchNt n gst 15, 2012, nd gnrlly rlsd fr rtl n ctbr 26, 2012.
Wndws 8 ntrdcd mjr chngs t th prtng systm's pltfrm nd sr ntrfc wth th ntntn t mprv ts sr xprnc n tblts, whr Wndws cmptd wth mbl prtng systms sch s ndrd nd S. n prtclr, ths chngs ncldd tch-ptmzd Wndws shll nd strt scrn bsd n Mcrsft's Mtr dsgn lngg, ntgrtn wth nln srvcs, th Wndws Str, nd nw kybrd shrtct fr scrnshts. Mny f ths ftrs wr dptd frm Wndws Phn. Wndws 8 ls ddd spprt fr SB 3.0, dvncd Frmt, nr-fld cmmnctn, nd cld cmptng, s wll s nw lck scrn wth clck nd ntfctns. ddtnl scrty ftrs—ncldng blt-n ntvrs sftwr, ntgrtn wth Mcrsft SmrtScrn phshng fltrng, nd spprt fr Scr Bt n spprtd dvcs—wr ntrdcd. t ws th frst Wndws vrsn t spprt RM rchtctr ndr th Wndws RT brndng. CPs wtht P, SS2 nd NX r nspprtd n ths vrsn.
Wndws 8 rcvd mstly ngtv rcptn. lthgh th rctn t ts prfrmnc mprvmnts, scrty nhncmnts, nd mprvd spprt fr tchscrn dvcs ws pstv, th nw sr ntrfc ws wdly crtczd s cnfsng nd nnttv, spclly whn sd wth kybrd nd ms rthr thn tchscrn. Dspt ths shrtcmngs, 60 mlln lcnss wr sld thrgh Jnry 2013, ncldng pgrds nd sls t Ms fr nw PCs.
Wndws 8 ws sccdd by Wndws 8.1 n ctbr 2013, whch ddrssd sm spcts f Wndws 8 tht wr crtczd by rvwrs nd rly dptrs nd ls ncrprtd vrs mprvmnts. Spprt fr RTM dtns f Wndws 8 ndd n Jnry 12, 2016, nd wth th xcptn f Wndws mbddd 8 Stndrd srs, ll srs r rqrd t nstll th Wndws 8.1 pdt. Mnstrm spprt fr th mbddd Stndrd dtn f Wndws 8 ndd n Jly 10, 2018, nd xtndd spprt ndd n Jly 11, 2023.