What's New in the Windows SDK
Explore the latest features, updates, and improvements in the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK).
Windows SDK for Windows 11, version 23H2
Released: October 2023
Key Highlights:
- Modernized UI Controls: New WinUI 3 controls and enhancements for creating beautiful, adaptive UIs.
- DirectML Improvements: Expanded support for machine learning inference directly on Windows devices.
- Graphics API Updates: Latest features for DirectX 12 Ultimate, including Ray Tracing enhancements and Variable Rate Shading tiers.
- System Performance Tuning: Tools and APIs for optimizing application performance on the latest Windows hardware.
- New APIs for System Features: Access to the newest Windows features for seamless integration.
Notable Changes:
- Introduced: Windows App SDK 1.3 features.
- Enhanced: DirectStorage APIs for faster game asset loading.
- Updated: .NET support for the latest .NET framework versions.
For a detailed breakdown, see the full release notes.
Windows SDK for Windows 11, version 22H2
Released: September 2022
Key Highlights:
- WinUI 3 Integration: Full support for the latest WinUI 3, enabling modern UWP-like development for desktop applications.
- DirectStorage for Gaming: High-performance I/O API to accelerate game loading times.
- Windows Hello Enhancements: Improved APIs for biometric authentication.
- Runtime Information APIs: Get detailed information about the runtime environment.
Notable Changes:
- Added: APIs for managing Windows Subsystem for Android™ (WSA).
- Improved: APIs for app lifecycle management.
- Updated: Samples and documentation for clarity and ease of use.
Learn more about this version in the detailed documentation.
Earlier Versions
For information on previous Windows SDK versions and their features, please refer to the SDK Archive.
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