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Finding Compatibility With Windows 10

Although Windows 10 can automatically check compatibility, you can also adjust the settings manually.Credit...The New York Times

Q. If Windows 10 doesn’t have XP Mode, does it at least still have the “compatibility” mode for running older programs?

A. Windows 10 does indeed have the Program Compatibility mode used to run programs designed for previous versions of Windows on a newer system. By applying the same settings used by those older versions of Windows, the compatibility mode can often make outdated programs run more reliably on newer generations of the operating system.

Windows 10 includes compatibility settings for Windows Vista and later, so programs or device drivers written specifically to run on Windows XP still may not work. You should also not try to run security software — firewalls, antivirus software and the like — under system compatibility settings that are not as safe as those used by Windows 10.

To have the computer automatically run a compatibility check on your applications, open the Windows 10 Start menu and type “run programs” in the search box. In the results list under Settings, select “Run programs made for previous versions of Windows.” When the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter box appears, click Next, and then select a program from the list. Click the Next button again and then either try the settings Windows recommends, or follow along on the troubleshooting screens to see if you can get the program working.

To change the compatibility settings for a program icon or shortcut on your desktop, right-click the icon (or press and hold it on a touch-screen PC) and choose “Troubleshoot Compatibility” from the contextual menu. You can also change the settings manually by locating the application’s icon on your hard drive, right-clicking it to open the contextual menu and selecting Properties. In the program’s Properties box, click the Compatibility tab and make your adjustments.

Personal Tech invites questions about computer-based technology to techtip@nytimes.com. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually.

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