与任何其他软件一样，Windows 操作系统(Windows operating)会不断更新到新版本。虽然过渡在直接升级期间保持程序兼容性(program compatibility)，但跨多个版本的情况开始变得更加模糊。
尽管硬件实际上更强大，但在Windows XP PC上完美运行的程序和游戏甚至不再在Windows 11上运行。(Windows 11)某些应用程序可能会启动但存在视觉问题，显示奇怪的颜色或故障。
幸运的是，您不必为了玩旧游戏而将计算机降级到石器时代。(Stone Age)借助称为“兼容模式”的Windows 功能(Windows feature)，您可以使用旧设置运行该特定程序，从而与以前版本的Windows的性能相匹配。让我们看看如何。
什么是兼容模式？
旧程序不能在较新版本的 Windows 中运行的原因(t work)是底层(Windows)体系结构发生了变化。现代操作系统以不同方式管理内存，渲染更多颜色，甚至可能更改了I/O code。
为了使旧版软件(legacy software)能够在这些版本上运行，Microsoft引入了兼容模式(Compatibility Mode)。使用它，可以模仿旧版Windows提供的环境，让旧版程序正常运行。
但是请记住，此功能不是对旧版本的完美再现，而是非常近似。即使在兼容模式下(compatibility mode)，您也可能无法让某些程序正常工作，尽管这种情况很少见。
在Windows 11/10中以兼容模式(Compatibility Mode)运行程序(Program)
Windows 10和 11 中的兼容模式功能(compatibility mode feature)相同。Windows 11(Windows 11)中唯一不同的是右键菜单的新外观。除此之外，这些说明将允许您在两个版本的Windows中对您选择的程序应用(Windows)兼容模式(compatibility mode)。
- 要为程序启用兼容模式(compatibility mode)，请右键单击其可执行文件并选择Properties。
- 在Windows 11中，此下拉菜单会出现一些不同，但它仍然有一个可供选择的属性选项。(Properties )
- 属性窗口将打开，显示有关程序的信息，以及具有自己设置的各种其他选项卡。切换到兼容性(Compatibility )选项卡。
- 现在在此选项卡中，您有两个选项。您可以运行兼容性疑难解答(Run the compatibility troubleshooter)或手动设置模式。您可能不得不使用手动路线，但首先尝试故障排除程序并没有什么坏处。
使用程序兼容性疑难解答(Program Compatibility Troubleshooter)
- 一旦程序兼容性疑难解答(Program Compatibility Troubleshooter )打开，您将再次看到两个选项。您可以尝试推荐的设置(Try recommended settings)或疑难解答程序。(Troubleshoot program. )如果第一个选项没有(option doesn)为您正确运行程序，请选择第二个选项来实际诊断问题。
- 疑难解答现在将提示您选择在运行应用程序时遇到的问题。基于此信息，Windows将为您选择适当的兼容性设置。
- 在将新设置实际应用到程序之前，您可以使用测试程序...(Test the program… )按钮测试它们。退出应用程序后，选择下一步。(Next.)
- 如果程序正常运行，请选择是，此程序的这些设置。(Yes, these settings for this program. )否则，您可以选择否，使用其他设置(No, try again using different settings)重试以尝试使用其他设置运行程序。如果您想在不保存设置的情况下关闭疑难解答，只需(Just)点击取消即可。(Cancel)
手动设置
- 手动设置兼容模式(compatibility mode)实际上没有使用疑难解答那么繁琐。启用以兼容模式运行此程序(Run this program in compatibility mode for )复选框并从列表中选择正确的操作系统。如果您不知道哪个版本的Windows可以正确运行该程序，请从Windows 8一直回溯到Windows 95。
- 仅此而已。如果您遇到颜色或字体问题，您可以启用减少颜色模式(Reduced color mode)或更改高 DPI 设置等功能。(Change high DPI settings )在每次更改后应用(Apply )并测试程序以查看有效的方法。
通常，您将能够让任何旧程序以一种兼容模式运行。如果它仍然不起作用(t work)，问题可能在于缺少正确的DirectX版本或缺少 DLL。
您可以在Windows 11/10中以兼容模式运行(Compatibility Mode)旧程序(Old Programs)吗？
Windows 10和 11都为您提供了为每个单独的程序设置兼容模式的选项。(compatibility mode)这样，您只需从列表中选择正确的模式，即可运行适用于旧版本Windows的应用程序。(Windows)
兼容模式(Compatibility mode)也可用于使用旧版颜色(legacy color)选项或降低DPI设置，以防您可以运行程序但出现视觉伪影。这对于在现代系统上玩旧视频游戏特别有用。
很少，更改兼容模式(compatibility mode isn)不足以运行旧程序。这是因为该功能不是(feature isn)对旧操作系统的完美再现，并且驱动程序等某些内容仍然可能有所不同。发生这种情况时，请尝试查看相关软件的系统要求并安装任何缺少的组件，然后再重试。
Run Older Programs in Compatibility Mode in Windows 11/10
Like any other softwаre, the Windows operating system keeps getting updated to new versions. And while the transitіons maintain program compatibility during direct upgrades, things start gettіng murkier across multiрle versions.
Programs and games that worked perfectly on your Windows XP PC no longer even run on Windows 11, despite the hardware actually being more powerful. Some applications may launch but have visual issues, displaying weird colors or glitches.
Fortunately, you don’t have to downgrade your computer all the way back to the Stone Age just to play an old game on it. Thanks to a Windows feature called “compatibility mode”, you can run that particular program with older settings, matching the performance of a previous version of Windows. Let’s find out how.
What Is Compatibility Mode?
The reason old programs don’t work in newer versions of Windows is that the underlying architecture has changed. Modern operating systems manage the memory differently, render more colors, and might even have changed the I/O code.
To enable legacy software to run on these versions, Microsoft introduced Compatibility Mode. Using this, it is possible to mimic the environment provided by an older version of Windows, allowing older programs to function normally.
Keep in mind, however, that this feature is not a perfect recreation of legacy versions, but a close approximation. It is certainly possible that you may not get some programs not working correctly even in compatibility mode, although such instances are rare.
Running a Program in Compatibility Mode in Windows 11/10
The compatibility mode feature is identical in both Windows 10 and 11. The only thing that differs in Windows 11 is the new look of the right-click menu. Other than that, these instructions will allow you to apply compatibility mode on the program of your choice in both versions of Windows.
- To enable compatibility mode for a program, right-click on its executable and select Properties.
- In Windows 11, this drop-down menu will appear a bit different, but it still has a Properties option that you can select.
- The properties window will open up, displaying information about the program, along with various other tabs with their own settings. Switch to the Compatibility tab.
- Now in this tab, you get two options. You can either Run the compatibility troubleshooter or set the mode manually. You will probably have to go with the manual route, but no harm in trying the troubleshooter first.
With the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
- Once the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter opens up, you are again presented with two options. You can Try recommended settings or Troubleshoot program. If the first option doesn’t run the program correctly for you, select the second one to actually diagnose the issues.
- The troubleshooter will now prompt you to select the problems you are facing in running your application. Based on this information, Windows will select appropriate compatibility settings for you.
- You can test the new settings before actually applying them to the program with the Test the program… button. After exiting the application, select Next.
- If the program worked correctly, select Yes, these settings for this program. Otherwise, you can select No, try again using different settings to attempt running the program with other settings. Just hit Cancel if you want to close the troubleshooter without saving the settings.
Set Manually
- Setting the compatibility mode manually is actually less tedious than using the troubleshooter. Enable the Run this program in compatibility mode for checkbox and select the right operating system from the list. If you don’t know which version of Windows can run the program correctly, work your way backward from Windows 8 all the way down to Windows 95.
- That’s just about it. You can enable things like the Reduced color mode or Change high DPI settings if you are facing color or font issues. Apply after every change and test the program to see what works.
Usually, you will be able to get any old program running with one of the compatibility modes. In case it still doesn’t work, the issue might lie in the lack of the correct DirectX version or a missing DLL.
Can You Run Old Programs With Compatibility Mode in Windows 11/10?
Both Windows 10 and 11 provide you with the option to set a compatibility mode for each individual program. This way, you can run applications that were meant for older versions of Windows, simply by selecting the correct mode from a list.
Compatibility mode can also be used to use legacy color options or lower the DPI settings, in case you can run the program but are getting visual artifacts. This is especially useful for playing old video games on a modern system.
Very rarely, changing the compatibility mode isn’t enough to run an older program. This is because the feature isn’t a perfect recreation of older operating systems, and some things like the drivers can still be different. When this happens, try looking at the system requirements of the software in question and install any missing components before trying again.
