Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Wizard 1

If you own a Surface but need to run older applications that weren’t designed for Windows 8.1 or (more recently, Windows 10), you may have run into problems with those apps on your Surface.

When you call the publisher of the software, the most common solution they offer is to get an updated version of the software that is compatible with newer versions of Windows. That’s a great solution if the update is free (or very low cost), but what about when they want you to fork out the money for a full-price upgrade of the application? Or how about apps that do not have upgrades? I often ran into that at the university with scientific apps, small software companies would go out of business and there were no more updates for their products.

Luckily, there’s a feature in Windows that you can use to “fool” an application into believing it’s running on an older version of Windows. It’s called Application Compatibility Mode and it can save you some money on software upgrades.

Windows Application Compatibility Mode

Commonly referred to as Compatibility mode, this feature has been around for a long time. It first appeared way back with Windows 2000 SP2 in 2004 (before that it was an add-on in the (rather expensive) Server Resource Kit package from Microsoft. Basically, it “lies” to an application and tells it that it’s running on an older version of Windows, as far back as Windows 95 (from 20 years ago).

Now that you know what compatibility mode is and what it does, let’s go over how to use it…

Windows 10 Compatibility Mode: Automatic Setup

The recommended way to use compatibility mode is to run the Troubleshoot Compatibility Wizard in desktop mode. In the example below, I’m using an old version of a program called ThumbsPlus as my example. To start the process, follow these steps:

  • Log in with an administrator account.
  • Make sure you have a desktop shortcut for the application (technically, you don’t need to do this but it’s easier if you do).
  • Tap and hold (right-click) the application shortcut and select Troubleshoot Compatibility.

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Start Wizard

  • Select Try Recommended Settings from the two options offered.

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Wizard 1

  • Tap or click the Test The Program button. The application will attempt to start. Be aware, you may get a UAC prompt.

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Wizard 2

  • Check to see if it works properly. If it does, close the app and tap or click the Next button in the Application Compatibility Troubleshooter window. Next, select Yes, Save These Settings for This Application. The compatibility settings will get saved. When it’s done, tap or click Close to exit the troubleshooter.

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Wizard 4

If the application worked after running the troubleshooter, you’re done and don’t need to try anything else. If it still doesn’t work, you should continue following the steps below:

  • If the application wouldn’t start or doesn’t work correctly, you should still select Next in he Application Compatibility Troubleshooter Window but select No, Try Again Using Different Settings.
  • Next, you’ll be presented with a list of possible problems, select the applicable choices. If none of the choices are applicable, select I Don’t See My Problem Listed.

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Wizard 5

It will try the test again after making adjustments to resolve the problem you checked. Depending on what box you checked, you may get additional screens with check boxes for you to select other symptoms you’re seeing.  Hopefully, after it makes some adjustments, the application will run on your Surface.

If you checked multiple problems or you selected the I Don’t See My Problem Listed option, you’ll get the following window and you’ll need to continue troubleshooting:

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Wizard 6

  • Select the version of Windows with which you know the application to be compatible and tap or click Next. You’ll get a window describing the compatibility settings to be tried. Tap or click the Test the Program button. Be aware, you may get a UAC prompt and/or an additional screen with more check boxes for you to review (depending on what you choose).

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Wizard 7

  • If the program works this time, close the app and tap or click the Next button in the Application Compatibility Troubleshooter window. Next, select Yes, Save These Settings for This Application or No, Try Again Using Different Settings as applicable.

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Wizard 4

If the application wouldn’t start or doesn’t work correctly at this point, you can try again and set a different version of Windows. If none of them work then you have a program that compatibility mode cannot fix and you may have to upgrade or find a new program for that task.

The screens/options described above should be what 95% of you will see. However, if a particular program you’re trying to troubleshoot results in different troubleshooting options, just follow the prompts as best you can.

Also, in case you’re wondering, the No, Report the Problem to Microsoft and Check Online For a Solution option is, IMHO, pretty much useless but you can give it a shot if you want.

Windows 10 Compatibility Mode: Manual

If you don’t like the Application Compatibility Troubleshooter or it didn’t work for you, you can also try changing the compatibility settings manually. To do that, follow these steps:

  • Log in with an administrator account
  • Make sure you have a desktop shortcut for the application (technically, you don’t need to do this but, it’s easier if you do).
  • Tap and hold (right-click) the application shortcut and select Properties.

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Properties

  • Select the Compatibility tab.

Windows Application Compatibility Mode On Surface - Manual

Once here, you can change several settings such as the version of Windows, color modes, and forced VGA resolution (640×480) to try and solve your compatibility issues. Just be sure to apply the settings as appropriate (either Change Settings For All Users or just the Apply button).

So there you go, you now have an extra tool in your arsenal of knowledge to help you get the most out of your Surface tablet. Use it well.

Tim

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