History of Microsoft Windows Logo

1985-1990

This is the first logo ever made for the first operating system of Windows. It has rounded corners on each side of the logo. This logo resembles the current Microsoft Windows logo.

1990-1992

This is another version of the Microsoft Windows logo. The logo depicts a regular image of a window in black gradient color. This logo was only used in Windows 3.0.

1992-1995

Microsoft revealed its third logo: a flag with 4 colored squares. This logo was used on startup screens of Windows 3.1 and Windows NT 3.1. On the startup screen of Windows NT 3.51, the logo became a 3D logo, which the tilted version looks different from the 1995 Microsoft Windows logo.

1995-1999

Microsoft tilted the 1992 Microsoft Windows logo and adjusted the saturation of the colors after the release of Windows 95. This is another modified version of the 1992 logo. The colored squares of this logo resemble the current Microsoft logo and the four animated squares seen on Windows 95 advertisements. Currently, the logo was tilted upright and became a retro version of the logo on the start button on the taskbar of Windows 9x operating systems.

1999

Microsoft used the previous logo on both logos of Windows 2000 and Windows ME. In addition, Microsoft adjusted the saturation of the green color on the 1995 logo. Currently, the 1995 logo was not changed on the Windows ME logo until 2001.

2000

The 1995 logo was not changed on this logo. But this logo depicts 4 squares with colored borders on the logo. This may resemble the colored invisible blocks shown in the advertisement of this operating system. Microsoft will abandon the 1995 logo in 2001.

2001-2007

Microsoft revealed another logo reminiscent of the 1995 logo: a logo that depicts 4 flagged squares. This logo resembles the current Microsoft logo as the flat version. This was used on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

2007

Microsoft revealed another logo using the 2001 Microsoft Windows logo: a blue gradient circle with a modified version of the 2001 logo. Microsoft added a glowing spot in the middle of the logo added the logo onto a blue gradient circle. This logo was only used in Windows Vista.

2008-2012

Microsoft removed the blue gradient circle from the modified 2001 Microsoft Windows logo. It was only used in Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7.

2012-2015

After the release of Windows 8, Microsoft used its current Microsoft logo and the logo was tilted horizontally and it became all blue. This is the first time that Microsoft abandoned its four colors of the Microsoft Windows logo. The four squares are still used on the current Microsoft logo.

2015-present

This logo was not modified except the color. Unlike Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, the color blue became darker. This was only used in Windows 10.

2020-present

During the introduction of the beta version of Windows 10X, Microsoft has added a gradient to the logo that matches the new Microsoft Fluent design. This logo was only used on Windows 10X