Mike Adams, Corporate Vice President, Customer Experience Engineering, Microsoft Security, Author at Windows Developer Blog

Empowering the future: The expanding Arm app ecosystem for Copilot+ PCs

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 16:02:53 +0000

The introduction of Copilot+ PCs is driving a transformative shift in the world of personal and enterprise computing. These devices combine all-day battery life, ultra-fast performance, enhanced security, portability and on-device AI capabilities exceeding 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Most importantly for our customers, an expanding ecosystem of Arm-compatible apps allows them to take advantage of the superior performance and capabilities of these machines for their daily productivity and personal tasks. Microsoft’s App Assure team stands behind our commitment to the Arm ecosystem, ensuring that the software our users need, across categories and across regions, is available on Copilot+ PCs. As adoption accelerates, ISVs are eager to join this computing revolution and make their products Arm-compatible. Microsoft’s Arm Advisory Service stands ready to make this transition seamless and easy. With device refresh cycles on the horizon, Windows 10 approaching end of support on Oct. 14, 2025, and AI-powered PCs becoming essential tools for enhancing productivity, consumers and developers alike are excited by the possibilities Copilot+ PCs offer. The Arm app ecosystem continues to expand, with native Arm versions available for apps representing 90% of total user minutes, thus providing efficient, high-performance experiences across the scenarios that matter most to our customers.

Endpoint protection apps now available on Arm for Copilot+ PCs

Safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining user privacy is essential in today’s hybrid work environments. Whether defending against malware, unauthorized access or other breaches, both enterprises and consumers rely on robust security and endpoint protection tools to safeguard their privacy as well as the integrity of their systems and devices.

1Password	Absolute Secure Endpoint	Avast Premium Security
Bitdefender Endpoint Security	Bitwarden	BlackBerry Cylance Endpoint
Cisco Secure Endpoint	Crowdstrike Falcon Sensor	CyRadar
ESET	F-Secure Total	Forcepoint DLP
Huorong Security	Lenovo Computer Manager	Lenovo Smart Connect
Malwarebytes Desktop Security	Malwarebytes Threatdown	McAfee Total Protection
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint	MyASUS	Netwitness XDR
Norton 360 Deluxe	Norton Antitrack	OpenText EnCase
Opentext Webroot	Oray Pgy Client	Panda Security
QiAnXin Terminal	Qualys Cloud Agent	ReasonLabs
Respondus Lockdown Browser	SentinelOne	Sophos Intercept X
Symantec Endpoint Security	Tanium Client	Trellix Endpoint Security
Trend Micro Apex Central	Trend Micro Apex One Endpoint Security	VMware Carbon Black
WithSecure	Zero Virus Security

A sample of the many endpoint security apps available for Copilot+ PCs.

VPN and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) apps now available on Arm for Copilot+ PCs

Protecting privacy and ensuring secure remote access have never been more important. VPN and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) play critical roles in safeguarding user data from threats across both public and private networks.

Avast SecureLine VPN	Check Point Remote Access VPN	Cisco Anyconnect
Express VPN	F5 Big-IP Edge Client	Forticlient
Hillstone Secure Connect	IPVanish	Ivanti Pulse Secure
LetsVPN	Microsoft Global Secure Access	NetMotion VPN
Netskope Private Access	NordVPN for Windows	OpenVPN
Palo Alto Global Protect	Private Internet Access	Proton VPN
Sonicwall NetExtender	Surfshark VPN	TianQingHanMa VPN
V2rayN	ZScaler Client Connector

A sample of the many VPN and ZTNA apps available for Copilot+ PCs.

Endpoint management tools now available on Arm for Copilot+ PCs

Endpoint management applications streamline the administration of devices and networks, enabling centralized control over software updates, security policies and device configurations. Endpoint management tools support Arm-based Windows 11 PCs, helping organizations enforce policies and manage devices.

Admin by Request EPM	Beyond Trust Endpoint Privilege Management	Beyond Trust Remote Access
Beyond Trust Remote Support	Carbonite Endpoint	Check Point Media Encryption & Port Protection
Cisco ThousandEyes	Citrix Endpoint Management	Citrix Workspace
Commvault	Connectwise RMM	Coodesker
DISM++	Forescout Secure Connector	Ivanti Application Control
Lakeside Systrack	Manage Engine Endpoint Central	Microsoft Intune
Netwrix PolicyPak	Rapid7 Insight Agent	Secret Double Octopus
Sunlogin Client	Team Viewer	Tendyron U-disk
VMware Horizon Client	VMware Tools	VMware Workspace ONE
Verint Desktop & Process Analytics

A sample of the many endpoint management apps available for Copilot+ PCs.

Productivity apps now available on Arm for Copilot+ PCs

Modern workflows require productivity apps that enable seamless communication and collaboration. These tools are vital for achieving both business and personal goals.

2345 Pinyin IME	7 Zip	Acrobat Reader
Antutu	Baidu Input Method	Dropbox
Foxit PDF Editor Personal	Foxit PDF Editor Professional	Foxit Reader
Google Drive	iFLY IME	Jianying Pro
Libre Office	Microsoft 365	Microsoft Excel
Microsoft OneDrive	Microsoft OneNote	Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft PowerPoint	Microsoft Teams	Microsoft Word
NetEase Youdao Translator	Rarlab WinRAR	Slack
Sogou Input Method	Todoist	Tong Hua Shun
Trello	Wechat IME	Wonderpen
XMind	Xundu PDF

A sample of the many productivity apps available for Copilot+ PCs.

Creative apps now available on Arm for Copilot+ PCs

Every day, creative professionals work to push the boundaries of our imagination. Creative applications are available on Arm, enabling workflows on Copilot+ PCs that deliver up to 47% faster AI performance than MacBook Air with M3, supporting demanding tasks like video editing and content production.

Adobe Express	Camtasia	GameMaker
Adobe Illustrator	CapCut	GIMP
Adobe Lightroom	Concepts	Luminar Neo
Adobe Photoshop	Corel DRAW	Paint.NET
Adobe Premiere	Davinci Resolve	Photo Director
Affinity Publisher	Djay Pro	Piscart
Blender	Figma	Power Director

A sample of the many creativity apps available for Copilot+ PCs.

Social, web and entertainment apps now available on Arm for Copilot+ PCs

Critical for enterprise branding, marketing and consumer engagement, while also enabling social connection and entertainment for the casual user, these apps are a must-have for any personal or business device. Copilot+ PCs deliver up to 15 hours of web browsing and up to 22 hours of local video playback.

2345 Browser	Amazon Prime Video	Apple Music
Apple TV	BiliBili	Disney Plus
Douyin	Facebook Messenger	Google Chrome
Hulu	Instagram	iQIYI
Kugou Music	Listen1	Mozilla Firefox
Netflix	Opera Browser	QQ Messenger
QQ Music	Reddit	Snapchat
Spotify	Telegram	Threads
TikTok	VLC Media	Viber
WhatsApp	Xbox

A sample of the many social media and entertainment apps available for Copilot+ PCs.

Copilot+ PCs usher in an AI-first era with Arm-native apps and breakthrough performance

The introduction of Copilot+ PCs marks a significant moment for the PC industry, with AI at the center of this transformation. By merging cutting-edge hardware with intelligent software, Microsoft is enabling users to unlock new experiences directly on their devices. These updates are designed to adapt to customers' needs and empower them to achieve more using the apps they love. We’re proud to support a growing community of customers who are achieving more with Copilot+ PCs, devices that deliver up to 85% faster performance than MacBook Air M2, up to 35% faster Microsoft Office productivity and breakthrough battery life for everyday tasks. We invite developers and ISVs to join this computing revolution: contact our Arm Advisory Service to learn how the App Assure team can help you become a part of this vibrant and expanding ecosystem. For an evolving list of applications and games that work with Arm, visit www.worksonwoa.com, a third-party, open-source site where Microsoft contributes compatibility data.

Microsoft App Assure helps Nord Security build for Windows on Arm

Wed, 14 May 2025 17:24:51 +0000

With the recent release of Copilot+ PCs, developers are increasingly focused on optimizing their apps for these devices. Copilot+ PCs are the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built. With powerful new system architecture designed to deliver best-in-class performance, all–day battery life and the ability to run the most advanced AI models on device, Copilot+ PCs help users to be more productive, creative and to communicate more effectively. The first wave of Copilot+ PCs was powered by Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus silicon. AMD and Intel soon released Copilot+ PCs powered by Ryzen AI 300 and Intel Core Ultra 200v processors, respectively, demonstrating that we are all-in on Copilot+ PCs. Users expect all their apps to run seamlessly on all Windows devices and we are excited to support developers in meeting these expectations through our App Assure Program. Developers can leverage Microsoft’s App Assure program for guidance and technical assistance to get the most out of Copilot+ PCs, especially optimizing apps to run on Arm-based Snapdragon X Series devices. Even the most technically adept companies can benefit from the expert advice offered by App Assure. Many developers have already taken advantage of the App Assure program to release Arm-native versions of their apps. Today, I’d like to talk about a successful engagement with a well-known application developer: NordVPN. App Assure delivers on Microsoft’s compatibility promise: your apps will run on Windows on Arm, and Microsoft will be here to help remediate any issues. This no-cost program has been successful in helping many market-leading developers build Arm-optimized apps for Windows. One great example of this is the acceleration of NordVPN's release of the Arm-optimized version of their well-known VPN solution.

Embracing Windows on Arm with Microsoft App Assure

Windows users expect their favorite apps to work great on Arm-based PCs. To meet this expectation, App Assure engages with the most popular apps, such as NordVPN and many others, helping them optimize the platform. NordVPN was enthusiastic and receptive when we reached out to them to provide technical support and advice. Adding an Arm-optimized version would extend their market presence and widen their audience. They planned to launch their product soon after Snapdragon X Series-based Copilot+ PCs became available. "Working with Microsoft's App Assure team was a game-changer for us. Their technical guidance made a significant difference in the project. As engineers, we value direct, effective information and support, and that's exactly what we got. Being able to work so closely with Microsoft almost made it feel like their engineers were part of our extended team. Their engagement sped up our development process and is helping us get to market faster,” said Gytis Murauskas, Head of Engineering, Windows, at Nord Security. Developers often face challenges when starting the effort of adding a new architecture to their application. Deciding the best approach among the many options can be the difference between an easy port and a difficult one. This is exactly why we provide the Arm Advisory Service for developers, giving them an opportunity to consult directly with Microsoft engineers, ensuring a smooth development process and informed decision-making. “The biggest decisions and scariest things were at the beginning of kicking off the project. On this whole path of migrating applications to Windows, there are quite a lot of possibilities. You can migrate to Native Farm. You can do some emulation, etcetera, etcetera. There were at least four possible ways to do that, and it was not an easy choice to decide which one made more sense for us,” said Murauskas. Microsoft App Assure engineers offer guidance, best practices and deep insights enabling effective decision making. Murauskas emphasized the value of collaborating with Microsoft, stating, "The input from the App Assure team was instrumental in making informed decisions. This collaboration enabled us to implement solutions with confidence, knowing we were on the right path." As the engagement continued, our App Assure engineers were available to consult directly whenever challenges arose, ensuring a smooth development process and informed decision-making. Ultimately, this ongoing support and expertise helped NordVPN establish a solid foundation and accelerated their time to market. We are excited that NordVPN continues to invest in the ARM ecosystem by bringing support for their Threat Protection feature. To try NordVPN along with Threat Protection today, download NordVPN for Windows PC or Laptop

App Assure helps developers unlock potential

With Copilot+ PCs, we have completely reimagined the entirety of the PC – from silicon to the operating system, from the application layer to the cloud – with AI at the center, marking the most significant change to the Windows platform in decades. The challenges, dependencies and development journey may look very different for every organization offering productivity tools, security, frameworks or gaming, and at Microsoft, we’re passionate to help you in your journey to enable support for our customers. We are excited to offer App Assure to developers building Arm-optimized applications for Windows, to help all organizations see just how easy it is to build for this platform. Read more about App Assure helping Opera build an Arm-optimized browser to see another example of this work. If you’d like to know more about how to add Arm support to your Windows app, check out our technical documentation at aka.ms/win/arm/howto. Once you’re ready to begin your porting journey, Microsoft’s Arm Advisory Service can provide detailed insights into platform features, best practices and code examples. For example, App Assure engineers can help you:

Understand the nuances of emulated code translation and how to seamlessly interoperate between native and x64 code.
Configure build systems most efficiently for multi-architecture delivery.
Obtain Arm-based hardware or get started with Azure Virtual Machines and then prepare those environments for development, continuous integration or test runners.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, let us know by completing this form.

ISV testimonials

We are proud to showcase a few Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) that have successfully leveraged our Arm Advisory Service to optimize their applications for the Windows on Arm platform. These organizations have harnessed the power of Arm technology to deliver outstanding software solutions, demonstrating the immense potential and ease of transition with the right support. “At Proton VPN, we prioritize delivering a seamless and secure experience for our users. Working with Microsoft’s App Assure team has been an outstanding experience—their expertise and proactive approach ensured that Proton VPN runs flawlessly on ARM PCs, helping us bring fast, private and reliable VPN access to more devices and people than ever before. Microsoft’s App Assure team made it effortless for us to optimize Proton VPN for PCs with ARM architecture. Their support ensured that users get the best performance and security, reinforcing our commitment to privacy and freedom online." - Antonio Cesarano, Lead Product Manager, Proton VPN. "The App Assure team played a crucial role in driving discussions with F-Secure's partners to accelerate ARM64 support, ensuring our product's compatibility with Copilot+ PCs—an effort that proved easier and faster than anyone expected." - Katja Bashlovka, Product Manager, Consumer Engagement. Of the many prominent ISVs that the App Assure team has helped to develop Arm-optimized apps, a few more recent successes are highlighted below:

Microsoft App Assure helps Opera build Arm-optimized browser

Thu, 16 May 2024 16:00:04 +0000

The Microsoft App Assure team helps app developers around the world to ensure their users have top-notch experience on all Microsoft platforms. Today, I want to highlight one of our many successful engagements: the new Opera Browser for Arm-based Windows devices. In May, an Arm-optimized version of Opera for Windows was made available on the developer stream of the browser. Engineering assistance from the Microsoft App Assure team played a key role in this effort. The App Assure program delivers on Microsoft’s application compatibility promise: your apps will run on Windows on Arm, and if you encounter any issues, Microsoft will help you remediate them. This no-cost program has a proven track record helping over 300 market-leading developers build Arm-optimized apps for Windows. With the recent worldwide release of our Arm Advisory Service, more developers than ever before have been turning to App Assure for guidance. We continue to see excitement in the market for the coming wave of Windows PCs based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite platform. These new devices feature powerful on-device AI capability, which will herald a new age of groundbreaking AI features. As with all Arm-based Windows devices, they offer fast connectivity, extended battery life, best-in-class performance, advanced camera capabilities, along with many other benefits.

Porting to Windows Arm is easy

Windows users expect their favorite apps to work great on Arm-based PCs. To meet this expectation, App Assure engages with the most popular apps, such as the Opera Browser, helping them optimize for the platform. App Assure engineers worked directly with Opera’s engineering team, offering technical assistance and guidance. It quickly became apparent that both teams had a similar take on strong signals reflecting growing industry awareness of the performance and efficiency benefits offered by Arm devices. “Windows is our biggest audience, so it is very important for us to deliver a seamless experience on all Windows devices,” said Bartosz Wiklak, head of QA and Automation at Opera. “We had been seeing increased market excitement about the future of Arm-based PCs for some time. When the App Assure team got in touch with us, we decided it was a great time to start focusing on it. We always aim to be at the forefront of the adoption curve and offer more options for our customers.” Through a series of technical workshops, App Assure engineers met with Opera engineers to discuss the nuts and bolts of optimizing for Arm. These in-depth sessions provided a deep dive into the intricacies of Arm's architecture, covering details that go beyond simple cross-platform build configuration or signing multi-architecture app bundles. App Assure engineers also provided technical documentation to further Opera’s understanding of Windows on Arm. This work helped lay the foundation for a version of Opera that is not only compatible with Arm devices, but also takes advantage of the best-in-class performance offered by these devices. “Our experience developing for other Arm platforms was that it took quite a bit of work, so we were initially concerned about the time commitment. But when we looked deeper into it, we found out that a lot of the porting work had already been done in the Chromium project for the Arm-native release of Microsoft Edge. So, it was a very smooth process. We produced a first build in just a few days.” said Wiklak. “Once the builds passed quality bar, we benchmarked optimized browser using Speedometer, a widely popular benchmark for web browsers. We were really pleased that the score was more than double when compared to emulated version.” The Arm-optimized version of Opera will be first available on the developer stream of the browser, allowing early adopters to try it out on Arm-based Windows devices.

App Assure helps developers unlock potential

We are confident that Windows on Arm is going to revolutionize personal computing, and we are excited to offer App Assure to Windows on Arm developers to help all organizations see just how easy it is to build for this platform. If you’d like to know more about how to add Arm support to your Windows app, check out the technical documentation. Once you’re ready to begin your porting journey, Microsoft’s Arm Advisory Service can provide detailed insights into platform features, best practices and code examples. For example, App Assure engineers can help you:

Understand the nuances of emulated code translation and how to seamlessly interoperate between native and x64 code.
Configure build systems most efficiently for multi-architecture delivery.
Obtain Arm-based hardware or get started with Azure Virtual Machines and then prepare those environments for development, continuous integration, or test runners.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, reach out to us by completing this form.

Announcing worldwide availability of Arm Advisory Service for developers

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:05:43 +0000

In October 2023, Microsoft introduced the Arm Advisory Service. Since then, interest has risen steeply. This is no surprise, as many across the industry consider Windows on Arm devices as the future of computing, with unparalleled speed, battery life, and connectivity. Our no-cost engineering advisory program has a proven track record helping developers build Arm-optimized apps for Windows. With all the momentum around the growing ecosystem, I’m very excited to announce that we are officially expanding the service to developers around the world. We now offer:

More languages: Support is now provided in English, Chinese (simplified, traditional), and Japanese.
More availability: We’re open during business hours in your local time zone, wherever you are.
More regions: Our expansion covers all regions worldwide.

To get started with the Arm Advisory Service, please fill out this form.

The Arm Advisory Service now helps developers around the world

With the coming release of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite platform, Microsoft’s hardware partners will release a broad spectrum of devices across many form factors and price points. These devices will showcase a new generation of AI capabilities, empowering the next wave of app innovation. Developers have an opportunity to participate in this growing ecosystem by ensuring their apps take advantage of the unique benefits of Arm-based devices. The Arm Advisory Service has been instrumental in helping developers get started. With our expanded services, it’s easier than ever to get helpful guidance from our App Assure team who are ready and available to assist you in creating, porting, debugging, or enhancing your apps. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to develop for Arm on Windows, with our expanded support, your time is now! Know that we are here to help you, with:

Best practices, guidance, and implementation support
Suggestions on platform features
Code samples and reviews
Break-fix assistance
An escalation path to Microsoft engineers

Featured ISV engagements

Curious what it’s like to work with us? Check out these examples and feedback from some of the developers we’ve helped. Lenovo China Since we are new to the Arm platform, we are deeply grateful for Microsoft Arm adaptation support. The service helped us quickly transition to the new technology, which effectively improved product scalability. In particular, we appreciate the excellent problem-solving support - whenever we have any difficulties or questions, we receive quick, effective help. Thank you for your assistance and we look forward to even greater success in our future cooperation. - PC Product Manager NordVPN We knew we wanted to develop a Windows on Arm solution but at first it looked daunting, with so many possible paths for migrating apps to Windows. But as it turns out, our biggest decision was choosing to go with native Arm and kicking off the project. Once we started working with the App Assure team, everything looked a lot simpler. Their advice was just what we needed to move ahead. - Head of Engineering, Windows platform The App Assure team has provided the Arm Advisory Service to help many ISVs, including: The DELL TECHNOLOGIES logo is a trademark of Dell Inc.

We’re in your corner

Working with developers focused on Windows apps on Arm is just one of the ways the App Assure Arm Advisory Service supports the Windows app community. We regularly collaborate with first- and third-party software vendors to help ensure smoother run time, greater stability, expanded app abilities, and greater protection from security threats. The goal: making sure your apps work on the latest software. It’s all about solving problems, removing hurdles, and ultimately, ensuring your end users have the experiences they’re counting on.

Windows on Arm just makes sense

Unprecedented battery life and energy efficiency. High performance. Light weight design that’s perfect for on-the-go. Arm devices offer compelling options for users, and 2024 promises to be a very exciting year for developers who want to take advantage of this market opportunity. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, I encourage you to reach out to explore how we can help. Complete this form and our App Assure team will reach out to you. We look forward to working together to help you deliver amazing solutions for your customers.

Windows launching Arm Advisory Service for developers

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:00:03 +0000

Many developers believe creating apps for Windows on Arm is difficult, but developing for Arm is easier than you think, and Microsoft is here to help! It is my pleasure to announce a new App Assure Arm Advisory Service to help developers build Arm-optimized apps. This service is in addition to our existing promise: your apps will run on Windows on Arm, and if you encounter any issues, Microsoft will help you remediate them. Most apps just work under emulation, and developers can port their apps to run natively with minimal effort. More device manufacturers are building Arm devices for a reason – devices are lightweight, have lightning-fast connectivity, offer extended battery life, and have advanced camera and audio capabilities in addition to many other benefits. These benefits can drive increased customer adoption of Arm devices which is driving more ISVs to develop Arm-optimized versions of their applications, as shown in the section below. In a nutshell, the Arm ecosystem is quickly expanding. According to Counterpoint, Arm market share will almost double from 14% to 25% by 2027. This means that app compatibility for Windows on Arm is essential to the continued viability of your apps! While we’re officially announcing the Arm Advisory Service today, we have been helping developers make Arm-optimized apps for over three years. We have partnered with developers to share tips and best practices and we are making substantial investments and growing our developer support. For example, our Arm Advisory Service has already helped ISVs in areas of Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and anti-malware product suites on Arm by providing code samples, code reviews, sharing development best practices and debugging help. This Arm development assistance is key to enabling ISVs to optimize their applications for Arm.

Advisory Services Program Features

Our Arm Advisory Service is a no-cost engineering advisory program designed to help developers build Arm-optimized apps. Key benefits of this program include:

Technical workshop for development best-practices, guidance and implementation questions
Suggestions regarding platform features to enhance the Arm application experience
Code samples and reviews to enable Arm development
Break-fix assistance with issues that arise when porting or building Arm apps
Escalation path to Microsoft engineers to assist with software development and provide product feedback

To get started with the Arm Advisory Service, please fill out this form and our App Assure team will reach out to you. If you encounter any issues, please reach out to us at ACHelp@Microsoft.com.

ISV Testimonials

The Arm Advisory Service has already helped ISVs develop Arm-native applications. Check out these recent testimonials describing how App Assure enabled the successful Arm development for Zscaler, a large cloud security company, and Absolute, a leading cybersecurity company. "Porting the Zscaler Client Connector to Arm was a great experience with the stellar support from the Microsoft App Assure team. The App Assure team engaged our common customers, drove periodic tracking meetings, helped with tough technical challenges, provided deep OS level solutions and so on. They also shared specialized ARM hardware which helped with development and testing. Finally, they made a special effort to help our third-party library vendors to port their software as well. We now have over 100 customers using our ARM client. Thank you App Assure team and Microsoft!" “Absolute’s patented persistence technology is embedded in over 600 million devices worldwide and provides self-healing, resilience capabilities to both Intel and Arm compute platforms. When a leading PC manufacturer wanted to learn more about how Absolute Secure Endpoint enables persistence on Arm-based devices in addition to Intel chips, the App Assure team facilitated a meaningful discussion with technical and marketing resources. It’s a testament to our partnership with Microsoft that the testing and certification moved incredibly fast – and we completed to project on time and under budget. We look forward to engaging with the App Assure team for future market opportunities.” In addition to Zscaler and Absolute, the App Assure team has helped these other ISVs enable development of Arm-optimized apps: