WINDOWS 8.1 64 BIT REQUIREMENTS UPDATE
WINDOWS 8.1 64 BIT REQUIREMENTS 32 BIT

Windows 8.1 Update 1 is an excellent update which makes it easier for mouse and keyboard users to work with the Start Screen and Windows 8 apps. Please note, you should be able to access Windows 8 Update 1 via Windows Update (just click 'Check for updates') but the Download link here will alternatively take you to the official page at Microsoft's Download Center. The previous Windows 8 mouse actions still work - dragging an app down to close it, for example - but the new options provide a more discoverable alternative. This has the usual minimise and maximise buttons to the right, while the button to the left also provides 'Split Left' and 'Split Right' options. Switch to an app, move your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, and a title bar appears. Windows 8 apps have similarly gained a little extra mouse-friendliness.

WINDOWS 8.1 64 BIT REQUIREMENTS 32 BIT

That said, you can run 32 bit applications on such versions of Windows as there is a sub-system which supports this. Unfortunately this didn't always work for us, and we don't know why, but if you're luckier then it'll make it much easier to switch between applications or access pinned shortcuts. The 64 bit versions of Windows (8.1 or otherwise) will only run on systems with 64 bit processors. Just move your mouse cursor to the bottom of the screen and it should pop up. The Taskbar includes both Windows 8 apps and desktop programs, and it's even accessible from the Start Screen, at least in theory.

Along with the various items which used to appear on the App Bar ('Unpin from Start', 'Uninstall', 'Resize' and 'Turn live tile off'), you can now also pin any app to the taskbar for easier access (the Store comes pinned by default). Right-click a Start Screen tile and a context menu appears. Launch the Start Screen and you'll find new 'Power' and 'Search' buttons, top-right: you can now sleep, shut down or restart your PC in a couple of clicks. You can also toggle this setting manually, as before (right-click the taskbar, select Properties > Navigation, select 'When I sign in. This starts at boot time, with desktops and laptops now booting to the desktop by default. There are security updates, performance enhancements and other low-level tweaks, but the most obvious changes are to the Windows 8.1 interface. Windows 8.1 Update 1 is a set of updates and improvements for Windows 8.1.

Windows 8.1 64 bit requirements