Compare Windows Vista editions.

Windows Photo Gallery gives you a whole new way to manage, find, and view your digital photos. View larger.

Manage your schedule, sync up with other calendars, and make sure you never miss another appointment using Windows Calendar. View larger.

Windows Mail includes features that help you minimize the annoyances and risks associated with using e-mail while enjoying the benefits of staying in touch with others. View larger.

Improved Reliability and Performance
Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 and improvements delivered by hardware and software partners increase the reliability, performance, and compatibility of Windows Vista-based PCs.

With Windows Vista with SP1, many of the most common causes of operating system crashes and hangs have been addressed. Windows Vista includes new, innovative technologies that help pinpoint and diagnose issues reported anonymously by Windows Vista-based PCs from millions of users who have elected to have their PC send us system information.

Windows Vista with SP1 supports a number of important new technology standards, so it will keep making your PC easier and more enjoyable to use for years to come.

Ideal for the basics of home computing
Windows Vista Home Basic with Service Pack 1 is the edition of Windows for basic home computing needs. If you only want to use your PC for tasks like browsing the Internet, using e-mail, or viewing photos, then Windows Vista Home Basic with Service Pack 1 may be the right edition for you. While it won't provide as many benefits as Windows Vista Home Premium, it will help you use your PC more easily and more safely than you could with Windows XP.

Windows Sidebar gives you quick access to gadgets like picture slide shows, Windows Media Player controls, or news headlines. You pick the gadgets you want to see in Windows Sidebar. View larger.

Use Instant Search to quickly find the information you need. View larger.

The first thing you'll notice about Windows Vista Home Basic with Service Pack 1 is how easy it is to find the programs and files you're looking for. The instant desktop search feature looks across all of your documents, e-mails, photos, and other files, organizing the results in the way that you want to view them. When coupled with the built-in web search of Windows Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista, you'll spend less time looking for the things that you need and more time on the activities that you care about.

Simply put, Windows Vista Home Basic with Service Pack 1 provides you with just the essentials you need for home computing.

Safety
Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 helps protect your family and your personal information from threats from malicious software and phishing scams and helps you keep your PC backed-up and running smoothly.

Parental Controls help parents keep children safer while using PCs through convenient tools to manage and monitor children's computer use, access to websites, and ability to play certain games and use certain applications.

PCs running Windows Vista are 60% less likely to be infected with viruses, worms and rootkits than PCs running Windows XP SP2.

Windows Internet Explorer 7 helps protect your PC and your personal information against malicious software, fraudulent websites, and online phishing scams. New phishing attacks are more than 25 times as common as new viruses, and over 20,000 fraudulent phishing websites are created every month. Internet Explorer 7 is now blocking nearly one million inadvertent attempts to access fake phishing sites per week.

Help defend your PC against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software with Windows Defender. Windows Defender in Windows Vista automatically scans Internet Explorer 7 downloads to help bring spyware to your attention before it can infect your computer.

More easily back-up the content on your PC--including digital photos, music, movies, and documents--with Scheduled and Network Backup.

Ease
It's easier and faster than ever to find, use, manage and share the information on your PC or on the Web with Windows Vista with SP1.

Most Windows Vista-based PCs boot in less than a minute, which can be an improvement over Windows XP boot times.

The Windows Vista sleep and resume features can bring your PC to life in a snap. The vast majority of Windows Vista-based PCs resume from sleep in less than six seconds.

Find it fast! Simply type something about a file, picture, or song, such as a word contained in a document or e-mail message, the artist of a song, or the date a picture was taken, and Instant Search will bring back any matches instantly.

Organize a lifetime of photos and movies with ease using Windows Photo Gallery. Tag your photos by date, keyword, star rating or any identifying label you choose--so you can find them anytime you want them.

Display live information, like weather, stocks, and news, directly on your desktop with easy-to-use Gadgets and Windows Sidebar.

View multiple web pages simultaneously with Quick Tabs in Windows Internet Explorer 7.

Get up and running faster than ever with Windows Easy Transfer that automatically copies your files and settings from your old PC.

Mobility
With special features to help you go mobile, Windows Vista with SP1 makes computing and connecting away from home or the office easier than ever.

Set up a wireless network at home with Network and Sharing Center--so you can experience the freedom of working virtually anywhere in your home. Then easily find and join a wireless network at your favorite hotspot--so you can stay productive wherever you go.

Optimize your power and mobile settings centrally with Windows Mobility Center.