Windows 2.0

Windows 2.0
Developer	Microsoft
OS family	Microsoft Windows
Codename	Windows 1.5
Source model	Closed source
Announced	December 9, 1987
Final release	2.03 December 9, 1987
Licensing	Commercial software
Released to manufacturing	December 9, 1987
General availability	December 9, 1987
Preceded by	Windows 1.0 (1985)
Succeeded by	Windows 2.1 (1988)
Support status
Unsupported as of December 31, 2001

Windows 2.0 is a 16-bit operating environment from Microsoft released on December 9, 1987. Windows 2.0, 2.01, and 2.03 are shells for the MS-DOS system, providing a graphical user interface for improved interaction over the command-line interface of DOS.

Windows 2.0 was officially released on December 9, 1987, superseding Windows 1.0. It was succeeded by Windows 2.1 in 1988, then Windows 3.0 in 1990. Windows 2.0 was officially supported by Microsoft until December 31, 2001.

Release history

• Windows 2.01: September 7, 1987
• Windows 2.03: November 16, 1987

Succeeded by Windows 2.1 on May 27, 1988.

New features

• Overlapping windows (Windows 1.x could only tile windows)
• Minimization and maximization of windows.
• Better keyboard shortcuts
• Improved shell design
• VGA graphics support
• EMS memory support

Application support

The first Windows versions of Microsoft Word and Excel ran on Windows 2.0.

Applications that shipped with Windows 2.0:

• CALC.EXE
• CALENDAR.EXE
• CARDFILE.EXE
• CLIPBRD.EXE
• CLOCK.EXE
• CONTROL.EXE
• CVTPAINT.EXE
• MSDOS.EXE
• NOTEPAD.EXE
• PAINT.EXE
• PIFEDIT.EXE
• REVERSI.EXE
• SPOOLER.EXE
• TERMINAL.EXE
• WRITE.EXE

Screenshots of Windows 2.x

The Windows 2.03 logo screen

Windows 2.03 desktop.

Windows 2.03 dialog box.

Windows 2.03 MS-DOS Executive.

Miscellaneous open Windows 2.03 programs.

Windows 2.03 Notepad program.

Windows 2.03 dialog box.

External links

• Windows Version History (1.x-3.11) at Microsoft (archived 2005-05-25)
  • A history of Windows (1975-2015) (archived 2016-06-18)
  • Microsoft History: 1987 at Microsoft Library (archived 1996-10-17)
• Windows 2.0 at GUIdebook
• Microsoft Windows history at Computer Hope
• Microsoft Windows/386 2.01 at PCjs Machines