Feeling Nostalgic? How to Run Older Games on Windows 11

Windows 11 should be able to run games that were compatible with everything designed for Windows Vista and later. However, if you want to use some of the really niche titles, here’s how to run older games on Windows 11.

How to Run Older Games on Windows 11 with Compatibility Mode

If the game was designed for Windows (or has a Windows port) for Windows Vista or later, the most recent version of Windows 11 should be able to run it with no issues. However, if you can’t run the applications, you may need to use the compatibility mode.

Step 1. Find the installation files for the game and install the game on your PC.

Step 2. Go to the .exe file for the game and right-click on it.

Step 3. Find the “Compatibility” tab on the top and go to it.

Step 4. Check the “Run this program in compatibility mode for” box, then select the version of Windows the game was designed by.

In here, most Windows XP games should run in compatibility mode for Windows Vista or 7. If the game doesn’t start, check some of the other boxes below in the tab and retry. In some cases, you may need to use “Disable fullscreen optimizations” and run the game in windowed mode.

If the game is installed through a game library, such as Steam, the shortcut you see on the Desktop won’t have the option. You’ll need to go to the installation folder and find the actual .exe file to change the settings on.

If the game doesn’t work in compatibility mode (but should still be available for an older version of Windows), you might need to enable legacy components.

Step 5. Go to Settings.

Step 6. In the “System” tab, scroll down and select “Optional features.”

Step 7. Click on “More Windows features.”

Step 8. Expand the option “Legacy components” and check both it and “DirectPlay.”

Step 9. Click on “OK.”

How to Play Older Games on Windows 11 Using an Emulator

An emulator provides a virtual version of a system that should be able to run games that were natively designed for it.

Unfortunately, most console emulators for the PC end up with one issue or another. Depending on which game you want to play, you may need to search for a specific emulator that has been shown to have minimal or no problems running it.

For Windows XP games, you can use VMWare to run a virtual version of Windows XP on your system. VMWare comes with the benefit of not needing specialized software and being free to use for Windows versions. DOS games can use DOSBox.

In order to use a virtual system, you’ll need:

• A downloaded ISO file for the system you want to install.
• BIOS enabled for virtualization (this setting will depend on the motherboard model, including “Intel VT-x”, “AMD-V” or “SVM.”)

You can check virtualization in the Task Manager.

Step 1. Open Task Manager and go to the Performance tab.

Step 2. Click on “CPU” and check if the “Virtualization” option is set to “Enabled.” If not, you’ll need to enter BIOS and turn it on.