How to run older applications in Windows Vista

Windows Vista can be notorious when it comes to running older applications. Although Microsoft does take great efforts to ensure backward compatibility of hardware but that isn’t exactly with software. But it does provide you with an option that allows you to run older software on Vista.

Step 1: Open software properties

Installed the software on Vista, but it isn’t working? Just right click the software icon or even its shortcut would do. Go to the properties.

Step 2 : Change compatibility settings

The Properties tab, you will find there is a Compatibility tab. Click on it to bring up the compatibility settings. You have various options to set. The first and foremost is operating system compatibility under which you can select the operating system on which the software ran pretty well. If that does not help, there are following options :

Other options that can help you run an older application are:

• Run in 256 colors - helps you run very old programs that were designed to use 256 colors.
• Run in 640 × 480 screen resolution - this runs the program in this resolution ignoring the resolution set on the display. Use this if you software has resolution is not being rendered properly
• Disable visual themes - can be very handy for some software as the visual theme of the software might not be rendered properly in Windows Vista. This option runs the software without the visual theme.
• Disable desktop composition - It reduces visual effects if that are hindering in the functioning of the software.
• Disable display scaling on high DPI settings - this option turns off automatic resizing of programs if large-scale font size is currently in use. Try this setting if large-scale fonts are interfering with the appearance of the application having incompatibility with Windows Vista.

Step 3 : Apply the settings

After you have made the changes, apply the settings and try running the software again. You might need to try a few combinations to get the combination right.

If you are still unable to run the software, then the software is completely incompatible with Windows Vista.