Why Get the "Designed for Windows" Logo?
Updated: July 12, 2004
Each hardware device and its driver form part of the ecosystem for a server, desktop, or mobile computer that runs the Microsoft® Windows® operating system. Each component must be designed and tested in common configurations, and with consideration for issues such as installation and startup behavior, Plug and Play, power management, and so on.
If you manufacture Windows-based computers or components, the "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logo is the most effective way for your customers to identify hardware products that work well with Microsoft Windows operating systems.
• The product will be stable when running Windows.
• Related software or driver components can be easily installed or removed.
• Basic experiences with the product and the operating system will be the same or better after upgrading to future versions of Windows.
As a vendor, you can gain these benefits by earning the "Designed for Windows" logo:
• License to use of the "Designed for Windows" logo on product packaging
The logo associates your product with Windows, one of the world's most recognized brands.
• Identification with the high quality of Windows
Products with the "Designed for Windows" logo meet the high level of quality Microsoft defines for products that work well with Windows. Because customers associate the "Designed for Windows" logo with products that are easy to install and that do not cause problems in the Windows environment, they will also associate these qualities with your products.
• Lower support costs and reduced product returns
Because you will have engineered Windows compatibility into your products, customers will have fewer reasons to ask for product support or to return a working product.
• Windows Marketplace listing
The Windows Marketplace will be a comprehensive, easy-to-use shopping and download portal that helps customers discover and purchase third-party products that work with Windows. Products licensed for the "Designed for Windows" logo will receive additional exposure through a specific search filter.
• Product listing in the Windows Catalog
The Windows Catalog provides a comprehensive list of products for many versions of the Windows family of operating systems. This directory of Windows-compatible products is made available to users from the Windows Start menu, Windows Help and Support, and Microsoft.com.
• Drivers published on Windows Update
Windows Update is the online extension of Windows that helps keep computers up-to-date with the latest software updates and device drivers. All drivers that pass "Designed for Windows" logo program testing are candidates for distribution on Windows Update.
• Retail channel buying criteria
Major retail outlets have committed to using the "Designed for Windows" logo as buying criteria to stock their shelves. Companies whose products do not carry the logo may miss out on sales through these channels.
• Enterprise and corporate purchasing criteria
Many corporations and government bodies use listing on the Windows Catalog as purchasing criteria. To be listed in the catalog, your product must have earned the "Designed for Windows" Logo.
Note: Listings of products with the "Designed for Windows" logo formerly published on the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) are now published in the Windows Catalog. The Windows Catalog is more popular, easier to find, and easier to use than the HCL, so products listed there will be seen more often.
If your product is required to be listed in the HCL, a listing in a Windows Catalog meets that requirement
