Arm AppReady for Windows gives developers a faster path to native Windows on Arm applications 

The Windows on Arm ecosystem continues to expand, driven by growing OEM adoption and rising user demand for lightweight, power efficient, responsive, and AI-enabled PCs and laptops, as well as increasing investment from software vendors in building native Arm versions of their applications. NVIDIA’s announcement of its new Arm-based RTX Spark™ for the PC market marks another significant step, as the ecosystem expands across new silicon and devices.  

Applications need to launch quickly, run smoothly, preserve battery life, and take advantage of the performance, efficiency and on-device AI capabilities of Arm-based hardware. For developers, native Windows on Arm applications can help deliver the best end-user experiences and make fuller use of the Arm platform, especially as AI tools change how teams build, port, and optimize software for Arm-based Windows devices. 

This is what Arm is addressing with Arm AppReady for Windows, a new program to guide developers to relevant learning resources and assist with building native Windows on Arm applications. The program is led by Arm, developed with feedback from Microsoft.  

How developers can use Arm AppReady for Windows 

AppReady for Windows brings AI-enabled tooling, guidance and access to Arm application experts into a single program, helping developers reduce migration complexity and deliver native applications that launch faster and run better on Arm-based Windows devices.  

AppReady for Windows helps developers:  

• Check whether key dependencies have Windows on Arm-native versions;  

• Review build systems, compiler settings, installers, and plug-ins;  

• Identify architecture-specific code and performance-critical paths; 

• Find Arm and Microsoft guidance for native Windows on Arm development;  

• Explore AI-enabled tools and practices that can help scan code, identify portability issues, and speed up porting tasks. 

Arm application experts can be contacted for support on any blocking issues including native code, app migration planning, on-Arm performance evaluation, and post-migration optimization. 

Connecting developers to the wider Windows on Arm ecosystem

AppReady for Windows makes it easier for developers to connect with the broader Windows on Arm ecosystem by linking to a growing list of learning resources and guidance currently available to Windows developers.   

Application porting can vary in effort, from simply recompiling to more involved code changes. Challenges can extend into third-party libraries, platform behavior, security components, drivers, or performance optimizations that require specialized effort. By connecting developers to Arm expertise and trusted ecosystem resources, AppReady for Windows helps teams move confidently from investigation to native Windows on Arm deployment. 

This ecosystem support is already helping developers bring real-world applications to Arm-based Windows devices.

“Music creation has never been more accessible, spanning professional studios, home setups and mobile platforms, and Arm-based Windows devices offer an exciting combination of performance, efficiency, and AI capabilities for those workflows. Porting Fender Studio’s application ecosystem to Windows on Arm was more straightforward than expected thanks to the maturity of the available tools, compatibility resources, and engineering guidance that helped our developers accelerate validation and optimization.”

— Matthias Juwan, VP, Software Engineering, Fender Musical Instruments Corp (FMIC)

How AI tools help port applications to Windows on Arm

Used with the right checks, automation and AI tools are becoming increasingly relevant in reducing early manual work, helping developers scan code, identify portability considerations, review architecture-specific patterns, and generate Windows on Arm-specific suggestions during development. For example, GitHub Copilot can help developers with Windows on Arm-specific code suggestions, intrinsic translations, and porting guidance as they work through migration and optimization tasks.  

AppReady for Windows puts that tooling guidance directly into developers’ hands, helping teams use AI as part of a structured, disciplined approach to building Windows on Arm applications. 

The next wave of applications will define the Windows on Arm experience

As Arm-powered Windows devices reach more users, the value of the experience will show up in the software – how quickly a creative app makes content available, how smoothly a security product operates in the background, how efficiently a development environment handles local workloads, or how responsive and reliably an AI-enabled application runs without excessive power consumption. 

AppReady for Windows helps developers turn Windows on Arm opportunity into optimized native application experiences. Visit the Arm AppReady for Windows website to access practical resources, AI-enabled tooling guidance, ecosystem links, and Arm technical expertise to help your team get started.