This article was published on March 30, 2016

Microsoft announces a Desktop App Converter to help old devs learn new tricks


Microsoft announces a Desktop App Converter to help old devs learn new tricks

Microsoft today announced an important tool for old-school Windows developers: the Desktop App Converter. Basically, it automatically transforms old-school Win32 and .NET apps into modern Universal Windows Platform apps that can run across different device form factors.

While it won’t automatically make a legacy app built for Windows 98 suddenly look like a modern app with flat design, it does mean developers have to do a whole lot less to make their apps compatible with modern Universal Windows Platforms APIs – not to mention list it on the Windows Store.

Though the tool simplifies getting older Windows apps onto the Windows Store, but developers will still have to put in some work to maximize compatibility. Still, it’s a notable step forward towards making the Universal Windows Platform the main way to develop apps for PCs in the future.

Don’t miss: Everything Microsoft announced at Build 2016: Day 1

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