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I have a Dell Inspiron 3521 laptop, it's 1 year old. How can I tell if it's 32-bit or 64-bit? On Dell's website, it is listed as 64-bit, but in the System Information dialog box it displays the system type as x86 which indicates that it's 32-bit.

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  • Windows Logo Key + R > "winver". This used to show the type of OS on older versions of Windows; it no longer does this in 8.1, but it should work in Windows 7 if I remember correctly.
    – user2428118
    Oct 2, 2015 at 15:35
  • @user2428118, I have Windows 7 Pro x64, and 'winver' doesn't show 32-bit or 64-bit. It does give the long version number, but that's it.
    – JPhi1618
    Oct 2, 2015 at 15:41
  • @JPhi1618 I'm probably confusing it with something else, then.
    – user2428118
    Oct 2, 2015 at 19:39

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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I would go with what the System page on the control panel shows

This is an example of what you should see:

enter image description here

You can find this by going to the file explorer and right clicking on This PC

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or on the control panel enter this

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\System

There is the possibility that you are using 32 Bit OS when your system is capable of using 64bit

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  • 1
    Also, WinKey+Pause will open the System window if you have a keyboard with a Pause key (not the media play/pause button - the one that says "Pause"...)
    – JPhi1618
    Oct 2, 2015 at 15:39
  • it's the one labeled "pause/break"
    – phuclv
    Oct 2, 2015 at 16:16
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Another way to checking whether you are running a 32- or 64-bit Windows OS is to look for the folders C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86). If you have both, you are running on a 64-bit OS. If you only have the former, then you are running on a 32-bit OS.

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  • This answers "How can I tell if Windows is 32 or 64 bit", but doesn't show if his "system" is 64 bit. The OP is running 32-bit windows on a 64-bit processor.
    – JPhi1618
    Oct 2, 2015 at 19:50
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You have a 32bit version of windows installed on 64bit hardware.

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  • Source? Can you edit to expand a bit? This is a very low quality answer that would fail to help future visitors as well.
    – Canadian Luke
    Oct 2, 2015 at 15:48
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Use win + pause it will bring you to
Control Panel>All Control Panel Items>System.

Here under System Type you will find either 32 or 64-bit.

As backup of course you can select Control Panel from Start menu and Select System from there.

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