Win7 Simu

Win7 Simu is a recreation of the Windows 7 operating system on the Web/Android platform. It is built out of pure joy and nostalgia for the sake of reliving the good old time with the elegant Aero and Glassy interface.

A bit of the history

Windows 7 was first released by Microsoft (opens new window) on October 22, 2009, succeeding Windows Vista, which was criticized for its long development time, performance and compatibility issues at launch, and many other critiques. Windows 7 was well-received and praised, stating it to be a "big improvement" over Windows Vista and a "worthy successor" of Windows XP at the time.

After more than a decade, on January 14, 2020, support for Windows 7 ended. Security updates and fixes were no longer provided by Microsoft. However, even on the day of its death, Windows 7 was still the second-most popular operating system with a 32.75% market share, behind Windows 10 with 47.65%, showing how much love it still had.

Why Win7 Simu?

I actually started this app under the name "Windows 7 Simulator" without any prior knowledge of legal issues. As a consequence, the early versions of the app were suspended and removed from Google Play Store on February 4, 2020, due to a report of the illegal use of the copyrighted trademark "Windows". It is to be emphasized again that the intention of making this app is purely for fun, it is more or less an app made by fans for fans, not an actual product or operating system. Therefore, I took the guts to republish it under a new name "Win7 Simu". And luckily, it has been staying there on the Google Play Store since and is still gaining popularity.

Features

As a simulator of Windows 7, it attempts to simulate every aspect of Windows 7, from the most familiar programs of Windows 7 such as Calculator, Command Prompt, the striking glass effect of the Aero themes, to the exclusive Desktop Gadgets only available in Windows Vista and 7. The simulator also comes with some other cool and nostalgic Windows themes designed on the core of Windows 7 such as Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 8...

The simulator is still in active development and more features will be added eventually. If you have suggestions or feedback, please be welcome to write to me at [email protected]. I may not be able to respond to all requests but rest assured that I take all of them and prioritize accordingly for the development.

Tip

Refer to Changelog for a complete list of available features through versions.

Web version

On August 28, 2021, I released a web version of the app which is accessible for those who do not own an Android device. The graphics, interface, and most of the features are identical to the Android app, except for some, which are exclusive to Android and cannot be replicated for the web due to technical constraints. A comparison of some key features is listed as below:

Feature	Android	Web
Cross-platform support*	❌	✅
Work offline	✅	❌
Can access local files via Computer	✅	❌
Can access local/native apps	✅	❌
Sync settings with online accounts	✅	✅
Multi-theming support	✅	✅
Multi-language support	✅	✅
System notifications	✅	❌

* It doesn't matter if the device is Android, iOS, Windows, or Mac, as long as it has a web browser and connects to the internet.

Translations (opens new window)

Win7 Simu supports several languages. However, most of the translations are done via machine, therefore, the accuracy may be off or not correct whatsoever. I created a translation project (opens new window) on Crowdin and would welcome any contributions to correct and improve the translations, or even add new languages.

Where to get it?