Windows Operating System Interview Questions and Answers for
Freshers
1. Q: What is the Windows operating system?
A: Windows is a graphical operating system developed by Microsoft that provides a user-friendly interface and
supports multitasking.
2. Q: What is the difference between Windows and DOS?
A: Windows has a graphical user interface (GUI), while DOS is command-line based.
3. Q: What is the purpose of the Windows task manager?
A: It allows users to view and manage running applications, processes, and system performance.
4. Q: What is Windows Explorer (File Explorer)?
A: A file management tool that allows users to browse, open, and manage files and folders.
5. Q: What is the Control Panel in Windows?
A: It provides options to configure system settings such as network, hardware, and user accounts.
6. Q: What are system restore points in Windows?
A: They are saved states of system files that can be restored in case of problems or crashes.
7. Q: What is the Windows Registry?
A: A database that stores low-level settings for the OS and installed applications.
8. Q: What is the purpose of Safe Mode?
A: It starts Windows with minimal drivers and is used for troubleshooting problems.
9. Q: What is a shortcut in Windows?
A: A link that points to a program, file, or folder, allowing quick access.
10. Q: What is Windows Update?
A: A Microsoft service that provides updates, patches, and security fixes for Windows OS and software.
11. Q: What is the Start menu?
A: A central access point for installed programs, settings, and system power options.
12. Q: What is the Recycle Bin?
A: A temporary storage location for deleted files and folders until they are permanently removed.
13. Q: What is a user account in Windows?
A: A profile that controls permissions, settings, and access for each user on the system.
14. Q: What is the difference between Administrator and Standard user accounts?
A: Administrator accounts have full access and control, while Standard accounts have limited permissions.
15. Q: What is Windows Defender?
A: It is a built-in antivirus and anti-malware protection tool in Windows.
16. Q: What is a file extension in Windows?
A: The suffix at the end of a filename that indicates the file type, e.g., .docx, .exe, .jpg.
17. Q: What is BitLocker?
A: A Windows feature that encrypts data on the drive to protect it from unauthorized access.
18. Q: What is Device Manager used for?
A: It allows users to view and control hardware devices installed on the system.
19. Q: What are environment variables in Windows?
A: Variables that store system-wide values used by applications and the operating system.
20. Q: What is Windows Firewall?
A: A security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic.
21. Q: What is the difference between sleep, hibernate, and shutdown?
A: Sleep saves data in RAM, Hibernate saves it to disk, and Shutdown closes all programs and powers off the
system.
22. Q: What is the Event Viewer?
A: A tool used to view detailed logs of system, application, and security events.
23. Q: How do you check system information in Windows?
A: Use System Information, dxdiag, or Settings > System > About.
24. Q: What is a service in Windows?
A: A background process that performs specific functions like printing, networking, etc.
25. Q: What is UAC (User Account Control)?
A: A security feature that prevents unauthorized changes by prompting for permission or admin credentials.
26. Q: What is Windows PowerShell?
A: A command-line shell and scripting language for task automation and configuration management.
27. Q: What is a .bat file?
A: A batch file that contains a series of commands to be executed in sequence by the command-line interpreter.
28. Q: What is the difference between Windows 10 and Windows 11?
A: Windows 11 has a modern UI, enhanced multitasking, widgets, and better support for newer hardware.
29. Q: What is Task Scheduler?
A: A tool to schedule scripts or programs to run at specific times or events.
30. Q: What is Remote Desktop?
A: A Windows feature that allows users to access another computer over a network connection.