New features of Windows Vista include an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Aero, a new search component called Windows Search, redesigned networking, audio, print and display sub-systems, and new multimedia tools such as Windows DVD Maker. On January 30, 2007, it was released internationally and was made available for purchase and download from the Windows Marketplace it is the first release of Windows to be made available through a digital distribution platform. Development was completed on November 8, 2006, and over the following three months, it was released in stages to computer hardware and software manufacturers, business customers and retail channels.

It was the direct successor to Windows XP, which was released five years prior, at the time being the longest time span between successive releases of Microsoft Windows desktop operating systems.

Windows Vista is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft.