The 32 bits are on their way to death. Virtually all installed versions of Windows 10 are 64-bit , and as of May 2020 Update there are no longer 32-bit builds available . However, many programs are still available only in 32-bit versions, and Microsoft just migrated one in the middle of 2021.
We are talking about the OneDrive client for Windows 10 , which until now was only available in its 32-bit version. This week, Microsoft has released the 64-bit version for users of the Insider program. If the tests go well, the client will reach all Windows 10 users in its stable version before the end of April.
The 64-bit client is identical to the 32-bit, but with the advantage that the new version will offer better performance when files are being synchronized in OneDrive that occupy several gigs, as well as if we are uploading a large number of files that in total they also add up to a large size.
The 64-bit OneDrive client can be downloaded from this link .
Two reasons we still use 32-bit versions
We see that little by little Microsoft is migrating applications and programs from 32 to 64 bits, which makes sense since everything new they are developing is for Windows 10 that is only available in its 64-bit version. This version is essential for any computer that has more than 4 GB of RAM, since, if not, the rest of the memory that is added cannot be used.
There are two explanations to justify the existence of 32-bit programs and apps today. The first is for compatibility issues, where if you develop a 32-bit program, you will be able to use it in both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems, since 64-bit ones are backward compatible. The second is that there is no incentive to develop a 64-bit version of a program if it consumes few resources.
A clear case is found with games, where, when they began to demand more than 4 GB of RAM , they had to necessarily switch to 64-bit instructions and executables. However, Steam is still 32-bit as it consumes only a few hundred MB of RAM, which also simplifies its development and the number of libraries required.
Microsoft, despite being close to a year without having to release 32-bit versions, continues to use many programs and apps that are exclusive to this architecture, so it will still take a while before we can get rid of them.
