The rolling green hill under a blue sky is probably the most viewed photograph in history, by a considerable margin , it shipped as the default desktop on an operating system that ran on hundreds of millions of machines. This page recreates the desktop it sat behind.
What it simulates
A Windows XP desktop: the blue and green background, a taskbar along the bottom, a start button and desktop icons. It is drawn with HTML and CSS. Nothing on it opens, and no icon does anything.
Where it works
- Nostalgia, which is the honest main reason.
- A prop for film, photography or theatre set in the period, without needing an actual machine of that vintage.
- A background for a video or a stream about early 2000s software.
- A joke on a modern machine, where the contrast is the entire point.
How to run it
- Press Start fullscreen.
- Press Esc or tap Exit to return.
What it cannot do
- It is a picture. No icon opens, no menu expands and no program runs.
- It is not an emulator and it does not run any Windows software.
- It changes nothing on the machine it is displayed on.
- It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft, and every mark shown belongs to its owner.
Related screens
Windows 10 Desktop for the modern version, Microsoft boot screen for the startup sequence, Mac OS X Desktop for the other platform.
Windows XP screen questions
Can I use programs on this desktop?
No. It is a static drawing of a desktop, not an emulator. Nothing opens and nothing runs.
Is Windows XP still supported?
No. Microsoft ended support long ago, and machines still running it do not receive security updates. This page is a visual recreation for nostalgia and props, not a suggestion to use the operating system.
Is this affiliated with Microsoft?
No. It is an independent recreation, not endorsed by or connected to Microsoft in any way.