What Is a Version Number and Why Is It Used? GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Windows 63 63 people found this article helpful

What Is a Version Number and Why Is It Used?

Learn how developers keep track of releases

By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 14, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide A version number is a unique number or set of numbers assigned to a specific release of a software program, file, firmware, device driver, or even hardware. Typically, as updates and entirely new editions of a program or driver are released, the version number will increase. Compare the version number of the software installed on your computer with the version number being released to see if you already have the latest version installed.

Structure of Version Numbers

Version numbers are usually divided into sets of numbers, separated by decimal points. Typically, a change in the leftmost number indicates a major change in the software or driver. Changes in the rightmost number often indicate a minor change. Changes in other numbers represent varying degrees of changes. Google Chrome version number. For example, you may have a program installed that reports itself as version 3.2.34. The next release of the program may be version 3.2.87 which would suggest that several iterations were tested internally and now a slightly improved version of the program is available. A future release of 3.4.2 would designate that more substantial updates are included. Version 4.0.2 might be a major new release. There is no official way of versioning software, but most developers follow these general rules.

Version Numbers vs Version Names

Sometimes the word version is used generally to refer to either a version name or a version number, depending on the context. One example of version a name is "11" as in Windows 11. The version number of the initial release of Windows 7 was 6.1 and for Windows 10 it was 6.4. The Windows Version Numbers list has more on the real version numbers behind Microsoft Windows releases.

Importance of Version Numbers

Version numbers offer indications of what level a particular "thing" is at—most commonly, software and other important areas of the operating system. They help prevent confusion about software being updated or not, a very valuable thing in a world of continuous security threats followed quickly by patches to fix those vulnerabilities.

How to Get the Latest Software Versions

The typical way you update software to the latest version number is to visit the developer's website and download a fresh copy to install over your existing one. Some programs provide an update function within their software so that updates are delivered to you automatically. Another way to make sure your third-party software is up-to-date is with a software updater tool. This is also a simple method for checking the current version number of your installed programs. Other updater utilities exist as well, such as driver updaters to update device drivers, and Windows Update to keep Windows current. FAQ What is a DRN on FAFSA? A DRN is the Data Release Number. This four-digit number is assigned to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by the U.S. Department of Education. You can use it to contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center for corrections or to release your FAFSA information to schools. What is my DRN code? You can find your DRN upper right corner of the paper Student Aid Report (SAR), the upper right corner on the electronic SAR, and your confirmation page. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix D3drm.dll Missing or Not Found Errors How to Fix D3dx9_24.dll is Missing or Not Found Errors How to Fix Dx8vb.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors How to Fix Microsoft.directx.directinput.dll Errors How to Fix D3dx9_41.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors 10 Best Free Driver Updater Tools (October 2022) List of Windows Version Numbers How to Fix D3dcompiler_42.dll Missing or Not Found Errors Fix D3dx11_43.dll Missing or Not Found Errors Driver Talent v8.1.0.2 Review (Free Driver Updater) How to Fix D3dx9_34.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors How to Fix D3d11.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors Fixing Xapofx1_5.dll Missing or Not Found Errors NVIDIA GeForce Video Card Drivers v517.48 (2022-09-27) How to Fix D3d9.dll Is Missing or Not Found Errors Driver Booster v10 Review (A Free Driver Updater) Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies