How to detect Windows 64-bit platform with .NET?

In a .NET 2.0 C# application I use the following code to detect the operating system platform:

string os_platform = System.Environment.OSVersion.Platform.ToString();

This returns "Win32NT". The problem is that it returns "Win32NT" even when running on Windows Vista 64-bit.

Is there any other method to know the correct platform (32 or 64 bit)?

Note that it should also detect 64 bit when run as a 32 bit application on Windows 64 bit.

.NET 4 has two new properties in the Environment class, Is64BitProcess and Is64BitOperatingSystem. Interestingly, if you use Reflector you can see they are implemented differently in the 32-bit & 64-bit versions of mscorlib. The 32-bit version returns false for Is64BitProcess and calls IsWow64Process via P/Invoke for Is64BitOperatingSystem. The 64-bit version just returns true for both.

UPDATE: As Joel Coehoorn and others suggest, starting at .NET Framework 4.0, you can just check Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem.

---

IntPtr.Size won't return the correct value if running in 32-bit .NET Framework 2.0 on 64-bit Windows (it would return 32-bit).

As Microsoft's Raymond Chen describes, you have to first check if running in a 64-bit process (I think in .NET you can do so by checking IntPtr.Size), and if you are running in a 32-bit process, you still have to call the Win API function IsWow64Process. If this returns true, you are running in a 32-bit process on 64-bit Windows.

Microsoft's Raymond Chen: How to detect programmatically whether you are running on 64-bit Windows

My solution:

static bool is64BitProcess = (IntPtr.Size == 8);
static bool is64BitOperatingSystem = is64BitProcess || InternalCheckIsWow64();

[DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Winapi)]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
private static extern bool IsWow64Process(
    [In] IntPtr hProcess,
    [Out] out bool wow64Process
);

public static bool InternalCheckIsWow64()
{
    if ((Environment.OSVersion.Version.Major == 5 && Environment.OSVersion.Version.Minor >= 1) ||
        Environment.OSVersion.Version.Major >= 6)
    {
        using (Process p = Process.GetCurrentProcess())
        {
            bool retVal;
            if (!IsWow64Process(p.Handle, out retVal))
            {
                return false;
            }
            return retVal;
        }
    }
    else
    {
        return false;
    }
}

If you're using .NET Framework 4.0, it's easy:

Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem

See Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem Property (MSDN).

This is just an implementation of what's suggested above by Bruno Lopez, but works on Win2k + all WinXP service packs. Just figured I'd post it so other people didn't have roll it by hand. (would have posted as a comment, but I'm a new user!)

[DllImport("kernel32", SetLastError = true, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Winapi)]
public extern static IntPtr LoadLibrary(string libraryName);

[DllImport("kernel32", SetLastError = true, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Winapi)]
public extern static IntPtr GetProcAddress(IntPtr hwnd, string procedureName);

private delegate bool IsWow64ProcessDelegate([In] IntPtr handle, [Out] out bool isWow64Process);

public static bool IsOS64Bit()
{
    if (IntPtr.Size == 8 || (IntPtr.Size == 4 && Is32BitProcessOn64BitProcessor()))
    {
        return true;
    }
    else
    {
        return false;
    }
}

private static IsWow64ProcessDelegate GetIsWow64ProcessDelegate()
{
  IntPtr handle = LoadLibrary("kernel32");

  if ( handle != IntPtr.Zero)
  {
    IntPtr fnPtr = GetProcAddress(handle, "IsWow64Process");

    if (fnPtr != IntPtr.Zero)
    {
      return (IsWow64ProcessDelegate)Marshal.GetDelegateForFunctionPointer((IntPtr)fnPtr, typeof(IsWow64ProcessDelegate));
    }
  }

  return null;
}

private static bool Is32BitProcessOn64BitProcessor()
{
  IsWow64ProcessDelegate fnDelegate = GetIsWow64ProcessDelegate();

  if (fnDelegate == null)
  {
    return false;
  }

  bool isWow64;
  bool retVal = fnDelegate.Invoke(Process.GetCurrentProcess().Handle, out isWow64);

  if (retVal == false)
  {
    return false;
  }

  return isWow64;
}

The full answer is this (taken from both stefan-mg, ripper234 and BobbyShaftoe's answer):

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Winapi)]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    public static extern bool IsWow64Process([In] IntPtr hProcess, [Out] out bool lpSystemInfo);

    private bool Is64Bit()
    {
        if (IntPtr.Size == 8 || (IntPtr.Size == 4 && Is32BitProcessOn64BitProcessor()))
        {
            return true;
        }
        else
        {
            return false;
        }
    }

    private bool Is32BitProcessOn64BitProcessor()
    {
        bool retVal;

        IsWow64Process(Process.GetCurrentProcess().Handle, out retVal);

        return retVal;
    } 

    

First check if you're in a 64 bit process. If you're not, check if the 32 bit process is a Wow64Process.

Microsoft has put a code sample for this:

http://1code.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/39074#842775

It looks like this:

    /// <summary>
    /// The function determines whether the current operating system is a 
    /// 64-bit operating system.
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns>
    /// The function returns true if the operating system is 64-bit; 
    /// otherwise, it returns false.
    /// </returns>
    public static bool Is64BitOperatingSystem()
    {
        if (IntPtr.Size == 8)  // 64-bit programs run only on Win64
        {
            return true;
        }
        else  // 32-bit programs run on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows
        {
            // Detect whether the current process is a 32-bit process 
            // running on a 64-bit system.
            bool flag;
            return ((DoesWin32MethodExist("kernel32.dll", "IsWow64Process") &&
                IsWow64Process(GetCurrentProcess(), out flag)) && flag);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The function determins whether a method exists in the export 
    /// table of a certain module.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="moduleName">The name of the module</param>
    /// <param name="methodName">The name of the method</param>
    /// <returns>
    /// The function returns true if the method specified by methodName 
    /// exists in the export table of the module specified by moduleName.
    /// </returns>
    static bool DoesWin32MethodExist(string moduleName, string methodName)
    {
        IntPtr moduleHandle = GetModuleHandle(moduleName);
        if (moduleHandle == IntPtr.Zero)
        {
            return false;
        }
        return (GetProcAddress(moduleHandle, methodName) != IntPtr.Zero);
    }

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    static extern IntPtr GetCurrentProcess();

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
    static extern IntPtr GetModuleHandle(string moduleName);

    [DllImport("kernel32", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
    static extern IntPtr GetProcAddress(IntPtr hModule,
        [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPStr)]string procName);

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    static extern bool IsWow64Process(IntPtr hProcess, out bool wow64Process);

There is a WMI version available as well (for testing remote machines).

You can also check for the PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE environment variable.

It either doesn't exist or is set to "x86" on 32-bit Windows.

private int GetOSArchitecture()
{
    string pa = 
        Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE");
    return ((String.IsNullOrEmpty(pa) || 
             String.Compare(pa, 0, "x86", 0, 3, true) == 0) ? 32 : 64);
}

From Chriz Yuen blog

C# .Net 4.0 Introduced two new environment property Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem; Environment.Is64BitProcess;

Please be careful when you use these both property. Test on Windows 7 64bits Machine

//Workspace: Target Platform x86
Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem True
Environment.Is64BitProcess False

//Workspace: Target Platform x64
Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem True
Environment.Is64BitProcess True

//Workspace: Target Platform Any
Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem True
Environment.Is64BitProcess True

Quickest way:

if(IntPtr.Size == 8) {
    // 64 bit machine
} else if(IntPtr.Size == 4)  {
    // 32 bit machine
} 

Note: this is very direct and works correctly on 64-bit only if the program does not force execution as a 32-bit process (e.g. through <Prefer32Bit>true</Prefer32Bit> in the project settings).

Try this:

Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem

Environment.Is64BitProcess

@foobar: You are right, it is too easy ;)

In 99% of the cases, developers with weak system administrator backgrounds ultimately fail to realize the power Microsoft has always provided for anyone to enumerate Windows.

System administrators will always write better and simpler code when it comes to such a point.

Nevertheless, one thing to note, build configuration must be AnyCPU for this environment variable to return the correct values on the correct systems:

System.Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE")

This will return "X86" on 32-bit Windows, and "AMD64" on 64-bit Windows.

Using dotPeek helps to see how the framework actually does it. With that in mind, here's what I've come up with:

public static class EnvironmentHelper
{
    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    static extern IntPtr GetCurrentProcess();

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    static extern IntPtr GetModuleHandle(string moduleName);

    [DllImport("kernel32")]
    static extern IntPtr GetProcAddress(IntPtr hModule, string procName);

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    static extern bool IsWow64Process(IntPtr hProcess, out bool wow64Process);

    public static bool Is64BitOperatingSystem()
    {
        // Check if this process is natively an x64 process. If it is, it will only run on x64 environments, thus, the environment must be x64.
        if (IntPtr.Size == 8)
            return true;
        // Check if this process is an x86 process running on an x64 environment.
        IntPtr moduleHandle = GetModuleHandle("kernel32");
        if (moduleHandle != IntPtr.Zero)
        {
            IntPtr processAddress = GetProcAddress(moduleHandle, "IsWow64Process");
            if (processAddress != IntPtr.Zero)
            {
                bool result;
                if (IsWow64Process(GetCurrentProcess(), out result) && result)
                    return true;
            }
        }
        // The environment must be an x86 environment.
        return false;
    }
}

Example usage:

EnvironmentHelper.Is64BitOperatingSystem();

Use these two environment variables (pseudo code):

if (PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE = x86 &&
    isDefined(PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432) &&
    PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432 = AMD64) {

    //64 bit OS
}
else
    if (PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE = AMD64) {
        //64 bit OS
    }
    else
        if (PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE = x86) {
            //32 bit OS
        }

Refer to the blog post HOWTO: Detect Process Bitness.

I used this check with success on many operating systems:

private bool Is64BitSystem
{
   get
   {
      return Directory.Exists(Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables(@"%windir%\SysWOW64"));
   }
}

This folder is always named "SysWOW64", no matter of the language of the operating system. This works for .NET Framework 1.1 or above.

This is a solution based on Microsoft's code at http://1code.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/39074#842775. It uses extension methods for easy code reuse.

Some possible usage is shown below:

bool bIs64BitOS = System.Environment.OSVersion.IsWin64BitOS();

bool bIs64BitProc = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetCurrentProcess().Is64BitProc();

//Hosts the extension methods  
public static class OSHelperTools  
{  
    /// <summary>     
    /// The function determines whether the current operating system is a      
    /// 64-bit operating system.     
    /// </summary>     
    /// <returns>     
    /// The function returns true if the operating system is 64-bit;      
    /// otherwise, it returns false.     
    /// </returns>    
    public static bool IsWin64BitOS(this OperatingSystem os)  
    {  
        if (IntPtr.Size == 8)  
        // 64-bit programs run only on Win64           
            return true;   
        else// 32-bit programs run on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows     
        {   // Detect whether the current process is a 32-bit process                
            // running on a 64-bit system.               
            return Process.GetCurrentProcess().Is64BitProc();  
        }  
    }  

    /// <summary>  
    /// Checks if the process is 64 bit  
    /// </summary>  
    /// <param name="os"></param>  
    /// <returns>  
    /// The function returns true if the process is 64-bit;        
    /// otherwise, it returns false.  
    /// </returns>    
    public static bool Is64BitProc(this System.Diagnostics.Process p)  
    {  
        // 32-bit programs run on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows           
        // Detect whether the current process is a 32-bit process                
        // running on a 64-bit system.               
        bool result;  
        return ((DoesWin32MethodExist("kernel32.dll", "IsWow64Process") && IsWow64Process(p.Handle, out result)) && result);  
    }  

    /// <summary>     
    /// The function determins whether a method exists in the export      
    /// table of a certain module.     
    /// </summary>     
    /// <param name="moduleName">The name of the module</param>     
    /// <param name="methodName">The name of the method</param>     
    /// <returns>     
    /// The function returns true if the method specified by methodName      
    /// exists in the export table of the module specified by moduleName.     
    /// </returns>       
    static bool DoesWin32MethodExist(string moduleName, string methodName)  
    {  
        IntPtr moduleHandle = GetModuleHandle(moduleName);  
        if (moduleHandle == IntPtr.Zero)  
            return false;    
        return (GetProcAddress(moduleHandle, methodName) != IntPtr.Zero);   
    }  
    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]  
    static extern IntPtr GetCurrentProcess();  

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]  
    static extern IntPtr GetModuleHandle(string moduleName);  

    [DllImport("kernel32", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]  
    static extern IntPtr GetProcAddress(IntPtr hModule, [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPStr)]string procName);  

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]  
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]  
    static extern bool IsWow64Process(IntPtr hProcess, out bool wow64Process);  
}

I need to do this, but I also need to be able as an admin do it remotely, either case this seems to work quite nicely for me:

    public static bool is64bit(String host)
    {
        using (var reg = RegistryKey.OpenRemoteBaseKey(RegistryHive.LocalMachine, host))
        using (var key = reg.OpenSubKey(@"Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\"))
        {
            return key.GetValue("ProgramFilesDir (x86)") !=null;
        }
    }

Here is the direct approach in C# using DllImport from this page.

[DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Winapi)] 
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)] 
public static extern bool IsWow64Process([In] IntPtr hProcess, [Out] out bool lpSystemInfo); 
 
public static bool Is64Bit() 
{ 
    bool retVal; 
	 
    IsWow64Process(Process.GetCurrentProcess().Handle, out retVal); 
 
    return retVal; 
} 

I'm using the followin code. Note: It's made for an AnyCPU project.

    public static bool Is32bitProcess(Process proc) {
        if (!IsThis64bitProcess()) return true; // We're in 32-bit mode, so all are 32-bit.

        foreach (ProcessModule module in proc.Modules) {
            try {
                string fname = Path.GetFileName(module.FileName).ToLowerInvariant();
                if (fname.Contains("wow64")) {
                    return true;
                }
            } catch {
                // What on earth is going on here?
            }
        }
        return false;
    }

    public static bool Is64bitProcess(Process proc) {
        return !Is32bitProcess(proc);
    }

    public static bool IsThis64bitProcess() {
        return (IntPtr.Size == 8);
    }

All fine, but this should also work from env:

PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86

..

PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=AMD64

Too easy, maybe ;-)

Here's a Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) approach:

string _osVersion = "";
string _osServicePack = "";
string _osArchitecture = "";

ManagementObjectSearcher searcher = new ManagementObjectSearcher("select * from Win32_OperatingSystem");
ManagementObjectCollection collection = searcher.Get();

foreach (ManagementObject mbo in collection)
{
    _osVersion = mbo.GetPropertyValue("Caption").ToString();
    _osServicePack = string.Format("{0}.{1}", mbo.GetPropertyValue("ServicePackMajorVersion").ToString(), mbo.GetPropertyValue("ServicePackMinorVersion").ToString());

    try
    {
        _osArchitecture = mbo.GetPropertyValue("OSArchitecture").ToString();
    }
    catch
    {
        // OSArchitecture only supported on Windows 7/Windows Server 2008
    }
}

Console.WriteLine("osVersion     : " + _osVersion);
Console.WriteLine("osServicePack : " + _osServicePack);
Console.WriteLine("osArchitecture: " + _osArchitecture);

/////////////////////////////////////////
// Test on Windows 7 64-bit
//
// osVersion     : Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
// osservicePack : 1.0
// osArchitecture: 64-bit

/////////////////////////////////////////
// Test on Windows Server 2008 64-bit
//    --The extra r's come from the registered trademark
//
// osVersion     : Microsoftr Windows Serverr 2008 Standard
// osServicePack : 1.0
// osArchitecture: 64-bit

/////////////////////////////////////////
// Test on Windows Server 2003 32-bit
//    --OSArchitecture property not supported on W2K3
//
// osVersion     : Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Server 2003, Standard Edition
// osServicePack : 2.0
// osArchitecture:

I found this to be the best way to check for the platform of the system and the process:

bool 64BitSystem = Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem;
bool 64BitProcess = Environment.Is64BitProcess;

The first property returns true for 64-bit system, and false for 32-bit. The second property returns true for 64-bit process, and false for 32-bit.

The need for these two properties is because you can run 32-bit processes on 64-bit system, so you will need to check for both the system and the process.

OSInfo.Bits

using System;
namespace CSharp411
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main( string[] args )
        {
           Console.WriteLine( "Operation System Information" );
           Console.WriteLine( "----------------------------" );
           Console.WriteLine( "Name = {0}", OSInfo.Name );
           Console.WriteLine( "Edition = {0}", OSInfo.Edition );
           Console.WriteLine( "Service Pack = {0}", OSInfo.ServicePack );
           Console.WriteLine( "Version = {0}", OSInfo.VersionString );
           Console.WriteLine( "Bits = {0}", OSInfo.Bits );
           Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
}

Include the following code into a class in your project:

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Winapi)]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    private static extern bool IsWow64Process([In] IntPtr hProcess, [Out] out bool wow64Process);

    public static int GetBit()
    {
        int MethodResult = "";
        try
        {
            int Architecture = 32;

            if ((Environment.OSVersion.Version.Major == 5 && Environment.OSVersion.Version.Minor >= 1) || Environment.OSVersion.Version.Major >= 6)
            {
                using (Process p = Process.GetCurrentProcess())
                {
                    bool Is64Bit;

                    if (IsWow64Process(p.Handle, out Is64Bit))
                    {
                        if (Is64Bit)
                        {
                            Architecture = 64;

                        }

                    }

                }

            }

            MethodResult = Architecture;

        }
        catch //(Exception ex)
        {
            //ex.HandleException();
        }
        return MethodResult;
    }

Use it like so:

string Architecture = "This is a " + GetBit() + "bit machine";

Use this to get the installed Windows architecture:

string getOSArchitecture()
{
	string architectureStr;
    if (Directory.Exists(Environment.GetFolderPath(
                           Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86))) {
        architectureStr ="64-bit";
    }
    else {
        architectureStr = "32-bit";
    }
    return architectureStr;
}

Given that the accepted answer is very complex. There are simpler ways. Mine is a variation of alexandrudicu's anaswer. Given that 64-bit windows install 32-bit applications in Program Files (x86) you can check if that folder exists, using environment variables (to make up for different localizations)

e.g.

private bool Is64BitSystem
{
   get
   {
      return Directory.Exists(Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables(@"%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%"));
   }
}

This for me is faster and simpler. Given that I also wish to access a specific path under that folder based on OS version.

This question is for .NET 2.0 but still comes up in a google search, and nobody here mentionned that since .NET standard 1.1 / .NET core 1.0, there is now a better way to know the CPU architecture:

System.Runtime.InteropServices.RuntimeInformation.ProcessArchitecture

This should theoretically be able to differenciate between x64 and Arm64, though I didn't test it myself.

See the documentation.

Enjoy ;-)

Function Is64Bit() As Boolean

    Return My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.ProgramFiles.Contains("Program Files (x86)")

End Function

Just see if the "C:\Program Files (x86)" exists. If not, then you are on a 32 bit OS. If it does, then the OS is 64 bit (Windows Vista or Windows 7). It seems simple enough...

I use:

Dim drivelet As String = Application.StartupPath.ToString
If Directory.Exists(drivelet(0) & ":\Program Files (x86)") Then
    MsgBox("64bit")
Else
    MsgBox("32bit")
End if

This gets the path where your application is launched in case you have it installed in various places on the computer. Also, you could just do the general C:\ path since 99.9% of computers out there have Windows installed in C:\.

I use a version of the following:

    public static bool Is64BitSystem()
    {
        if (Directory.Exists(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("Program Files (x86)"))) return true;
        else return false;
    }