UWP apps developed to work on [[smartphone]]s, [[personal computer]]s, [[video game console]]s and [[HoloLens]]. They were areinitially called '''universal apps'''.Thisbecause isthey accomplishedderived bytheir usingplatform flexibility from the universal appapps API, first introduced in Windows 8.1 and [[Windows Phone 8.1]]. [[Visual Studio 2013]] with Update 2 could be used to develop these apps.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gallo|first1=Kevin|title=A first look at the Windows 10 universal app platform|url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2015/03/02/a-first-look-at-the-windows-10-universal-app-platform/|website=Windows Developer Blog|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|date=2 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Appel|first1=Rachel|title=Modern Apps : Build Universal Apps for the Windows Platform|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/msdn-magazine/2014/september/modern-apps-build-universal-apps-for-the-windows-platform|website=[[MSDN Magazine]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|date=September 2014|volume=29|number=9|via=[[Microsoft Learn]]}}</ref> Windows 10 introduced the [[Universal Windows Platform]] (UWP) 10 API for developing universal apps. Apps that take advantage of this platform are developed with [[Visual Studio 2015]] or later. Older Metro-style apps for Windows 8.1, Windows Phone 8.1 or for both (universal 8.1) need modifications to migrate to this platform.<ref>{{cite web|title=Migrate apps to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP)|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/visualstudio/visual-studio-2015/misc/migrate-apps-to-the-universal-windows-platform-uwp|website=Archived Visual Studio Documentations|via=[[Microsoft Learn]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=31 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Move from Windows Runtime 8.x to UWP|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/porting/w8x-to-uwp-root|work=UWP documentation|via=[[Microsoft Learn]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=31 July 2015}}</ref>
UWP is not separate from Windows Runtime; rather, it is an extension of it. Universal apps no longer indicate having been written for a specific OS in their manifest; instead, they target one or more device families, e.g. desktop, mobile, console or [[Internet of Things]] (IoT). They react to the capabilities that become available to the device. A universal app may run on both a mobile phone and a tablet and provide a suitable experience. The universal app running on the mobile phone may start behaving the way it would on a tablet when the phone is connected to a monitor or a suitable [[docking station]].<ref>{{cite web|title=GuideWhat's toa Universal Windows Platform (UWP) appsapp? |at=Adaptive controls and input |url=https://msdnlearn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/appsuwp/xamlget-started/dn894631.aspxuniversal-application-platform-guide#adaptive-controls-and-input |websitework=UWP documentation |via=[[MSDN|Windows DevMicrosoft CenterLearn]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=3120 JulyApril 20152022}}</ref>
UWP is an extension of [[Windows Runtime]] and has access to WinRT APIs, although weather UWP apps can take advantage of WinRT APIs depends on their programming language and its tooling.<ref>{{cite web|title=What's a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app? |at=How the Universal Windows Platform relates to Windows Runtime APIs |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/get-started/universal-application-platform-guide#how-the-universal-windows-platform-relates-to-windows-runtime-apis |work=UWP documentation |via=[[Microsoft Learn]] |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=20 April 2022}}</ref>
