Windows Vista aimed to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network, using peer-to-peer technology to simplify sharing files and media between computers and devices. Windows Vista introduced an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed ' Aero,' a new search component called ' Windows Search,' redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems, and new multimedia tools such as Windows DVD Maker among other changes. On January 30, 2007, it was released globally and made available for purchase and download from the Windows Marketplace, the first release of Windows to be made available through a digital distribution platform. Development was finished on November 8, 2006, and over the following three months, it was released in stages to computer hardware and software manufacturers, business customers, and retail channels.

At the time, this 5-year gap was the longest time span between successive releases of Microsoft's Windows desktop operating systems.

Windows Vista is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft as the direct successor to Windows XP, which was released in 2001.