SocketTools uses the Microsoft CryptoAPI and Schannel security package to implement support for secure connections using TLS. Which versions of TLS are available will depend on the version of the operating system you are using.
SocketTools automatically handles the differences between the operating systems in terms of functionality and which security APIs are available. However, the highest version of TLS your application can negotiate is constrained by the operating system. The following table lists the supported versions of TLS for each version of Windows.
| Windows Desktop | Minimum Build | TLS 1.0 | TLS 1.2* | TLS 1.3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows XP | 2600 (SP3) | ✔ | 🞬 | 🞬 |
| Windows Vista | 6002 (SP2) | ✔ | 🞬 | 🞬 |
| Windows 7 | 7601 (SP1) | ✔ | ✔ | 🞬 |
| Windows 8 | 9200 | ✔ | ✔ | 🞬 |
| Windows 8.1 | 9600 | ✔ | ✔ | 🞬 |
| Windows 10 | 18362 (1903) | ✔ | ✔ | 🞬 |
| Windows 11 | 22621 (22H2) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Windows Server | ||||
| Windows Server 2003 | 3790 | ✔ | 🞬 | 🞬 |
| Windows Server 2003 R2 | 3790 | ✔ | 🞬 | 🞬 |
| Windows Server 2008 | 6003 | ✔ | 🞬 | 🞬 |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 | 7601 | ✔ | ✔ | 🞬 |
| Windows Server 2012 | 9200 | ✔ | ✔ | 🞬 |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | 9600 | ✔ | ✔ | 🞬 |
| Windows Server 2016 | 14393 | ✔ | ✔ | 🞬 |
| Windows Server 2019 | 18362 (1903) | ✔ | ✔ | 🞬 |
| Windows Server 2022 | 20348 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Windows Server 2025 | 26100 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
* Operating system support for TLS 1.2 also includes TLS 1.1.
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 are the minimum supported platforms for secure connections. Because most servers today will reject connections which attempt to use TLS 1.0 or TLS 1.1, secure connections will fail on unsupported versions of Windows. For the highest level of security, we recommend using Windows 10 or later versions.
Windows TLS 1.3 Support
SocketTools supports TLS 1.3 on Windows 11 build 22000 (21H2) and Windows Server 2022 build 20384 or later versions. On older versions of Windows which don't provide support for TLS 1.3 using Schannel, SocketTools will fall back to using TLS 1.2. If your application requires support for TLS 1.3, it is recommended you use the current build of Windows 11 or Windows Server 2025.
The earliest supported build of Windows 11 at this time is build 22621Â (22H2). With their new lifecycle for desktop platforms, Microsoft has discontinued support for earlier versions of Windows 11 and they no longer receive updates. While SocketTools will continue to work on older builds of Windows 11, we always recommend using a version of the Windows platform which recieves security updates.
See Also
SocketTools System Requirements
Supported SSH Encryption Algorithms
Support for TLS 1.2 on Windows XP
Support for TLS 1.0 and PCI Compliance