Celebrate 50 years of Microsoft with these beautiful wallpapers

Did you know that Microsoft is celebrating its 50th birthday this week? The software giant was founded on April 4, 1975, kicking off half a century of software innovation and hardware developments. Now, the company is celebrating the milestone with several announcements. While we wait for the promised event, Microsoft released a new celebratory wallpaper pack, just like it did with the recent Windows Insider Program anniversary.

The new wallpapers are a mix of several iconic Microsoft products, such as Minesweeper, Solitaire, Mahjong, Paint, Internet Explorer, Windows, the tulip wallpaper from Windows XP, and more. As usual, each wallpaper is available in two variants: dark and light. Also, you can have them in a standard 16:9 aspect ratio or 21:9 if you have an ultrawide monitor.

In the announcement post on the official Windows Experience Blog, Microsoft says that these wallpapers were designed by three Microsoft designers and "Windows superfans":

As we look ahead to Microsoft’s 50th anniversary, we’re celebrating the iconic memories and moments you’ve made over the past five decades. What better way to celebrate than with exclusive products like nostalgic Windows wallpapers—channeling the retro colors, pixelated edges and anticipation of new Windows releases across time. Made by three Microsoft designers and Windows superfans, our limited-edition wallpapers reimagine Windows’ most memorable moments.

You can download the Microsoft 50th Anniversary wallpapers from the official Microsoft Design website (there are plenty of other cool wallpapers for you to enjoy). If you would like to learn more about Microsoft celebrating half a decade of innovation, check out the official "Cheers to 50 years" post about multiple iconic moments from the world of Microsoft.

Bill Gates is also celebrating the occasion by sharing the original code for Altair BASIC, which predates Windows, Office, and other products that billions of people use these days.