ReactOS developers completed a major update to their Microsoft C Runtime Library implementation on January 1, 2026. They synced the MSVCRT DLL with the version from Wine 10.0.
The change fixed roughly 7,574 out of 25,517 test failures in API compatibility checks. That amounted to a 29.6% reduction in failures.
Developers reported improved support for various applications as a result. They described the update as another major step toward full Windows NT 6.0 compatibility.
The rebase required months of preparation and appeared in a public merge request.
Why This Matters Today
ReactOS aims to create a free, open-source operating system binary-compatible with Windows NT applications and drivers. The project began in 1996 and continues development in 2026.
Windows NT 6 refers to the architecture used in Windows Vista, 7, 8, and related server versions. Achieving compatibility with this kernel allows more modern Windows software to run on ReactOS without modification.
Syncing components like MSVCRT from Wine helps ReactOS benefit from ongoing compatibility work in the Wine project. Wine focuses on running Windows applications on Unix-like systems.
Our Key Takeaways:
- ReactOS completed a synchronization of its MSVCRT implementation with Wine 10.0 on January 1, 2026.
- The update reduced API test failures by nearly 30% and improved application compatibility.
- Developers plan further progress toward Windows NT 6.0 compatibility in 2026.
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