Microsoft released the latest update to the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) – on April 23, 2009 – which is version 5.5. This latest version adds support for Windows 7 and Internet Explorer 8, in addition to the previously supported Windows Vista and Windows Update.

If you are not familiar with the ACT, it is a tool that detects potential application compatibility issues before you migrate from Windows XP to Windows Vista/7 or Internet Explorer 6 to IE 7/8 or apply a patch to a system. You can use the ACT to:

  • Verify an application’s compatibility with a new version of the Windows operating system, or a Windows Update, including determining your risk assessment.
  • Become involved in the ACT Community, including sharing your risk assessment with other ACT users.
  • Test your Web applications and Web sites for compatibility with new releases and security updates to Internet Explorer.

You can download the ACT 5.5 and the supporting documentation directly from Microsoft here. This tool should be in every Desktop Administrators toolbox.