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Microsoft codenames ‘Santorini’ for its Windows Lite project

Microsoft reportely picked a new name for its upcoming lightweight operating system known as Windows Lite.

Santorini is the codename that Microsoft is using to refer internally to the Windows Lite operating system project. Rumors about a new lightweight operating system, which may not even carry the name “Windows,” and with a new user interface to take on the increasingly popular Chrome OS has been around for several months.

According to a new report from Windows Central, sources familiar to the project reveal that the company is now using the “Santorini” codename for the Windows Lite development. (The name Santorini is just one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea.)

Of course, Santorini is a codename and not the actual name for the final release.

Along with Aruba and Oasis, Santorini is another variant part of the Windows Core OS project.

Santorini is one of the many variants that we’ll be seeing as part of the Windows Core OS project, which is an entirely new system that makes the operating system modular allowing to install it on any device with only the features supported by the hardware.

We’ve already seen an example of Windows Core OS when the company revealed the Surface Hub 2X running on “Aruba,” and during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Microsoft is also expected to unveil HoloLens 2, which supposedly will run on project “Oasis.”

While the reason of the name change remains unknown, but it’d appear that the company isn’t using the “Windows Lite” to avoid confusion that this is not a shrunk version of the operating system. It’s a completely new experience (also offering different flavors) designed for “Centaurus” devices, which are foldable hardware and “Pegasus” which are convertible devices that don’t use the full feature set available on Windows.

It’s unclear when Microsoft will officially release Windows Lite to the public, but at least, it’s expected for the company to share more details during its Build conference in May.  

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.