What Is an Operating System?

Your Operating System (OS) is the brain of your device.
It’s the software that controls everything — your apps, your files, and how your computer talks to hardware.
Without it, your screen would just sit there doing nothing.

Common OS examples include Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.
Every OS acts like a manager — deciding who (which program or user) gets to use the computer’s memory, Internet, or camera.