Originally known as Windows Longhorn Help, this is the second major help format that Microsoft has promised to deliver and then withdrawn. Microsoft originally announced that help authors would be able to use Vista Help soon after the release of Vista. However, the release of the compiler and the development kit have now been postponed indefinitely and it currently looks as though Vista Help is only going to be used internally by Microsoft for documenting Windows Vista itself.

If Vista Help is ever released for use as a general help format support for the Vista Help compiler will be added to Help & Manual at short notice.