Does ping use IPv4 or IPv6?

In Windows 10 machine when I ping a web site such as WWW.Microsoft.com, I get the response as shown:

C:\Users\Jayaram>ping www.microsoft.com
Pinging e10088.dspb.akamaiedge.net [2600:1406:1f:386::2768] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 2600:1406:1f:386::2768: time=72ms
Reply from 2600:1406:1f:386::2768: time=64ms
Reply from 2600:1406:1f:386::2768: time=64ms
Reply from 2600:1406:1f:386::2768: time=65ms
Ping statistics for 2600:1406:1f:386::2768:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 64ms, Maximum = 72ms, Average = 66ms

The default appears to be IPv6

However, if I need to ping the IPv4 then I can ping as shown.
C:\Users\Jayaram>ping -4 www.microsoft.com
Pinging e10088.dspb.akamaiedge.net [23.15.90.161] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 23.15.90.161: bytes=32 time=84ms TTL=55
Reply from 23.15.90.161: bytes=32 time=89ms TTL=55
Reply from 23.15.90.161: bytes=32 time=64ms TTL=55
Reply from 23.15.90.161: bytes=32 time=80ms TTL=55
Ping statistics for 23.15.90.161:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 64ms, Maximum = 89ms, Average = 79ms