Microsoft announced that it is finally ending support and security updates for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, marking this the end of the line for these Windows versions.
Windows 7 is one of the most popular iterations of the OS, spaning 10 years. Back in January 2020, Microsoft stopped sending security updates and technical support for the OS. Instead, it offered a 3 year extended warranty for a fee which gave time for business to transition to a more recent version.
Meanwhile, Microsoft also officially ends support for Windows 8.1 on January 10, 2023. Organizations who will continue to use this version of the OS are warned of exposure to security risks.
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Those still on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are advised to upgrade to either Windows 10, which will see support until October 14, 2025, or better yet, to Windows 11, the most current version of Windows. However, if you’re on an older PC, you might need a new PC to properly run Windows 11.