Microsoft Stops Security Updates and Technical Support for  Windows 7 and Windows 8.1

Microsoft has discontinued security updates and technical support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 on January 10. (photo: Twitter @MicrosoftTeams)

JAKARTA - Microsoft has discontinued security updates and technical support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 on January 10. That policy is just one week from today and also marks the release of Microsoft Edge 109, the last version to support older operating systems.

But Edge isn't the only major browser leaving Windows 7 and 8.1 behind. In October, Google announced that Chrome would end support for Windows 7 and 8.1 on February 7.

While both browsers will continue to work on this device, they will not receive any important security updates or new features. Support for WebView2, a tool that allows developers to embed web-based content into their applications, will also be discontinued on January 10.

Next week's deadline leaves little time for machine owners still running Windows 7, expected to be around 100 million through 2021, to upgrade their devices or face the security risks that come with using outdated operating systems and browsers.

A Lansweeper survey of 27 million Windows devices conducted last October found more PCs running XP, 7, or 8 than there were running Windows 11.

Microsoft gave users a lot of notice, and first announced the end of support for Windows 7 in 2020. The only users still receiving updates are those who paid for an additional three years of extended security patches.

If you have a device running Windows 7 and 8.1, it might be a good time to download Windows 10 or 11 on your PC. But if that's not possible, Microsoft recommends replacing the device with a newer one before January 10 to avoid potential security issues.