Microsoft To Stop Support For Windows 8.1 Soon

Microsoft will soon end support for Windows 8.1 (photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Microsoft is reportedly preparing to send a notification of discontinuation of support for Windows 8.1 users.

Support for Windows 8.1 is scheduled to end on January 10, 2023, and starting next month the tech giant will start sending notifications to Windows 8.1 users as the first reminder before the end of support.

Previously, Microsoft had also done this when it wanted to stop support for Windows 7 in 2019.

According to Windows Central, this termination of support includes the withdrawal of support for many applications in Windows 8.1, including the entire Microsoft 365 suite of applications.

Microsoft initially discontinued support for Windows 8 in 2016. Whereas Windows 8.1 is an improvement over Windows 8 which will soon be discontinued as well.

To that end, Microsoft recommends users who are still running Windows 8.1 to go out and buy a new PC with Windows 11 pre-installed.

Or, if buying a PC seems expensive enough for you, Microsoft advises users to spend a little money on upgrading to Windows 10, and your Windows will keep them going until 2025.

You should make your choice right away to keep your PC running well, as Microsoft admits that most Windows 8.1 machines won't even support Windows 11, due to strict CPU requirements.

"Most Windows 8.1 or Windows 8 devices will not meet the hardware requirements for upgrading to Windows 11, alternatively, compatible Windows 8 and 8.1 PCs can be upgraded to Windows 10 by purchasing and installing the full version of the software," Microsoft explains on its website.