Microsoft, led by Satya Nadella, will stop further releasing security updates for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, giving customers the choice of upgrading to a more recent operating system or continuing to be exposed to security risks.
According to TechCrunch, Windows 7 was retired in January 2020 after more than ten years of support, but customers were still able to purchase additional security updates. These prolonged security updates have ended, though.
Although it is uncertain how many Windows 7 systems are still in use, some market share data puts the number as high as one in ten desktop computers.
Although Windows 7 won’t receive patches for fresh or old security flaws, it will continue to function without prolonged security updates.
Additionally, the company has added that it will stop providing Windows 8.1 with extended security patches.
The operating system version that replaced Windows 7 is Windows 8.1.
According to the report, the most recent version of Microsoft Edge (version 109), which is set for release on Thursday, is the last to continue to support Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.