Is Microsoft Still Updating Windows 7

Boxed copies of Windows 7 Professional and Home Premium. — Friemann/Shutterstock.com

Microsoft released Windows 7 in Oct 2009. Now, more than a decade afterwards, information technology's being retired. Your Windows 7 PCs volition keep working, but Microsoft is no longer issuing security patches every bit of Jan fourteen, 2020.

Can I Still Use Windows seven?

Windows 7 volition keep working usually, just like Windows XP does. If you have a PC running Windows 7 or Windows XP, you can utilize information technology on January 15, 2020, just as you could on Jan 13, 2020. Microsoft won't end you lot from using your PC. You may see some nags informing you that "Your Windows 7 PC is out of back up," but that's information technology.

We recommend you avoid using Windows 7. If you exercise keep using this operating system, information technology's now especially of import that y'all have security software (similar an antivirus) installed and take steps to secure your PC.

RELATED: RIP Windows 7: We're Going to Miss Y'all

So What Changes?

Windows 7 PC out of support message from Microsoft.

Now that Microsoft has axed back up, Windows 7 will no longer become security patches. In other words, Microsoft won't release any new security patches to Windows Update.

Windows XP, Vista, 7, viii, and 10 are all congenital on the aforementioned underlying architecture. Often, security holes are found for all contempo versions of Windows. Now, when attackers find such a security pigsty and Microsoft patches it, those patches will be practical only to Windows eight and 10. Windows 7 will even so have an open security hole that attackers know about.

With the end of official back up, software developers volition receive the betoken that they shouldn't keep supporting Windows 7. Many spider web browsers and other software tools have dropped support for Windows XP in their latest versions. Windows 7 volition eventually meet the same fate. For at present, Google says it volition keep supporting Chrome on Windows 7 until at least July xv, 2021.

Can I Go Security Patches Somehow?

Downloading updates from Windows Update on Windows 7.

Windows 7 support hasn't ended completely. Microsoft will notwithstanding offer "extended security updates" for it, but but to organizations like businesses and governments—and only if those organizations pay an ever-increasing fee. That fee is designed to encourage organizations to upgrade.

There's no way to pay actress for security updates if you're a habitation user. Many people take asked us if this is an pick, but Microsoft only offers them to organizations.

It'southward possible that, if a particularly dangerous security hole is found, Microsoft will patch it anyhow. The company released a patch for a bad security pigsty in Windows XP in 2019. Unfortunately, this patch was non delivered through Windows Update, and then you had to hear nigh it before downloading and installing it manually. Many Windows XP systems in the wild are still vulnerable. That's the kind of time to come that awaits Windows 7 users.

RELATED: How Windows vii's "Extended Security Updates" Will Piece of work

Volition It Really Be Unsafe?

Is standing to apply Windows 7 unsafe? Well, that depends. It likely won't be as well dangerous on Jan 15, 2020. But, as more time goes by, you'll be using a version of Windows with more and more unpatched security holes that attackers know about. Eventually, browsers and other applications you lot use will driblet support for your operating system. Y'all'll be stuck using out-of-date browsers, and that is especially unsafe. Without browser security patches, a malicious website could compromise your arrangement subsequently you open a web page.

The internet is a dangerous place filled with increasingly sophisticated attacks, and nosotros always recommend using up-to-date software with the latest security patches. We encourage you to upgrade from Windows vii.

Will Software Go along Working on Windows 7?

Most applications will continue running on Windows seven for the immediate future. But await to see applications gradually stop working on it over the next few years.

For case, Valve's Steam gaming service dropped back up for Windows XP and Vista on January 1, 2019. In a few years, nosotros'd expect to see Steam driblet support for Windows vii as well.

Some applications have already dropped support for Windows seven. For case, Microsoft Office 2019 only supports Windows 10 and non Windows 7 or 8.

I Withal Have a Windows 7 PC, What Should I Do?

Installing Windows 10 on a Windows 7 system.

We recommend you upgrade and go off Windows 7. That may mean installing a new operating system on your current hardware—or you may desire to buy a new PC.

To keep using your current PC, you take a few options:

Upgrade to Windows 10 For Gratis: Despite Microsoft no longer advertising the free upgrade offer, it'south still bachelor. Y'all can upgrade a PC to Windows ten for complimentary as long every bit information technology has a legitimate, activated Windows 7 or 8 system installed. Here's how to have advantage. We don't know how long this gratuitous upgrade trick will continue working. It was however working as of Jan 13, 2020.
Install Linux on Your PC: Don't desire to upgrade to Windows 10? You tin can always install a Linux distribution like Ubuntu. It's free, supports the latest web browsers like Google Chrome and Firefox, and will continue getting security updates for a long fourth dimension to come. Sure, it sounds drastic—merely you have an option if you desire to use a supported OS on your PC without upgrading to Windows 10.

If your PC is getting too long in the tooth, it may just be fourth dimension to buy a new PC. If you haven't upgraded your hardware in the final seven years since Windows viii was released, you'll notice that modern PCs (especially ones with solid-state storage) offer dramatically improved performance and much longer battery life.

That doesn't mean y'all have to purchase a Windows ten PC if you don't like it—Chromebooks, Macs, and iPads are all fantabulous options for many people. Whatever y'all do, though, we recommend getting off Windows 7.

RELATED: You Can Still Get Windows ten for Gratuitous With a Windows vii, 8, or 8.1 Key

But I Need Windows seven For Something!

If y'all however need Windows seven to run critical software or hardware that doesn't support modern versions of Windows, nosotros recommend restricting your employ of Windows seven. You should also ensure security software is installed.

For example, to run software that requires Windows seven, you lot might run Windows seven in a virtual machine on Windows x or another operating arrangement. To run hardware that requires Windows 7, you lot might leave Windows 7 installed on a estimator plugged straight into the critical hardware device and use some other PC for activities that don't need Windows 7.

If possible, yous could even "air gap" your Windows 7 system. You'd leave it offline and avert connecting it to the network. It'd be isolated from attacks and couldn't be c compromised and turned confronting other systems on your network. That would improve your online security.

Windows 7 Withal Works, But It'due south Time to Move On

If you utilise Windows 7, you lot tin still go along using it. Heck, you tin can even install Windows 7 on a new system. Windows Update will even so download all the patches Microsoft released before ending support. Things volition keep working on January 15, 2020 almost the same as they did on Jan 13, 2020.

But Windows 7 is now the new Windows XP, and it volition become increasingly full of known security holes while software developers stop supporting it. Information technology's time to upgrade.