Microsoft ends Windows 7 extended security updates on January 10, 2023

Windows 7 Professional and Enterprise editions will no longer receive extended security updates for critical and important vulnerabilities starting Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

Microsoft launched the legacy operating system in October 2009. It then reached its end of support in January 2015 and its extended end of support in January 2020.

The Extended Security Update (ESU) program was the last resort option for customers who still needed to run legacy Microsoft products past their end of support on Windows 7 systems.

All editions of Windows 8.1, launched nine years ago in November 2013, will also reach EOS on the same day.

"Most Windows 7 devices will not meet the hardware requirements for upgrading to Windows 11, as an alternative, compatible Windows 7 PCs can be upgraded to Windows 10 by purchasing and installing a full version of the software," Microsoft explains.

"Before investing in a Windows 10 upgrade, please consider that Windows 10 will reach its end of support date on October 14, 2025."

Microsoft recommends customers with devices that don't meet the technical requirements for a more recent Windows release to replace them with ones that support Windows 11 to take advantage of the latest hardware capabilities.

Currently, Windows 7 runs on over 11% of all Windows systems worldwide, while Windows 8.1 is used by 2.59% of Microsoft customers, according to Statcounter GlobalStats.

:story: Bleeping Computer