Microsoft’s support for Windows 7 has officially ended. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to Windows users: Microsoft promised 10 years of product support for Windows 7 when it had been released in October 2009, before shifting focus to supporting newer technologies.
As of Jan. 14, Microsoft not offers technical assistance or software updates to your device, and therefore the company has encouraged people to upgrade to Windows 10 to stay their PCs and laptops secure.
Why did Microsoft end support for Windows 7?
Microsoft features a long-established Fixed Lifestyle Policy for several of its products.
For every version of its OS, the corporation offers a minimum of 10 years of support (at least five years of Mainstream Support, followed by five years of Extended support).
Both types include security and program updates, self-help online topics and additional assistance you pay for.
Windows 7 was released in October 2009, so its 10-year life cycle has come to an in-depth.
Windows 10 was released in 2015, and extended support for the newest version of the OS is slated to finish in 2025.
Does this mean my Windows 7 computer will stop working?
Your Windows 7 computer will keep working, but Microsoft won’t provide security updates or fixes, or technical support for any issues — leaving your computer at greater risk from viruses and malware which will circulate to require advantage of any flaws that are later discovered.
Do I actually need to switch to Windows 10?
No one can force you to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10, but it is a specialized idea to try to so — the most reason being security. Without security updates or fixes, you’re putting your computer in danger, especially dangerous, as many sorts of malware target Windows devices.
Windows 10 also features a number of built-in security tools: Windows Defender Antivirus protects against malware and spyware across email, apps, the cloud and therefore the web, while Windows Hello offers a password-free check-in choice to unlock your devices together with your face or a fingerprint reader.
A Find My Device service can lock and erase your Windows device remotely, or map the situation of your device.
Some people are hesitant to form the switch thanks to reports of several bugs in earlier versions of Windows 10.
But Microsoft has made several changes to its update approach starting with the May 2019 release, including slower rollouts with additional testing, more options for pausing updates and more disclosure of known issues, so your experience should be smoother.
What’s the difference between Windows 7 and Windows 10?
Besides a set of security tools, Windows 10 also offers more useful features.
One is that Your Phone app, which allows you to access texts, notifications, and apps on your phone using your PC — almost like Apple’s Continuity features.
A feature called Calls allows you to put and answer Android calls on your PC (and you’ll connect your iPhone to your Windows PC as well). A dictation feature allows you to easily record ideas.
Microsoft’s digital assistant Cortana is additionally available on Windows 10 PCs.
The OS also integrates better with Microsoft OneDrive and other cloud tools.
The most recent Windows 10 November 2020 update includes some new features like changes to notifications which will make them easier to configure and manage from an app or website, and therefore the ability to make events directly from the Calendar flout on the Taskbar, rather than opening the app.
Unlike previous versions of the OS, Windows 10 offers automatic updates by default, to stay systems safer.
