Windows 7 End of Life
Windows 7 was released in 2009 and even after 9 years, it is still one of the most used Windows operating system in the world. In this post, we will share everything you need to know about Windows 7 End of Life. Let’s get started.
What does Windows 7 End of Life mean for your business?
In the tech world, End of Life means that the company will end the support for a particular software or hardware. Companies do this to dedicate their resources toward the development of new products which will benefits users. Microsoft regularly ends the support to their old software to promote and improve the new Windows operating system, in 2014 the company ended the legendary Windows XP support which affected more than one billion computers worldwide.
When does support of Windows 7 end?
In 2015, Microsoft ended the mainstream support of Windows 7 but the extended support period will end on January 10, 2020. If you are Windows 7 user then you might have noticed that you haven’t received any feature pack updates after January 13, 2015. However, Microsoft will still provide support for bug fixes and patches until January 2020.
Can I use Windows 7 even after End of Life?
This is the most frequent question which we get from many users and answer to this question is “Yes” you will be able to use the Windows 7 even after End of Life. But in most situations, you wouldn’t want to. Microsoft usually ends the support for their Outdated Windows OS after 5 to 10 years and during this period they regularly update their Windows to make it bug-free and add more features in it. So, at this point, Windows 7 might be stable, and it will work flawlessly on your computer but this won’t last. So we will recommend you to upgrade to Windows 10 and Office 365 now for the following reasons.
- The first reason is the security, every year millions of people lost their valuable data due to vulnerabilities and outdated software. Without regular Windows updates, you’re at risk. Updates add more security features and remove the vulnerabilities. So in the future, it is likely that hackers may find more and more vulnerabilities in Windows 7 and it would affect you as a Window 7 user.
- 2nd reason is if you continue to use Windows 7, OS hardware drivers will eventually become outdated and you will face problems with certain peripherals like printers, scanners etc. in the future.
What you can do NOW!
The best alternative to Windows 7 is Windows 10 as Microsoft has also ended mainstream support of Windows 8 back in January 2018. Windows 10 is a much better operating system which comes with many great features like improved stability and Cortana, which improve your overall user experience. The mainstream support of Windows 10 will end 2020 so it’s a good idea to switch to Windows 10 now. If you are a business then you will need to follow these steps to ensure the smooth transition to Windows 10 and possibly Office 365.
- Set a timeline and make sure to follow the timeline for smooth transition to Windows 10
- Conduct a workshop to train your employees to use the Windows 10
- You can use existing hardware for a fresh installation if it’s less than 3 years old and however I would recommend minimum system requirements of SSD drive and at least 16GB of RAM
- Allocate a budget to buy the new computers and software for your company
- Perform compatibility testing on your business applications
You can also use our services which will make the whole process a lot easier for you. Let us know what you think about the Windows 7 End of Life and visit our blog for more content.