Windows 7 officially launched in July of 2009, but only made a commitment to provide 10 years of product service. Ten years has come and gone, and now Windows 7 has reached its end. Microsoft has finally announced the official date for Windows 7 end of life: January 14, 2020.
So, what does this mean for you? What it means is that Microsoft will no longer be updating or supporting the operating system after that date. They are ever evolving and want to focus their investments on supporting newer technologies and greater experiences for their users.
Together, our team of techs have put together some valuable information on how to handle this change. Let’s check it out:
Windows 7 replacements:
You can keep the good times rolling by moving to Windows 10. Windows 7 will still be available for use, but once support ends, your PC will become more vulnerable to security risks. What this means is you will stop receiving security and feature updates. Most programs (like when Windows XP transitioned) will stop being compatible or written in older code. Programs like Office 2019 (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) will also not be compatible with Windows 7 limiting productivity for end users. We highly recommend upgrading to a current, supported, version of Windows.
What does end of support mean for me?
Like when Windows XP hit its end of life, Microsoft will no longer offer security patches or upgrades to the Windows 7 operating system. This will leave your systems at increased risk from viruses and exploits, which are more prevalent than ever before. Additionally, Microsoft will no longer offer technical support for Windows 7 issues.
What should I do?
We recommend replacing all windows 7 computers with new, Windows 10 machines.
Can I upgrade my existing PC to Windows 10?
In most cases yes, however most Windows 7 computers currently in use are already outdated hardware, so in place upgrades don’t make financial sense. Once you consider the cost for the labor and license, you are well on your way to the cost of a new computer with much faster processing capabilities.
What happens if I continue to use Windows 7?
Your computer will still work though it will be increasingly more vulnerable to nefarious exploits and hackers. In addition to the vulnerabilities, the longer you continue to use windows 7, certain applications will no longer work (for example, Newer versions of Word, Excel, and Outlook will not be installable on windows 7).
If you chose to continue working on windows 7 we cannot protect you from outside threats.
Contact us today if you have any additional questions!
