Hi,
I’ve had a few questions recently from clients asking about the end of Microsoft’s Windows 7 Support. There is a lot of fear-mongering on the web about this as well so I wanted to clear things up.
Here you will find what you need to know and answers to some concerns that have been raised. I hope this article helps, but please get in touch with me if you have any questions.
Here’s what you need to know
Microsoft has announced Windows 7 (now more than a decade old) will begin its end-of-life phase, effective 14th Jan 2020. This means Microsoft will no longer offer free bug fixes, support or security updates for Windows 7. To put it simply, if something goes wrong or there is a bug, you won’t be able to call Microsoft about it.
This happens regularly with software and is a common move, allowing Microsoft to focus on Windows 10.
Millions of computers around the world are still running Windows 7, so you’re not alone. Here are some handy things to note…
Will my computer stop working?
No, definitely not, it’s business as usual.
Do I need to upgrade to Windows 10?
Eventually, you will need to upgrade to Windows 10. This is the beginning of the phase-out stage for Windows 7 but there is no need to worry. In the short term you can definitely still run Windows 7 without issues. In the long term, you should think about upgrading.
A good time to consider the move to Windows 10 would be if/when you get a new computer. That would be the perfect time to go with a newer version of Windows.
Will my current computer work with a Windows 10 upgrade?
If your PC runs Windows 7, it will run Windows 10. Although Windows 10 is less heavy as an operating system on the front end – it may not run as well as it could on an older system. That means it may be a good time to consider purchasing a new computer.
Am I more vulnerable to security risks or hacks now?
Microsoft is no longer providing new bug or security updates to Windows 7. In short, you may be at increased risk, yes. As a minimum, I recommend a firewall and anti-virus software which you should already be running. But you may consider the upgrade to Windows 10 also.
Got a question?
If you have any questions or would like to chat, please get in touch with me.