Microsoft Pulls Plug On Windows 7 Support

Microsoft is officially ending its support for its Windows 7 operating system tonight, despite the majority of Windows users still using the operating system.

From midnight tonight, Microsoft will no longer provides automatic fixes, updates, or online technical assistance, but it will continue providing ‘extended support’, which includes free security updates, until January 14 2020.

According to NetMarketShare, 56 percent of PC users still use the software, which was first released in October 2009.

Tick tock

The news marks the final chapter in Windows 7’s retirement, which began in October 2013, when Microsoft stopped shipping Windows 7 to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), instructing them to stop selling systems with pre-installed Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate later that month.

Microsoft dealt with a similar outcry last April, when it ended support for Windows XP, which still holds around 18 percent of total users. Despite still forming the backbone of many important services, including banking and health services, the company still pulled its support for the version, although there were some notable exceptions, such as the NHS.

The pull comes weeks before Microsoft is set to unveil the next version of its trademark operating system, Windows 10. Expected to feature Cortana, Microsoft’s Bing-powered assistant, and flexible form factors for easy use amongst different-sized devices, among other features, it will be revealed to the public at an event at Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters on January 21.

Still mourning the loss of Windows XP? Find out with our quiz!