From January 14, 2020 Microsoft will no longer support Windows 7 and will not fix any flaws. Users will be able to upgrade their PCs to Windows 10 for free
If you still use Windows 7 mark this date: January 14, 2020. This is the day in which Microsoft will stop offering support for this operating system and will also stop releasing updates and security patches. In a nutshell, in a year's time Microsoft will stop supporting Win 7. What will happen to the millions of PCs and notebooks that still use this version of Windows around the world?
The tough choice that Windows XP users had to make in 2014, when Microsoft stopped supporting that version of its operating system, comes up again: either upgrade to a later version of the OS, or risk exposing your computer to hundreds of new vulnerabilities. Because if Microsoft doesn't update Windows, every new security hole discovered by hackers stays open and no one closes it. When the Redmond company left XP users "uncovered", however, they were far fewer than current Win 7 users: 24% of the total number of Windows computers, compared to the 35% represented by those who today still have Windows 7 installed.
Windows 7, why Microsoft stops supporting it
However, after the recent and serious problems brought by the October update of Windows 10, there are many who would not want to leave Windows 7 in favor of its successor. The alternative, excluding that of ending up with a system constantly at risk of hacker attack, is to pay Microsoft for the technical support extension service. But it is a very expensive service and dedicated only to large companies and Public Administrations. And, in any case, it doesn't solve another problem: with the end of Microsoft's official support for Windows 7, many software manufacturers will also stop supporting older versions of their applications compatible with that operating system.
The good thing is that there is still a year to decide whether to switch to Windows 10 or continue using Windows 7 at your own risk. During these twelve months Microsoft might make us reconsider, solving the problems brought by the recent update and presenting new updates that work without problems. In any case, for those who have an official Win 7 license, the update to Windows 10 remains free and is the choice advocated by Microsoft itself. Apart from the recent October Update problems, in fact, Win 10 is a robust operating system that works quite well with the latest hardware and has more advanced features than 7. Those who just don't want to use it, however, can also opt for a more drastic choice: buy a Mac or a Chromebook and say goodbye to Microsoft.