The day has come. Microsoft will finally stop support for millions of computers that are still running Windows 7 on Tuesday, January 14. The end of support means these machines will no longer receive software updates that could prevent viruses or malware.
"While you could continue to use your PC running Windows 7, without continued software and security updates, it will be at greater risk for viruses and malware," Microsoft says on its website. "In addition, Microsoft customer service will no longer be available to provide Windows 7 technical support."
According to Microsoft, those who still have Windows 7 should do one of two things:
- If you have a machine that's newer than three years old, pay to upgrade to Windows 10, if you haven't done so already. The cost of upgrading to Windows 10 starts at $189. Microsoft initially offered a free upgrade, but that ended on July 29, 2016.
- Now, if you have a machine that's older than three years old, Microsoft suggests you buy a new computer with Windows 10 on board. The latter might even be a more viable option as these computers have better processors and hardware that help these machines run faster. Sometimes, if you try to upgrade an old machine, it could slow down.
Source: CNBC