By: Courtney Rose
On January 14, 2020 Windows 7 will no longer be supported by Microsoft, which means no more free security updates and technical support for the operating system. What that will mean for you is a less secure environment, and a means for viruses and malware to exploit your system. Microsoft has started pushing updates out to computers still running Windows 7 that include alerts and information on how to update to Windows 10. If you’re still running Windows 7, you may have already gotten one of these alerts that started on April 18, 2019 and that will be running through January 15, 2020.
The pop-up on your PC should look like the image below with a link to a web page giving instructions on how to back up your data, what to look for in a new PC, and a recommendation on upgrading to Windows 10. Microsoft is not recommending you install Windows 10 on an older device, even though it is possible. This is not simply a ploy to get you to buy one of their new, flashy computers – rather they are encouraging you to use a modern computer that can adequately handle the “weight” of your new operating system (OS) so that you are able to enjoy all of the new, innovative features of Windows 10 that an older computer simply could not keep up with.
As you may have noticed, there is a “do not remind me again” button on the screen. However, if you’re the forgetful type, you may want to leave that box unchecked if you don’t plan to update your OS at that particular moment.
If you have further questions about what the end of life for Windows 7 means and how it could affect you, the below link from Microsoft should help clear up some of the lingering inquiries you may have:
Windows 7 Support Ending on January 14th 2020
