Microsoft has announced that it will no longer be providing support for its Windows 8.1 OS starting January 10, 2023. This means that the company will not be offering software updates or technical assistance for this OS.
Microsoft has also confirmed that it will no longer offer an Extended Security Update (ESU) for Windows 8.1 OS. The ESU is typically used by customers who want to use legacy Microsoft products after the end of official support. The program offers important security updates that can last for at least 3 years after the end of the support date. The result of this is that if you use the Windows 8.1 OS, you will no longer get critical security updates that can help safeguard your device from cyber threats.
“Microsoft will not be offering an Extended Security Update (ESU) program for Windows 8.1. Continuing to use Windows 8.1 after January 10, 2023, may increase an organization’s exposure to security risks or impact its ability to meet compliance obligations,” wrote Microsoft on the company’s support page.
Along with withdrawing support for Windows 8.1, Microsoft will also stop supporting Windows 7 starting January 10. Microsoft had stopped the support officially on January 14, 2020, however, it will now stop the ESU program as well starting January 10, 2023.
According to Microsoft, the best approach would be to upgrade your system to Windows 11, as using the older OSs without security can leave you susceptible to cyber threats.