Windows 8 and 8.1 Support Has Ended

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Any PC purchased several years ago came running Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. This version is now so obsolete that Microsoft has stopped offering bug fixes for it, as well as assistance using it.

Some might be surprised to learn that this company was still doing anything with an operating system that was supplanted by Windows 10 in 2015. In the past few years, Microsoft wasn’t actively improving the previous versions of Windows, but it had committed itself to fixing any serious bugs that might emerge. It also offered online technical assistance. As of January 9, that all stopped.

However, Microsoft will continue to patch security holes in Win8 and 8.1 until January of 2023. After that, any remaining users will be on their own.



A Wakeup Call for Windows 7 Users

Windows 8 wasn’t popular, so many people held onto the previous version. At this point, approximately 45% of all Windows computers are still on version 7, according to NetMarketshare. With mainstream support for Win8 now ended, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Microsoft stopped fixing bugs in Win7 back in January of 2015. The company will still offer security patches for two more years, however.

Move to Windows 10

There was no Windows 9, but virtually all computers that currently run Windows 8 can be upgraded to Windows 10. And it’s a possibility for some Windows 7 users.

Many of those who held onto Win7 did so because Win8 wasn’t well designed for non-touchscreen laptops and desktops. That changed with Win10, although most of the touch-enchanced features from Win8 are still there, they’re just optional now.

And Microsoft has continued to improve Win10 since its release in 2015, introducing two major new versions in the intervening years. These were free to all Win10 users.

Unfortunately for holdouts, upgrading from Win8 or Win7 to Windows 10 isn’t free. Microsoft charges $119 for the Home edition and $199 for the Pro one. With that in mind, it’s worth considering whether buying a new computer might be a better use for that money.

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That's awesome news, no more chances for feature or functional patches from Microsoft messing up the stability of Windows 7/8.1, what a relief

It's 2 more years of comfortable stable travel through Windows 7 with security updates until 2020. And, 3 more years past that for Windows 8.1, for a total of 5 years of joyful non-Windows 10 OS bliss.

Hopefully in 2 years, or at least in 5 years, there will be a stable no feature / function change branch of Windows 10 - security only patches - with long term support we can switch to.

Until then Windows 10 offers too much uncertainty and aggravation to consider for those of us that prefer to use our computers for our work rather than waste time futzing around with patches, updates, new drivers, and trying to search out WTH just broke after the update and how to fix it.

Thanks for the joyful news

 

Yep, I'm sticking with 8.1 for the foreseeable future.

 

8.1 with Classic Shell is secretly the best Windows experience.

 

Rejoice and celebrate, the attacks have ended, the sky is clear :O)
We have survived Murkysoft trying to bomb us into w10 surrender and submission.

But the security updates will be there for 5 more years, so the useful support has definitely not ended.

yes

 

*Douchebag mode activated*

The title of this thread makes it seem that all support for Windows 8 & 8.1 has been dropped, which is not the case. You clarify in the text itself what you mean but there's a whiff of clickbait to the way the title has been written.

In addition, I'm not sure that saying "Any PC purchased several years ago came running Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. This version is now so obsolete that Microsoft has stopped offering bug fixes for it, as well as assistance using it." is accurate. It was my understanding that bugs will still be fixed, along with security updates but this is the extent of the support that will now be provided. I might be wrong, in which case I apologise for spreading mis-information.

There are some typographic errors in the text that you may also wish to address.

 

Misleading title and clickbait.

Very true its like using Windows 7 to me

 

Titles serve as advertisements for articles. By their very nature there has to be a whiff of clickbait in them. Obviously, this can be overdone, but I don’t think I overstepped that boundary in this case. YMMV

What Microsft is saying here is that it has stopped fixing bugs in Windows 8. It will continue to offer security patches, but that’s it. If you find a problem in this version that isn’t security related, your only option is upgrade to Windows 10.

You weren’t being a douchbag. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

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I rather keep 8.1 than upgrade my 980m laptop for a better graphic card and have to take W10 with that.

 

Yup, I feel the same way, it's not worth the hassle of Windows 10 to upgrade to new hardware. And, now with the "broken" CPU situation, it'll be even longer before I consider an upgrade.

Same for GPU's, what with Nvidia / AMD stopping driver support for pre-Windows 10 OS's on their new GPU's.

I guess they are selling enough stuff and don't need our business

 

Well I made my purchase with a relative amount of confidence that I'd cover this gen's console ports with it, so I'm seeing that through. The lost upgrade path on my GT72 would've been nice and I owe someone at MSI a punch in the nose for that, but the 980m is doing real well for a three year old GPU so it's all going according to plan.

 

They wont/cant stop providing drivers for Windows 7 if they have any sort of business sense. 45% marker share still carries a lot of weight, just ask Intel, and AMD, that were not supposed support it with new Cpu chipset drivers Still too many users, and too much money to be milked from us.