Despite Microsoft launching Windows 11, there are millions of computers still running Windows 7. Microsoft has confirmed that it just won’t offer any more Extended Security Updates (ESU) for the already obsolete operating system beyond 2023.
Windows 7, one of the most popular Operating Systems for personal and business use, reached the end of its support lifecycle in January 2020. While Microsoft offered ESU for businesses, the company has officially confirmed there won’t be any more updates after the program ends in 2023.
Windows 7 still has 27% of the desktop market share. pic.twitter.com/g4VsYEEsh5
— Árkadag (@ArkadagEffendi) July 2, 2020
Windows 7 will completely be without support from Microsoft after January 10, 2023:
Windows 7 simply refuses to bow down and retire. Some reports indicate nearly a million computers still have the operating system.
Windows 10 is currently the market leader in Operating Systems with an almost 80 percent market share. Although nowhere close, Windows 7 still commands a respectable 15 percent market share.
Update: Extended Security Updates for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 – Page 2 – Microsoft Tech Community https://t.co/MKFM5nTBTT
— Richard Hay (@WinObs) November 10, 2021
Windows 10 will continue to receive Feature and Security Updates until 2025. In other words, Microsoft is actively supporting the operating system. The same isn’t true or valid for Windows 7.
Microsoft officially stopped supporting Windows 7 back in January 2020. This meant the company would not offer any updates, security, or otherwise.
Patch Tuesday updates the Win 7 updater… for at most 1 more year of updates: The clock stopped long ago on Windows 7, except for those who paid for overtime. But there won't be any double overtime! https://t.co/tnNWiDcUaL DeepBlue Security pic.twitter.com/bo2VFfZas0
— DeepBlue Security & Intelligence (@DeepBlueInfoSec) November 10, 2021
Nonetheless, the company did occasionally send across patches to protect Windows 7 from some critical security flaws. Realizing or accepting the fact that several million PCs, especially in the corporate and banking sector still run Windows 7, Microsoft came up with Extended Security Updates or ESU.
Businesses had to pay and subscribe to the ESU program. However, Microsoft had confirmed that the ESU program will end three years after launch.
Microsoft refuses to extend the Extended Security Updates program for Windows 7, but Windows Server 2008 gets an extension:
Microsoft launched ESU for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 at the same time. Officially only available for businesses and enterprise customers, ESU guaranteed a support extension of up to three years.
Microsoft has confirmed that it won’t extend the ESU program for Windows 7 after January 10, 2023. Organizations and businesses that still use Windows 7 devices won’t receive updates anymore for the operating system after the deadline.
Microsoft won’t extend Windows 7 Extended Security Updates. Server gets another year | #linux | #linuxsecurity https://t.co/dk9tSmPVUX
— National Cyber Security (@NcsVentures) November 10, 2021
This essentially means that Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 7 Professional for Embedded Systems will enter the final year of extended support on February 8, 2022.
Interestingly, Microsoft is being lenient to Windows Server 2008 products. The company has granted an extension of a year for these products.
Microsoft offers paid extended support for Windows 7. They can receive security updates as part of the Windows 7 ESU program (Extended Security Updates, Extended Security Updates) until January 2023. In 2021, the price of this service has increased to $ 50 for each computer, and
— Yaroslav Gavrilov (@appletesterrus) November 10, 2021
This means, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 for Embedded Systems, and Windows Server 2008 SP2 for Embedded Systems if running on Microsoft Azure, ESU will have one additional year of extended support. Microsoft will terminate the ESU program for good on January 9, 2024.
Incidentally, the cost of ESU for Windows 7 Professional is $200 per device, and for Windows 7 Enterprise, Microsoft charges $100 per device. When Microsoft launched the program, it mentioned that the price for the ESU program would double each year. This could mean the fourth year of ESU for Windows Server customers could cost $200 per device.