Key Specifications
- Support for Windows 8.1 support to end in January 2023
- Microsoft preparing to notify Windows 8.1 about the end-of-support date
- Microsoft suggests moving to a new PC with Windows 11
After saying goodbye to Internet Explorer, Microsoft has now announced that it will stop providing technical support for Windows 8.1. As per the reports, the software giant will begin notifying users of existing Windows 8.1 devices next month as a first reminder before Windows 8.1 support is discontinued.
The notifications will be similar to previous notifications used by Microsoft to alert Windows 7 customers about end-of-support dates. The tech giant initially stopped supporting Windows 8 in 2016. However, support for the Windows 8.1 update will end fully in January 2023.
Also, businesses won’t be able to pay for further security fixes because Microsoft won’t be providing an ESU (Extended Security Update) program for Windows 8.1. They will have to upgrade or accept the risk of running software without security updates.
Windows 8.1 Support To End In January 2023
Microsoft will end Windows 8.1 support in about six months from now, i.e., on January 10, 2023. In addition to this, Microsoft 365 apps will no longer be supported on Windows 8.1 after the operating system reaches its end of support dates. To avoid performance and reliability users, users are recommended to move to a newer version of Windows.
To maintain the stability and reliability of Microsoft 365, the tech giant strongly recommends users to take advantage of the latest hardware capabilities by moving to a new PC with Windows 11.
Adding to it, Microsoft mentions that “Today’s computers are faster, more powerful, and sleeker – plus they come with Windows 11 already installed.” However, there must be a noteworthy number of users who just cannot upgrade to a new system at the given time.
Microsoft suggests that on Windows 8 or the 8.1 version users can upgrade to Windows 10 by purchasing and installing a full version of the software. Although, the company also confirmed that Windows 10 will reach the end of support on October 14, 2025. This means your next PC purchased should ideally have Windows 11. So, if someone’s computer does not support the hardware requirements of Windows 11, then upgrading to Windows 10 is still a feasible option.
