Windows 7 end of life: The end of an era
The end is finally here! After over a decade of being the most chosen Windows version, Windows 7 has reached its end of life. While the OS's Extended Support ended on Jan. 14, 2020, the Extended Security Updates (ESUs) reached their end of life on Jan. 10, 2023.
As we bid farewell to this successor of Windows Vista, and by far one of the most user-friendly OSs, let us take a deep dive into what Windows 7 end of life entails.
Windows 7: Then and now
Officially released on Oct. 22, 2009, Windows 7 was the 24th addition to the Washington-based tech giant's OS arsenal. As an immediate successor to Vista, Windows 7 resolved some of the common issues associated with its predecessor, including User Account Control and stability.
In addition to its flashy features, such as a slick, less cluttered taskbar; a renovated system tray; and multi-touch support, the OS also flaunted a minimal list of hardware requirements.
- Processor: 1GHz or faster (32-bit or 64-bit)
- RAM: 1GB (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)
- HDD: 16GB (32-bit) or 20GB (64-bit)
- Graphics card: DirectX 9 with Windows Display Driver Model 1.0 and above
Even though Windows 7 was a popular choice among both home and enterprise users, it finally gave way to Windows 10.
The Windows 7 end of life timeline
While it might seem that Windows 7 has gone through multiple end of life announcements and cycles, here's a timeline of the entire process:
Jan. 13, 2015: Microsoft ended Mainstream Support for Windows 7.
Sept. 6, 2018: Microsoft announced the ESUs for Windows 7. The ESU program is a paid service that provides critical security updates for legacy products for up to three years after Extended Support ends.
August 2019: Microsoft announced a year of free ESUs, but only for select users, including customers with an Enterprise Agreement or Enterprise Agreement Subscription with active Windows 10 Enterprise E5, Microsoft 365 E5, or Microsoft 365 E5 Security subscriptions. This was limited to only Government E5 stock keeping units.
Jan. 14, 2020: Microsoft ended Extended Support for Windows 7.
Jan. 10, 2023: The ESUs reached their end of life on the first Patch Tuesday of 2023.
Confused? So were we
Microsoft offers product support in two phases:
Mainstream Support: This is the first phase of the product life cycle. It includes incident support, security update support, and non-security updates.
Extended Support: This is the support phase that starts after Mainstream Support ends. It includes paid support and free security updates.
Learn more from Microsoft's documentation.
What does Windows 7 end of life mean for you as a user?
The Windows IT Pro Blog stated, "For Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 7 Professional for Embedded Systems, the Extended Security Update (ESU) Program will be entering its third and final year of providing security updates beginning on January 12, 2022 and ending on January 10, 2023."
Because the ESUs reached their end of life on Jan. 10, 2023, no further security updates will be provided for Windows 7. This means the OS will not receive any further patches and thus can be a target of exploitation if any vulnerabilities are found in it.
Besides security updates, the latest Microsoft 365 apps are no longer supported by the OS. Microsoft has also stated that Edge version 109 is the last version to support Windows 7.
In the absence of regular security patches, Windows 7 is now a haven for threat actors. By exploiting any unpatched vulnerabilities in the software, hackers can potentially exfiltrate sensitive data or deliver ransomware payloads into a system. If that's not convincing enough, you should know that a total of 2,334 vulnerabilities were reported in Windows 7 from 2012 to Jan. 10, 2023.
The solution?
It is safe to say that systems that haven't been upgraded even after Windows 7 end of life await doomsday. The ideal solution is to upgrade to the latest OS versions (i.e., Windows 10 and above) for the systems that meet the requirements.
Upgrading Windows 7 end of life systems to the latest Windows versions is definitely a headache when there are many machines in an enterprise. To streamline the workflow, IT admins can automate the entire process by deploying the Windows 10 feature pack with an automated patching solution: Patch Manager Plus.
Frequently asked questions
1) Can I still use Windows 7 after 2023?
Yes, Windows 7 can still be used after Jan. 10, 2023. However, since no security updates will be provided to the OS, it can easily be exploited by threat actors if vulnerabilities arise in it.
2) What happens when Windows 7 expires?
Windows 7 will not receive any further updates, be it security or non-security features, because the ESUs have expired.
3) When did Windows 7 reach end of life?
Windows 7's Extended Support reached its end of life on Jan. 14, 2020, and the ESUs reached their end of life on Jan. 10, 2023.
i am an elderly user and your answer to questions is worse than the questions set. ! you presume that everyone speaks computer language . i do not . i have windows 11 . i cannot find anything...docs, photos. why do you make everything so complex? could you please issue and idiots guide
Hi there, Janice! Sorry to hear about your difficulty in navigating Windows 11. That sounds tough! Unfortunately, you will need to reach out to Microsoft directly for help navigating their operating system. We are ManageEngine, an IT software solutions company, and our blog is offering guidance to IT admins on why they need to upgrade their Windows 7 devices to Windows 11 due to the security concerns of operating on an outdated operating system like Windows 7. We don't have any resources on navigating Windows 11 or how to find your files, as we did not develop that operating system and we are not a Microsoft vendor. You'll need to reach out to Microsoft for help navigating their operating system. I'm sure Microsoft's support team would be more than happy to help you out and provide all the necessary resources to get you familiarized with your computer!
when I buy hp laptop I got configuration of window 7 with original key now window 7 not working so what i will do now.
Hi there, Mohammad, thanks for your comment! You'll need to reach out to HP or to Microsoft for this. Windows 7 has reached end of life, so you may need to upgrade to Windows 10 or 11. I recommend reaching out to HP support if the issue is with your machine or to Microsoft support if the issue is with your OS.
THANKS TO WINDOWS 98
I use my HP laptop with Windows 7 on it to play Netflix, Prime, and even my Cable through Spectrum web site(cable company's site) in my back room every day, so not to have to run any cable box etc. Yesterday it just quit going to any channel I put it on. So I tried Netflix and got the error saying my browser is no longer supported and to update to latest version or switch browsers. Thru process of elimination before I changed anything I also tried to update microsoft edge browser and the message back said that micro. edge no longer supports my O.S. like wth? Now M. Edge still plays YouTube fine and anything else I've tried this far. My laptop is already updated to the latest version of Windows it will support I believe. It won't take 10 and I'm sure 8 either. Does anyone have any ideas suggestions or help at all in any way, lol. I really appreciate your time and look forward to hearing ANY suggestions you may have. Thanks again
You say... "Yes, Windows 7 can still be used after Jan. 10, 2023. However, since no security updates will be provided to the OS, it can easily be exploited by threat actors if vulnerabilities arise in it." Well, it is now 2024 and I'm here to tell you I still use Win 7 Pro 64 bit. And for your information, you might be interested to learn that it still gets frequent security updates from Microsoft. Further to this there is still a smattering of software that still supports it, such as Firefox, Thunderbird, Opera etc. I also have Win 11 Pro 64 bit but it isn't a patch on Win 7. And as such I very rarely use it, except to get up dates. You might ask if that's the case then why did I get Win 11 in the first place? That's easy, less and less are producing updates and software for it. So eventually it will bite the dust and I'll be forced to move over to an inferior PC
Removing Widows 7 is the biggest mistake that Microsoft have ever made. It is far superior in handling for any user, The new windows may be considered an advance but only to the designers and the real tech nerds who do not live in the real world but only see theoretical fantasies that exist only on the page in their minds.
I installed Windows 7 Professional on my laptop and it's working, but I can't activate it. When I try I get "A security error occurred." This could be because the activation code has expired. Anyway, will my installation continue to work?
Whats your source for this: you should know that a total of 2,334 vulnerabilities were reported in Windows 7 from 2012 to Jan. 10, 2023
UNtil last week, my HP modern all-in-one printer/copier worked fine. I still have Windows 7. This week the printer will not work at all. All kinds of excuses are shown by HP: Incompatible cartridges, Empty Ink Jets, Installed incorrectly, blah, blah, blah. Its all phoney and we know it. What will make the printer work again?
Hi Christine, Unfortunately, ManageEngine does not sell or service HP printers or Windows OS, so we're unable to help with this type of error. You may need to contact HP Support or Microsoft Support to get to the bottom of the issue you're experiencing. Best of luck!
I got windows 7 on my old MacBook Pro years ago as I was use both operating systems
I use Windows 7 for printing my greeting cards (Publisher 2003) and need a simple printer that will work with it. HP says their newer printers will, but users say the printers are not compatible with Windows 7. Anyone know of a recent inkjet printer that will work easily with Windows 7?
The new printers are now only compatible with 10 or higher. I still use my second Epson stylus older model since about 2000. You might be able to still Google one. There are also alternative after market inks once the originals run out of you want to save money on replacements.
how do i install windows 7? im using windows 8.1 but its even worse (im lagging even more i cant play a single game) i checked microsoft and there was no download button
Hi there, WhySoPurple, Thanks for your question, however, Windows 7 download is not something we can help with unfortunately. This sounds like something for which you'll need to reach out to Microsoft support to get more information on. We at ManageEngine offer products for monitoring and managing Windows OSs, but we do not provide the OSs themselves. This is something only Microsoft can help with. Sorry we can't be more help here!
windows 7 2017
Hi there, ailx, regardless of the OS or year, we are unable to provide downloads for any Windows OSs. You will need to reach out to Microsoft for help with downloading any version of Windows' OSs.
What can I do when it's wanting me to install windows 7
Hi there, Edward. Can you try to explain the issue further so our experts can better offer guidance? What product is wanting you to install Windows 7?