Microsoft Ends Support For Windows 8

In a new effort to push customers towards Windows 10, Microsoft announced today that it is ending its support for Windows 8 along with IE 8, IE 9 and IE 10. This does not mean, of course, that the software will suddenly stop working, but it does mean that there will no longer be security patches or bug fixes available to customers for these products. This could be dangerous and expose users to malware if they do not upgrade.

For those who have not upgraded yet, Microsoft suggests that users who wish to keep Internet Explorer should upgrade to IE 11, which has improved performance, better security and more support. Users can also choose to upgrade to Microsoft Edge, the newest web browser in the Microsoft family. This is the built-in Windows 10 browser, has a simple design, offers access to Cortana, Microsoft’s virtual assistant software, and more.

People who like the latest and greatest software are numerous, but Microsoft estimates that approximately 20 percent of people using computers for web browsing are using IE 8, IE9 or IE 10.

Microsoft is also advising those who have Windows 8 to upgrade to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, as these are the only operating systems that will still receive security updates. Those who upgrade to Windows 8.1 will receive support until 2023, and those who upgrade to Windows 10 will get support until 2025.

Approximately 200 million devices around the world currently have Windows 10 installed, but the company wants to increase this number to over a billion over the next few years. Windows 8, however, is only running on 2-3 percent of all computers, but that equates to 30 to 40 million devices. The company hopes, that by pushing these old versions of Windows out of the door, that it will encourage customers to upgrade to a better, safer version of Windows.