Microsoft has announced to end the support for Windows 8.1 operating software. The tech giant has said that the technical support and security updates for the old version of Windows operating system will no longer be provided after January 10, 2023. Microsoft is also recommending users to switch to a new PC that can run Windows 11. It has also published a list of FAQs for addressing the doubts which the people using the older version of Windows might have. The company also said that staying on Windows 8.1 after January 2023 can expose your PC to greater risks.
The tech giant, Microsoft, recently announced via its support website that the company will stop providing Windows 8.1 users with latest security updates, technical support, and software updates for the old version of the Windows operating system staring from January 10, 2023.
As the company announces the end of support for Windows 8.1, it has also highlighted that this could potentially put the users’ PCs with older operating systems at a greater risk for viruses and malware. Microsoft has also published a list of FAQs for the Windows 8.1 users to answer the doubts they might have. In the FAQs, the company has recommended users to switch to a newer version of the operating system or to use a new device that runs Windows 11 for easy transition and a better experience.
The support for Windows 8.1 being discontinued does not mean that the software will stop working, rather it will just stop receiving the new security and software updates. After January 10 next year, Microsoft 365 applications will too no longer be supported on Windows 8.1. As these are governed by Microsoft’s Modern Lifecycle Policy that requires users to stay updated, even the Microsoft Office applications like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and others will stop receiving the latest security and software updates.
Microsoft had stopped providing the technical support, security, and software updates for Windows 8 on January 12, 2016 after the company decided to package Windows 8.1 as a service pack for Windows 8.