As of January 14th, 2020, Microsoft will no longer provide support for Windows 7. This is bad news for the many people still using this popular operating system. If you’re still using Windows 7, it’s important to prepare before next year.
What This Means for Computer Users
Every now and then, Microsoft decides to stop supporting an OS. Once this happens, there will be no more updates or security patches available for the OS. If a new security threat is discovered after January 14th, 2020, users of Windows 7 are completely on their own.
Run All Updates
Before the year ends, make sure that you run all available Windows 7 updates. These updates help ensure there are no security holes and that your computer is safe to use online.
Backup Your Files
It’s important to make sure you have a good backup system in place. If you continue to use Windows 7 after January 14th, the chance of security issues will be increased. If you don’t have your files backed up, you could lose everything if a hacker gets in.
Upgrade
Now is the best time to upgrade to Window 10. However, if your computer ran Windows 7 out of the box, it will not support Windows 10. Even though Microsoft claims you can upgrade, 98% of all Windows 7 machines that do the upgrade have crashed within 2 years. Some even crash instantly.
Anti-Virus Solution
Some anti-virus solutions don’t support older OSs. Make sure that your anti-virus program is up-to-date and will support Windows 7 after 2020.
Final Thoughts
Although you can continue using Windows 7 after January 14th, 2020 you will not get any support from Microsoft. If security issues arise, are totally on your own.
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