Finally, Windows 7 has been given a date on which all support from Microsoft will end. January 14th, 2020, less than 12 months ahead.
Whilst Windows 7 is looked on fondly by millions of users, it is now 10 years old, and has been surpassed by Windows 8, 8.1 and many build versions of Windows 10.
Why should you stop using Windows 7?
As described in our previous article, Microsoft will stop providing security updates that help protect your pc from attacks and security vulnerabilities. With new threats showing up daily, your operating system needs to be constantly updated with additional fixes and security patches. To do this efficiently, Microsoft can’t support all of their operating systems for ever, so an end of life date is used on aging systems.
The same principle is applied by all 3rd party software providers such as Google, Adobe etc. Already, Chrome is not supported on Windows 7, as are certain antivirus software applications. This means that online browsing is no longer safe on a Windows 7 machine.
Staying safe on the internet should be your number one concern and we advise everyone to move to Windows 10 as soon as possible to protect your identity and financial transactions
Upgrading
Windows 10 is the replacement for Windows 7. In some cases, your computer can very simply be upgraded to Windows 10 with little hassle or stress. There is no cost for a Windows 10 licence (product key) as Microsoft allow your existing license to be upgraded without charge. If your computer has already been upgraded from Vista to Windows 10, then it will not be worth upgrading to Windows 10, as your computer will be at least 8 years old and will need replacing.
The only sticking point to moving over to Windows 10, is if you are a business and using software that is specifically designed for Windows 7. However, most software developers have now updated their programs to run on WIndows 10.
Using Windows 10
If you are concerned that Windows 10 might be difficult to use, its not. Whilst it is a little different to use than Windows 7, it has the same layout and familiar structure but with some additional good features. Microsoft have said they will NOT be changing Windows 10 for another OS, such as Windows 11. They will simply update the OS with fixes when needed, so no need to worry about learning how to use a new version of Windows.
Now is the time to make the change. If you need any advice or help on changing to Windows 10, please contact us today.
