After the Windows 7 OS ended its official support in January 2020, January 2023 ended another most widely used OS. It’s Windows 8.1 that will officially end its technical and software support on January 10th, 2023.
Microsoft took it to Twitter, warning users to upgrade to newer Windows 11 to stay patched up against unwanted viruses and malware or face the risk.
Windows 8.1 Support Ends Coming January
Windows 8.1 will officially end its support on January 10, 2023. It means there won’t be any software updates, security updates, or technical support for Windows 8.1. Although systems running Windows 8.1 will still function, they will be exposed to a greater risk of malware.
Windows 8.1 users have options to upgrade to the latest Windows 11. It is highly recommended by Microsoft since it will keep your PC up-to-date for years. But there’s an option to upgrade to Windows 10 with an end-of-life date of October 14th, 2025.
Again, even if Windows 10 ends support, the systems will keep working but with exposure to unwanted elements.
Microsoft has updated an FAQ page with all the answers to questions that users might have. It also declared that there wouldn’t be any Extended Security Update (ESU) for Windows 8.1, so that ship has sunk.
As per the FAQs, there’s no free upgrade from Win8.1 to Win10 or Win11. It means users will still have to purchase a copy of the same. If you are on Windows 10, you will still get the Windows 11 upgrade for free.
Windows 11 is recommended because of its fortifying security mechanisms, including firewall, antivirus, internet protections, and a full suite of comprehensive end-to-end security features.
