Windows 7 is now unsupported: here’s what you should know

More than a decade after its launch, Microsoft is finally ending support for Windows 7 today. And it’s a big deal.

PCs running the legacy OS will no longer receive TLC from Microsoft. No patches will be issued, nor security holes plugged.

“While you could continue to use your PC running Windows 7, without continued software and security updates, it will be at greater risk for viruses and malware,” the company added.

From today, more than a third of desktops are at risk.

According to NetMarketShare, 32.7% of all PCs connected to the internet in December were running Windows 7. 47.6% were using on Windows 10.

What if I want to keep Windows 7?

Microsoft doesn’t offer much help.

It does encourage users to upgrade to or install Windows 10 (you can do this for free here). And if they’re unable, it recommends purchasing a new PC entirely.

For businesses, you can also purchase extended support that’ll give you coverage until 2023.

But if you’re a home user and really, really want to keep Windows 7, you should probably consider unplugging your PC from the internet.

Feature image: the Windows 7 update centre, by Christiaan Colen via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0, resized)