As of January 14, 2020, Microsoft will cease both support and the provision of security updates for PCs running Windows 7. This impending change will require a large amount of remediation work as Windows 7 is estimated to be in use on over 30% of all PCs globally.
This leaves a large volume of users who are in need of a migration plan that will need to be actioned before this time. If you fall into this category, this article will hopefully help to both inform and navigate you towards Windows 7 end of life preparation and decisions.
The question as to the continued usage of Windows 7 after January 14 and its impact is frequently raised. Despite Windows 7 still operating post the above-mentioned end of support date, any users will be left exposed and vulnerable to security risks as the provision of security and feature updates will cease. This means that there will be no ongoing patches for any security issues, leaving the user open to any emergent threats. Also, support for Internet Explorer on Windows 7 PCs will no longer be available due to the same support lifecycle.
What this means is that although the Windows 7 operating system will continue to function post January 14 2020, in reality the planning of a Windows 10 systems upgrade should be considered a priority and be undertaken as soon as possible to avoid imminent risks.
In order to utilise the latest hardware capabilities, it is recommended to make the change to a new PC running Windows 10, Microsoft’s latest operation system. It is sometimes possible to upgrade existing compatible Windows 7 PCs to Windows 10, however compatibility is not guaranteed and the move a new PC is likely to be of greater benefit, allowing users to fully adopt the latest hardware and related performance gains.
No matter which route you should ultimately decide to take in response to Windows 7 end of life, it is vital that your documents are securely backed up (either to an external hard drive or to a cloud storage set up) before any migration or upgrade – so it is advisable that you undertake this exercise regularly.
Should you need clarification as to whether your existing Windows 7 hardware is compatible with a Windows 10 upgrade or need support through the migration preparation, decisions and execution Pink Chalk will be more than happy to offer assistance.
