End of life and support for older versions of Windows
Microsoft discontinued support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, and for Windows 8.1 on January 10, 2023. In addition, support for Windows Server 2008 R2 ended on January 14, 2020, and for Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 on October 10, 2023. With this, computers and servers using the aforementioned Windows versions can still operate but will no longer receive security updates or technical support from Microsoft, making them susceptible to security risks.
To continue delivering a secured product, Bitdefender announces the end of life and support for the following operating systems:
Windows 7
Windows 8.x
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012
Windows Server 2012 R2
End of life effects
Starting with January 2025, the following will apply for the aforementioned operating systems:
Bitdefender will no longer release new features and product updates.
Security updates and maintenance releases will still be provided until January 2026.
Recommendations
When Microsoft's support ends, security updates are no longer delivered, leaving the system vulnerable to threats. While BEST provides an additional layer of protection, it cannot replace Microsoft's security updates. Therefore, users should upgrade to a newer Windows version to ensure they continue to receive security updates and technical support.