Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020 and for Windows 8.1 on January 10, 2023, two popular versions of its operating system. End of support means that computers running these versions of Windows will still function but will no longer receive security updates or technical assistance from Microsoft, leaving them vulnerable to potential security threats. Windows 7, which was first released in 2009, has been one of the most widely used versions of Windows, with a market share of around 2.62% as of 2024. Windows 8.1 was released in 2013 and currently has a much lower market share of 0.31%.
Many people may still be using these versions of Windows and may be unaware of the risks associated with using an unsupported operating system. As a result, it is highly recommended that users upgrade to a newer version of Windows, such as Windows 11, to ensure that they continue to receive security updates and technical assistance from Microsoft. Upgrading to a newer version of Windows can be done by purchasing a new computer with Windows 11 pre-installed, or by purchasing a Windows 11 license and upgrading an existing PC. While upgrading may be a bit of an inconvenience and a cost to some, it is important to note that the risks of not upgrading far outweigh the inconvenience. Without security updates, computers are vulnerable to cyber threats and miss out on new features and improvements in newer versions of Windows.
Bitdefender to continue antimalware support for Windows 7 & Windows 8.1 until 2025
Bitdefender understands the security difficulties and challenges users face and aims to exert every effort to help them stay protected during software changes. As such, Bitdefender will continue to provide antimalware support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 until January 14, 2025. This means that Bitdefender security solutions can still protect Windows 7 & Windows 8.1 against malware, as long as they receive updates and support for computers running these operating systems. Please check the End of Life Policy for news on when Bitdefender will end antimalware support for these versions of Windows.
Antimalware support does not substitute Microsoft security updates
Antimalware support refers to the ongoing security updates and support provided by cybersecurity technology companies to protect computers running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 from malicious software. When Microsoft ends support for a version of Windows, it also ends the development and distribution of security updates for that version. As a result, unsupported versions of Windows, like Windows 7 or 8.1 become vulnerable to security threats. It’s important to note that while Bitdefender antimalware support can help protect against cyber threats, it is not a substitute for the security updates provided by Microsoft. Antimalware software cannot fix operating system vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers.
As such, while antimalware support can provide an additional layer of protection, it is still highly recommended that Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users migrate as early as possible to a newer version of Windows to ensure that they continue to receive security updates and technical assistance from Microsoft, taking full advantage of the latest security technologies.