Have you ever heard of Windows lifecycle support? Do you know how long will your version of Windows will be supported? If both answers are no, you should read this article carefully. Here, I will show you the end of support of common operating systems and introduce mainstream support & extended support to you.

People asked a lot of questions about the Windows lifecycle support:

  • How long will Windows 10 be supported?
  • How long will Windows 8.1 be supported?
  • How long will Windows 7 be supported?
  • Is Windows 8 still supported?

Actually, Microsoft gave official response to these kinds of questions. Noticing users’ doubts, I decide to talk about the support of different Windows versions in detail.

Are You Clear about the Windows Lifecycle Support

It is reasonable that each Windows product has a lifecycle, which begins when the product is released and ends when the support for it is stopped. In this part, I will walk you through some Windows lifecycle related topics that many Windows users care the most about.

Mainstream Support and Extended Support

To be specific, mainstream support and extended support define the exact expiration dates that Microsoft gives for its operating systems: Windows 7/8.1/10, etc. So, what’s the difference between mainstream support and extended support?

Windows mainstream support.

If your operating system is within mainstream support, it means that Microsoft will still do things to help improve that version of system.

  • Release security updates for fixing bugs.
  • Release feature updates.
  • Provide design changes.
  • Offer help through the phone or web chat at no charge.

The mainstream support will generally be ended five years after the release of certain operating system.

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Windows extended support.

You may pass the mainstream support into only extended support when necessary. Yet, within this period, you’ll get less support.

  • You won’t able to receive any new features or bug fixes for the OS.
  • Only some security patches are still available.
  • You need to pay for the official help.

In general, this extended support will also last for five years. When the extended supported is ended, the certain operating system is finally unsupported.

mainstream support & extended support

Windows 7 End of Life Countdown

On January 13, 2015, the mainstream support for Windows 7 has been stopped. Yet, you can choose to pass the mainstream support for Windows 7 into extended support if you are still unwilling to say goodbye to Windows 7.

Of course, most of the users choose to upgrade their system to the latest Windows 10 to enjoy better support.

Will The End Of Windows 7 Support Affect You?

Windows 8 End of Support

The mainstream support for Windows 8 has already been stopped on 13 January 2016. Since then, no more security patches will be released by Microsoft. That is to say, any holes that found after the end of Windows 8 support will be kept unpatched, which leaves great chance for hackers.

Look here if you need to recover files deleted by virus attack.

As for Windows 8.1 users, the mainstream support has been stopped on 9 January 2018. Yet, they can enjoy the extended support until 10 January 2023.

Is Windows 10 the Last Version

Though Windows 10 is the latest operating system of Microsoft, no operating system can last forever; you need to prepare for that in advance. Yet, things are a little bit different with Windows 10 since it is provided more as a service than a pure system.

Microsoft decides to improve Windows 10 regularly, instead of releasing a brand-new Windows operating system every few years, like before. That’s why it is said that Windows 10 will be the final version of Windows.

final version of Windows

Microsoft is working on creating a world where people don’t need to keep track of various Windows versions anymore. In this way, it can simplify its ecosystem. In this new world, the most recent updates and all recent features are available for everyone.

Click here to know more details about Windows Server support.

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