14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft officially abandoned Windows 7 back in January 2020, but since then, the company has been servicing this operating system as part of the ESU program for enterprises.
With Windows 7 currently in its third year of custom support, Microsoft is now preparing for the final goodbye for this operating system, with the software giant to then focus entirely on newer versions of Windows.
An important part of leaving Windows 7 behind is the retirement of browser support for this OS version. Microsoft has already confirmed that starting February, Microsoft Edge would no longer receive updates on Windows 7.
And in a new update published on the Windows health dashboard, the company reminds that Edge version 109, which is due to ship in the week of January 12, will be the last version of its browser that goes live on Windows 7.
“The upcoming Microsoft Edge version 109 - scheduled for release on the week of January 12th, 2023 - will be the last version to support Windows 7 Extended Security Update (ESU) and Windows 8/8.1. This also applies to WebView2 Runtime version 109, which is releasing this same week and is also ending support on these Windows versions,” Microsoft explains, adding that Windows 8.1 would also be abandoned on January 10 next year.
Needless to say, Windows 7 devices where Microsoft Edge is installed can continue to run the browser, albeit without further security updates.
“Microsoft Edge and WebView2 versions 109 and earlier will continue to work on Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1, but will not receive new features or future security updates. To get new versions of Microsoft Edge or the WebView2 Runtime with up-to-date functionality and security, please upgrade to Windows 10 or later,” the software giant noted.