Microsoft introduced Windows 7 in July 2009. Several companies began deploying Windows 7 only a few months before the launch of Windows 10 in July 2015. More than half of the company’s Windows devices were running Windows 10, the rest in Windows 7 and other earlier versions of Windows. But the support clock clicked.
Microsoft employees have announced twice that Windows 7 users will continue to receive security updates beginning January 14, 2020. Both options are for commercial customers, not consumers.
What happens to Windows 7? Nothing at this time.
The operating system will continue to work or not for each user the day before the end of support. It is important to remember, if only because some people still do not, provided that the operating system stops after midnight on January 14, 2020.
Even microsoft reminds customers that Windows 7 will continue to run after deletion, even though these reminders may appear at the top of the task list. In these frequently asked questions about the end of support, Microsoft waited for the fifth element before meeting the operating system’s resistance. “If you continue using Windows 7 after support is complete, your PC will continue to function,” Microsoft promised. “Your PC will continue to boot and run.”
However, customer support stops, in theory, Microsoft phone and chat support does not answer any questions, as do security updates.
This is the good news. Bad? Office 365, whose principle is a constant evolution, is not updated based on new features or functionalities. In other words, the function is locked and remains that way.
On the Office side, versions sold as “perpetual licenses”, for example. Office 2010 or 2016, beyond the default duration of each suite.
Buy office professional plus 2019, the latest set of perpetual licenses, is only compatible with Windows 10.
Microsoft has not yet announced what it would do for Security Essentials, the free antimalware product for Windows 7. Windows XP also deserves a look: Microsoft has been providing definition updates for more than a year after XP’s withdrawal.
What happens if we cannot start Windows 7 but cannot run PCs without patches?
Microsoft is pleased to sell commercial customers ranging from the smallest to the largest, called Extended Security Updates (ESU), which will provide security updates for critical and important solutions in mid-January. 2023. for a price.
Although Microsoft has described ESU as a “last resort” for Windows 7 customers, most of these “Frequently Asked Questions about the end of technical support” were intended to describe the service, exceed its limits and promote its benefits. ESU is by far the most transparent security concept introduced by Microsoft after retirement. The company is aware that many companies will not meet the deadline and, therefore, want a limited time solution or seek to use the possible recent change in the operating system of this type to generate additional revenue.Or both.
Note that ESU does not affect security updates for Office 365 ProPlus, the part of an Office 365 subscription that provides locally installed applications, on Windows 7. Windows 7 PCs not covered by ESU will continue to receive patches for Office 365 ProPlus . Microsoft explained this in its frequently asked questions: “Windows 7 ESU does not affect Office 365 ProPlus support in Windows 7”.
