Windows 7 was one of Microsoft’s best-loved computing operating systems and most of us are still using it.
According to NetMarketShare’s September 2018 data, 40.88% are still using Windows 7 – compared to the 37.44% who have moved on to the latest operating system, Windows 10.
But like all operating systems before it, Windows 7 will eventually reach the end of its lifecycle, making an upgrade an absolutely essential task for the safety of your PC.
The reasons behind the lag in updating an OS vary depending on the software in place, which may be unable to run on the newest OS versions, to economic reasons, and even down to comfortability of routinely using the same OS.
After Windows 7 end of life, you can continue to use the OS, but at your own risk. New computer viruses and other malware are developed all the time and, without the security updates to fight them off, your data and your system are vulnerable.
Nonetheless, an old unpatched OS is a cybersecurity risk and the cost of an incident may be substantially higher than the cost of upgrading. This is why we recommend that customers migrate to supported versions and ensure that additional security tools are in place during the transition period.