The end of support is near for Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2. All of these will stop receiving security updates and technical assistance after Jan. 14, 2020.
Windows 7 end-of-support arrives more than 10 years after the OS was released on Oct. 22, 2009. When the support period ends, technical assistance and software updates via Windows Update will no longer be available. Related Windows 7 services will be discontinued over time; the Electronic Program Guide for Windows Media Center, for one, will be shut down this month.
Some services will continue to receive support. Microsoft will continue to support its Edge browser for another 18 months, terminating support on July 15, 2021, at the earliest. Google will support Chrome on Windows 7 for the same time frame, the company confirmed last week.
The end of support for Windows Server 2008 means the end of additional free on-premise security updates, non-security updates, free support options, and online technical content updates. Users are urged to migrate their Windows Server 2008 products and services to Azure to access three more years of Critical and Important security updates at no additional charge.
For non-Azure environments, Microsoft advises customers to upgrade to the latest version. Those who cannot meet the end-of-support deadline can buy Extended Security Updates to protect their server workloads until they upgrade, though some restrictions apply, it notes.
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