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People who are still using computers running on Windows 7 and 8.1 only have a few months left to use a fully-supported Google Chrome. By early 2023, Google announced it would stop deploying updates and newer versions of the browser to devices running on the said operating systems.
The company recently announced on a support page that it is “sunsetting” support for Google Chrome on Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 PCs. The last fully-supported version of Google Chrome, known as Chrome 110, that will be released on affected devices is currently scheduled to go live on Feb. 7, 2023.
Google noted that PCs running on the affected operating systems can still use older versions of the Chrome browser. So it is not entirely becoming unavailable to these devices.
The end of support, however, means Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 computers will no longer receive later versions and updates for Google Chrome after February 2023. This may not be the best option, especially considering the lack of updates for any future security issues in older versions of the browser.
PC users who want to keep using an up-to-date version of the web browser and to ensure they have the latest security updates may have to ultimately upgrade to a new laptop. Microsoft has also been gradually dropping its support for older operating systems in recent years.
Windows 7 became generally available in 2009. Microsoft shipped Windows 8 in 2012, then the Windows 8.1 update in the following year. It is then not surprising that more tech services and products are already ending support for these operating systems.
Microsoft officially ended its Windows 7 support in 2020. But some of its services, including Microsoft 365, offered extended support for a few more years (until January 2023 only).
The company has also been providing “extended support” with security updates for Windows 8.1 devices, but that is also going to end on Jan. 10, 2023. Microsoft’s best advice is for PC users to upgrade to Windows 10 or purchase a new device running on Windows 11.
Photo by Benjamin Dada on Unsplash
