In just a few months time Microsoft will officially end support for its hugely popular Windows 7 operating system.
This radical move means that, from January 2020, users of the ageing operating system will no longer receive vital upgrades.
Microsoft has been very upfront with users about this change but it has also warned that, after the January 14 date, PCs will become more vulnerable to security risks as users will stop receiving security and feature updates.
Explaining more about the end of Windows 7, the US firm said: “Microsoft made a commitment to provide 10 years of product support for Windows 7 when it was released on October 22, 2009. “When this 10-year period ends, Microsoft will discontinue Windows 7 support so that we can focus our investment on supporting newer technologies and great new experiences.
“The specific end of support day for Windows 7 will be January 14, 2020. After that, technical assistance and software updates from Windows Update that help protect your PC will no longer be available for the product.
“Microsoft strongly recommends that you move to Windows 10 sometime before January 2020 to avoid a situation where you need service or support that is no longer available.
“You can continue to use Windows 7, but after support has ended, your PC will become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses.
“Windows will continue to start and run, but you will no longer receive software updates, including security updates, from Microsoft.”
If you are still a fan of Windows 7 then this news is clearly worrying and it seems many users are starting to take Microsoft’s advice.
Stats show a dramatic shift in people making the switch to Windows 10.
In fact, recent figures from NetMarketShare show that Microsoft’s latest operating system now has a whopping 50 per cent share of the Microsoft market.
Meanwhile, Windows 7 adoption is falling at a rapid rate as users appear to be ending their love affair with this iconic software.
Stats reveal that Windows 7 is now installed on just 30 per cent of all Microsoft-powered machines.
It’s a pretty incredible turnaround as this time last year Windows 7 was still leading the way with the most users.
However, over the past 12 months, Windows 10 adaptation has grown and grown with it not just overtaking Windows 7 but now eclipsing it.
When Windows 10 first arrived in 2015, Microsoft famously declared that it wanted to have one billion people using it within two to three years.
That dream didn’t become a reality but with Windows 7 about to become obsolete, Microsoft could finally get that huge user number they’ve been desperately wanting.