Following its initial reminder in June, Microsoft has once again reminded users about the impending end of support for Windows 8.1 which happens early next year on January 10th. And just like with Windows 10 version 21H1, the company"s focus is once again on moving over users to Windows 11. The company has explained what end-of-support means and why moving over to Windows 11 is a good idea:
As of January 10, 2023, computers running Windows 8.1 will still function, but Microsoft will no longer provide the following:
- Technical support of any issue
- Software updates
- Security updates or fixes
While you could continue to use a PC running Windows 8.1, without continued software and security updates, your PC will be at greater risk for viruses and malware. We recommend upgrading to a version of Windows that is still supported. A new device that can run Windows 11 makes for an easy transition and a great experience.
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How is Windows 11 security better than Windows 8.1?
Windows 11 is the most secure Windows ever built, with comprehensive end-to-end security that covers antivirus, firewall, internet protections, and more. This means more security features, dashboard displays, and ongoing updates to help safeguard against future threats—all built-in at no extra cost.
This also means the end of support for Microsoft 365 (Office) apps, as well as your ability to make purchases from the Microsoft Store.
Microsoft also recommends getting a new computer as well and seeing how Windows 11 has pretty stringent system requirements, it is probably a good idea to do so anyway as any CPU over six years old is unlikely to be supported on Windows 11. And the requirements haven"t changed with version 22H2 either. Though in the case you opt for Windows 10, hardware requirements shouldn"t be a cause for concern.
Why should I consider a new computer?
PCs originally built with Windows 8.1 are designed with technology that is about 10 years old. Once you move to a new PC, there will be many aspects of Windows that you will find familiar, but also with important software and hardware innovations and capabilities that were not available a decade ago.
There is a good reason why Microsoft keeps reminding users of Windows 11. The latest data suggests that only 15% of people have upgraded to Windows 11 from Windows 10. The strict system requirements for Windows 11 have kept many users away. For organizations, it"s a big challenge and even a whole year later, only about half the systems are Windows 11-ready according to data from a massive scale survey.