Windows 7 users, ready up: You got just one year of free support left

Windows 7 might have been around for a very long time, but there are still many devices online that are using this operating system. In fact, around 35 percent of all Windows desktop users were still stuck with Windows 7 in December 2018, according to StatCounter. However, these figures might change quite a bit until the second quarter of 2020.

Windows 7 without service packs is no longer supported by Microsoft since April 9, 2013. Anyway, most users are probably running Windows 7 SP1, but even this updated version lost Microsoft's mainstream support on January 13, 2015. On the other hand, its extended support period will end on January 14, 2020. These being said, one question remains: What will happen to Windows 7 users after January 14, 2020?

Obviously, the question above has three big answers:

• Most of the aforementioned Windows users will upgrade to Windows 10 or move to macOS/Linux.
• Some will continue using their systems without being protected by Microsoft with new patches and security updates. After all, there are still quite a few Windows XP computers in the wild nowadays, so it will probably take years for Windows 7 devices to go below 5 percent of the global Windows market share.
• Other users, mainly businesses who choose to stay with Windows 7 for various reasons, will choose to pay Microsoft for Extended Security Updates.

Those who want to know more about the last choice mentioned above should also know that paid Windows 7 Extended Security Updates will be offered through January 2023 on a per-device basis to all Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Enterprise customers in Volume Licensing. The price will increase each year, but customers with Windows software assurance, Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education subscriptions will get a discount.

Are you still using Windows 7? Why? What will you do after January 14, 2020?