January 14th, 2020 marks the end of support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. This means that Microsoft will stop pushing out security updates for these operating systems. When the support ends, it will become incredibly risky to use unsupported Windows 7. This is because the purpose of the updates is to correct any security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers.
This means if your computer’s running Windows 7 it’s imperative to upgrade to the next version as soon as possible. Delaying can result in a lack of preparation necessary to avoid problems with software and/or data transfer.
In an office with many computers using unsupported Windows 7, you should upgrade the computers one or two at a time. This avoids a situation in which most of the office is unable to work at once. It can also help solidify the process and shorten time for the computers that upgrade last. Every office environment is different, and planning and testing can help avoid most issues.
Older versions of programs installed on an unsupported Windows versions will also lose support soon after the operating system does. This can make it difficult to update the program and receive tech support from the developer of the software. While unsupported versions of Windows still function fundamentally, security risk combined with potentially unstable programs can lead to many issues.
