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When Is Windows 8 End of Life?
It's time to start thinking about an upgrade to Windows 10
By Karen Marcus Karen Marcus Writer University of Colorado at Denver Colorado State University Karen Marcus is a former Lifewire writer who has also written for companies like HP, Intel, IBM, Samsung, and others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 17, 2021 Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article
Expand Jump to a Section Windows 8 Extended Support What Does 'End of Life' Mean? Why Support Is Ending Upgrading to Windows 10 Microsoft will implement Windows 8 end-of-life in January 2023, meaning it will discontinue all support, including paid support, and all updates, including security updates. Extended Support
Between now and 2023, Windows 8 is in an in-between phase known as "extended support." During this phase, Microsoft is still offering paid support—though not the complimentary support that comes with the Windows 8 license—and providing security updates, but not design and feature updates. Mario Tama/Getty Images What Does ' End of Life' Mean
"End of life" is when an application is no longer supported by the company that makes it. After Windows 8 end of life, you may continue to use the operating system (OS), but you would be doing so at your own risk. New computer viruses and other malware are being developed all the time and, without the security updates to fight them off, your data and your system would be vulnerable. Why Is Windows 8 Support Ending
The Windows 8 end of life cycle is similar to that of previous Microsoft operating systems. Microsoft states: "Every Windows product has a lifecycle. The lifecycle begins when a product is released and ends when it's no longer supported. Knowing key dates in this lifecycle helps you make informed decisions about when to update, upgrade, or make other changes to your software." Upgrading to Windows 10
Eventually, you’ll upgrade to Windows 10 but whether you do it now or later is up to you. Consider that the sooner you do it, the sooner you can start enjoying the benefits of the new OS. For example, Windows 10 (released in 2015) supports apps that behave the same across different devices. It also features the personalized digital assistant Cortana. The Windows 10 downloading process is straightforward for intermediate to advanced computer users. Others may want to enlist a computer-savvy friend's help. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire When Is Internet Explorer End of Life? Patch Tuesday (Most Recent: October 11, 2022) When Is Windows 10 End of Life? Windows 7: Editions, Service Packs, Licenses, and More When Was the End of the Windows 7 Lifecycle? Windows 8: Editions, Updates, Licenses, & More Can I Upgrade to Windows 8? When Is Office 2010 End of Life? Windows 10: Release Date, Editions, Features, and More How to Clean Install Windows 8 or 8.1 [Walkthrough] A Brief History of Microsoft Windows How to Clean Install Windows 8 Pro Upgrade How to Check Computer Specs Latest Windows 10 Drivers (October 21, 2022) List of Windows 7 Command Prompt Commands Install Windows 8/8.1 From USB [Full Walkthrough] Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies