Microsoft Edge to End Support for Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 in January 2023

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is finally dropping support for Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 in January 2023. Microsoft has announced in a blog post that Microsoft Edge and Webview2 Runtime version 109 will be the last release to support these older operating systems.

Microsoft’s announcement is a reminder that it’s planning to end support for Windows 7 Extended Security Updates and Windows 8/8.1 on January 10, 2023. The company also warned that Microsoft 365 apps running on legacy operating systems would also stop receiving security updates. Naturally, ending support for Microsoft Edge will inevitably push business customers toward the newer version of Windows.

“Both Microsoft Edge version 109 and Webview2 Runtime version 109 are scheduled for release the week of January 12th, 2023. While Microsoft Edge and Webview2 Runtime versions 109 and earlier will continue to work on these operating systems, those versions will not receive new features, future security updates, or bug fixes,” the Microsoft Edge team explained.

Microsoft Edge 110 to kill off support for some older versions of Windows Server

Additionally, Microsoft has announced some important changes for IT Pros. The company notes that Microsoft Edge 109 will be the last version to support Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2012 R2. However, Internet Explorer will continue to work until the operating systems reach end of support deadline.

Microsoft is suggesting Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 customers to update to Windows 10 or 11. The company acknowledges that this change might impact some developers, but it’s necessary to protect users against security threats and vulnerabilities.

It is important to note that Google also plans to kill off support for Chrome on these operating systems in January 2023. Meanwhile, Mozilla is considering to extend Firefox support on the older Windows versions until August 2023. Let us know in the comments section below if you’re still running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 on your machines.