Are you Ready? Everything you need to know about Windows 7 End of Life

Why do I need to know about Windows 7 end of life?

It might only seem like yesterday, but Windows 7 was released 10 years ago. Thanks to a widespread lack of support for Windows 8.1, Windows 7 is still hugely popular, meaning that hundreds of millions of users worldwide are likely to be affected by Windows 7 end of life.

Once the Windows 7 end of life phase is complete, there’ll be no patches, support or bug fixes available to you if you encounter any problems while using it. As well as this, there’ll be no updates to the software released, meaning that you’ll be both more susceptible to cyber attacks, and won’t be able to take advantage of developing updates within the cyber security landscape.

It’s no secret that with the onset of GDPR, data security breaches, and the fallout after them, can cost your business huge amounts of money. Rather than ignoring update alerts, beating Windows 7 end of life to the finish line will help in the fight against hacking, ensuring none of your devices are left vulnerable to malicious software.

How can I make sure my devices aren’t affected? 

While the Windows 7 end of life end date is set for January 14th 2020, it’s a good idea to begin upgrading your devices and software before then if you can. Hackers and cyber attackers will know as well as you do that end of life means a weakened security barrier for them to penetrate; upgrading to Windows 10 before this barrier breaks down means your security systems will stay strong throughout the changes.

If you have automatic updates enabled, Windows 10 will automatically be installed across your devices before the Windows 7 end of life phase begins. Because Windows 10 is also owned by Microsoft, updating your systems because of Windows 7 end of life shouldn’t cause you and your business too much disruption, and with similar interfaces on both Windows 7 and Windows 10, you shouldn’t notice too much difference when you’re using your everyday systems either.

However and whenever you decide to upgrade your systems, it’s good practice to ensure your files, folders and confidential information is backed up in a secure location as a second layer of protection against any of your information being lost. If you’d like to learn more about securely backing up your data in light of Windows 7 end of life, take a look at our Back Up and Disaster Recovery solutions.

What are the benefits of Window 10? 

While it’s important to stay aware of the changes to your systems if you’re currently operating with an older version of Windows 7, Windows 7 end of life is by no means a bad thing for your business when it comes to embracing more seamless systems. Windows 10 is a modern operating system built for more modern machines. That means that while Windows 10 can run well on older devices, it will be able to align with your updated software much more easily than Windows 7. It’s also worth noting that Microsoft’s updated software is available across all your desktop computers, laptops and tablets, enabling a seamless experience across every device you and your team use, and ultimately upping your business’s productivity. In this way, Windows 7 end of life can give you a head start on new technologies and new user experiences, and with Microsoft heavily incentivising a move to Windows 10, there’s never been a better time to take the plunge, and embrace new software.

Not sure where to begin when it comes to updating your systems? Our friendly team of knowledgeable engineers are always on hand to see you through updates like Windows 7 end of life. Get in touch to make sure your systems always stay one step ahead of the hackers.