When those automatic updates dry up early next year though, the risks of running an unsupported Chrome browser on an unsupported version of Windows will compound each month. The first line of defence against these problems is keeping the browser up to date and it helps enormously that Chrome updates itself. In just the last few months we've seen patches for a zero-day in July, a zero-day in August, and a zero-day in September, for example. Over the last few years it has suffered with a large number of critical vulnerabilities, with dozen of zero-days fixed. And software that no longer gets updates is best uninstalled, as it poses a security risk.Ĭhrome is the most widely used web browser by far, with a market share of about 65%, which makes it a very tempting target for cybercriminals. This means Chrome will continue to work on these platforms but will cease receiving critical updates and new features. In early 2023, Chrome will officially end support for Windows 7 and 8.1 with the release of Chrome 110, which the company "tentatively" expects to happen on February 7. The sunsetting of Chrome for legacy Windows versions closely matches Microsoft's support deadline for Windows 7 ESU and Windows 8.1 extended on January 10, 2023. ESU updates only contain security fixes, nothing else, and are designed to provide a lifeline for organizations that can't move away from old products. Browsers based on Chrome, such as Brave, are likely to be similarly affected.Īlthough Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows 7 almost three years ago, it has maintained a "last resort option" in the form of its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. Google recommends upgrading to Windows 10 or Windows 11 if possible, but for those without compatible hardware, this might be a tough move.Īnother option might be moving to ChromeOS Flex, a version of Google’s platform that can be installed on virtually any hardware and includes the latest Chrome updates, as well as a super-lightweight platform that usually runs well on older machines.After keeping Chrome running on early Windows versions for two extra years, giving IT administrators time to update, Google has decided it won't delay any further: Unless organizations upgrade to Windows 10 or 11 next year, they won't be able to use Chrome. This change won’t immediately break the browser if you’re still on an older version of Microsoft’s platform, but Google notes that future Chrome releases won’t be available to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, rather requiring Windows 10 or newer. This matches Microsoft’s end of support for Windows 7 ESU and Windows 8.1 extended support on January 10th, 2023. You’ll need to ensure your device is running Windows 10 or later to continue receiving future Chrome releases. With the release of Chrome 110 (tentatively scheduled for February 7th, 2023), we’ll officially end support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Microsoft technically ended support for Windows 7 all the way back in 2011, but offered several years of extended support due in part to the popularity of the platform. Updates will end for those versions as of January 10, 2023. The timing here lines up with Microsoft’s choice to end support for Windows 7 extended security updates as well as its extended support for Windows 8.1. The change was announced on Google’s support forums. The end of support will come with Chrome v110, which should be released in early February. Google Chrome will end support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 in February 2023, just a few months from now. Starting in early 2023, Google Chrome will strip support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. If you’re still on an older Windows PC running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, Google might be giving you a big reason to finally upgrade.
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