Did you know that it's been a little over 15 years since Microsoft first announced Windows 8? To be precise, June 1, 2011. Years later, the company pulled support for the operating system on January 12, 2016.

But more interestingly, Microsoft veteran software engineer Raymond Chen recently shared a story in his ongoing The Old New Thing series about the code name the company used for Windows 8 during its development.

And, as is typical of Microsoft, employees within the organization started "abbreviating it like mad." In 2025, I extensively covered Microsoft's quirky vocabulary for internal communication, otherwise internally referred to as Microspeak. For instance, the phrase "on fire" refers to "when something has gone horribly wrong and requires immediate attention". Makes sense. Not too cryptic.

Going back to Windows 8, Chen disclosed that the development team behind the operating system abbreviated most things surrounding it. For instance, the new shell was called the “modern shell” or “MoSh” for short, whereas the old shell was referred to as the “classic shell.” Some twisted it a bit further to ClaSh, but the engineer says it didn't stick around for too long.

"When we couldn’t come up with a name for a component of the modern experience, a common fallback was to stick the prefix “Mo” in front," Chen indicated.

Interestingly, Chen reveals that the new Start menu was derived from earlier explorations known as the “Go page.” This is because it typically represents where the user would go when they want to search or "go" and do something. Consequently, Windows 8's Go page was called or given a new code — MoGo.

The list goes on and on. For instance, the settings control panel was called “MoSet,” while the ListView control started as a bit of a mouthful, “modern collection control”, it was later shortened to “MoCo.”

Over the years, Microsoft's internal slang has evolved significantly. We recently learned of Windows K2 — Microsoft's internal codename for an umbrella project that focuses on fixing Windows 11's biggest problems.

At the beginning of the year, the company pledged to address major pain points across the operating system as part of its broader strategy to improve the overall user sentiment. The company has already made good on its promise by reducing where Copilot and its integrations appear following backlash from users.

Microsoft will also allow Windows 11 users to postpone installing updates indefinitely, which is a level of freedom that hasn't been seen since the good old Windows 8 days. We invite you to check out our Windows K2 status tracker to keep tabs on Microsoft's rehabilitation project for Windows 11.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft ended security updates and technical support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, but the operating system still lingers with support in some apps, like Firefox. In 2024, Mozilla announced its plans to extend Firefox support on unsupported operating systems, including Windows 7, through its ESR (Extended Support Release) program.

The company argued that "enough" Firefox users are still running unsupported operating systems, including Windows 7, prompting it to extend support for the browser on old PCs.

While Mozilla was expected to drop support for Firefox on Windows 7 in February, the company has now postponed the end of support for Firefox 115 ESR to August 2026 (via Neowin).

This means that Windows 7 will continue receiving security updates for Firefox 115 ESR for an additional 6 months.

💬 Is upgrading to Windows 11 or switching to Linux becoming inevitable for Firefox users?

Technically, Mozilla has extended support for Firefox on Windows 7 for 24 months, and I suspect that we could see the company extend support even more. However, the company admitted that it's not an easy feat:

"Continuing to support it past October isn't going to be free (backporting security fixes is already getting increasingly painful due to the divergence which naturally happens over time as an ESR goes further into its lifecycle), but there's still enough users there that we felt it was worth doing for now at least."

In the long-run, it seems inevitable for users to upgrade to supported operating systems like Windows 10 or Windows 11 to continue using Firefox."Unsupported operating systems receive no security updates and have known vulnerabilities," Mozilla added. "Without official support from Microsoft, maintaining Firefox for outdated operating systems becomes costly for Mozilla and risky for users."

However, if your PC isn't able to upgrade to Windows 11 due to Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements, Mozilla recommends switching to Linux. Interestingly, this could play out in their favor since "the vast majority of Linux distributions come with Firefox as the default browser."

Do you think Firefox should continue supporting outdated operating systems like Windows 7, 8, and 8.1? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Surprisingly, Windows 7 support lingered in Firefox for a while, even though Microsoft ended its own support for the operating system in 2023. In the following year, 2024, Mozilla highlighted its plan to extend support for legacy versions of Windows (and macOS) through March, including Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, and macOS 10.12 to 10.14 by continuing to ship important security updates via an Extended Support Release (ESR) version of its browser.

Mozilla was initially supposed to extend support for Firefox 115 via its Extended Support Release (ESR) channel until September 2024. The company later pushed the timeline to 2025, then changed it again to March 2026.

"This extension gives users more time to transition while ensuring critical security protections remain available," Mozilla indicated. However, the company has now updated its official support document, indicating that it's poised to end support for Firefox 115 ESR later this month (via Neowin).

As such, Mozilla will no longer continue supporting Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 security updates via its Extended Support Release (ESR) channel.

As it stands, the best option is to upgrade to an officially supported version of Microsoft Windows (Windows 10 or later). This allows you to continue using mainstream browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and now Firefox, while still accessing the latest features, security updates, and improvements.

"Unsupported operating systems receive no security updates and have known vulnerabilities," Mozilla added. "Without official support from Microsoft, maintaining Firefox for outdated operating systems becomes costly for Mozilla and risky for users."

Alternatively, Mozilla recommends switching to a Linux-based operating system if your PC can't upgrade to a supported Windows version for any reason. Besides, "the vast majority of Linux distributions come with Firefox as the default browser."

Over to you

Firefox is leaving Windows 7 behind in 2026. What’s your next move? Let me know in the comments.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 7 and Vista clawing their way out of Microsoft’s graveyard in 2026 wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card, yet here we are. The nostalgia hits hard, but their sudden return comes with a very modern problem: security. And if you’re thinking about running them today, you’ll want to understand exactly what you’re signing up for.

Windows enthusiast and modder Bob Pony recently created ready-to-install ISO files for Windows 7 and Windows Vista, making the operating systems usable again (via PCWorld).

However, Microsoft ended official support for these operating systems, meaning they no longer received security updates. This may expose your PC to critical security threats and risks.

Pony seemingly brought these operating systems back to life by installing all the updates. Perhaps more interestingly, the modder installed all of the security updates for Windows Vista, including the latest updates released via Premium Assurance Updates up to January 2026.

For context, Premium Assurance is a program that Microsoft has been using to maintain legacy operating systems like Windows Vista by keeping security updates flowing for 6 years. It's quite similar to Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program for Windows 10.

As always, it is important to proceed with caution before installing these operating systems in your PC, especially since Microsoft no longer supports them by providing security updates. This means that your system could be susceptible to malicious attacks by bad actors, especially when connected to the internet.

However, you can enjoy the nostalgia rush by downloading the ISO files for Windows 7 or Windows Vista and use it in a virtual machine, simulating the operating system in a safe sandbox, ensuring that your main system is protected from any vulnerabilities.

There's been a lot of rants and trolls about Microsoft's strategy and direction with Windows 11, which partly explains the operating system's slow adoption rate.

Last week, Microsoft's latest security update for Windows 11 rendered some PCs unbootable, raising concern among most users. Another separate error affecting Windows 11 was spotted breaking apps and causing crashes.

Last year, Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows 10, ending support for the operating system on October 14, 2025. The move received a lot of backlash from users, with some suggesting that it was programmed obsolescence designed to force millions of working PCs into early retirement.

It's possible to continue using Windows 10 beyond its end of support date through Microsoft's Extended Updates Security program for free by syncing your PC settings to the cloud via a Microsoft Account, or pay $30 or 1,000 Microsoft Reward points. Some users have blatantly expressed their frustrations, indicating that it feels like a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a sort of band-aid on a bleeding system.

As such, upgrading to Windows 11 seems like the logical next step in the long term, but Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements, flawed design elements, and other issues have made the transition harder. Our Editor-in-Chief says Windows 11 isn't broken; Microsoft just needs to regain user trust and confidence one transparent decision at a time.

Windows 7 and Vista returning from the grave is a fun headline, but the reality is far less charming. These operating systems belong to another era — one without the threats, expectations, and security demands of 2026. If you’re tempted to revisit them, do it with caution. Nostalgia is great, but not at the cost of your system’s safety.

On the other hand, this also speaks strongly to how people are fed up with Windows 11 and are willing to go back decades for a reprieve.

Do you think Windows 11 is in the right trajectory? Share your thoughts in the comments and cast your vote!

Someone must be wishing really hard, as according to StatCounter, Windows 7 is gaining market share in the year 2025, five years after support for it officially ended. As of this week, Windows 7 is now in use on 9.61% of Windows PCs within StatCounters pool of data, and that's up from the 3.59% it had just a month ago.

For years, Windows 7 has hovered around 2% market share on StatCounter. After mainstream support ended, the last few holdouts very quickly made the move to Windows 10, but with support for Windows 10 ending now just two weeks away, it looks like many are giving Microsoft's best version of Windows another try.

Of course, StatCounter isn't an entirely accurate measure when it comes to actual usage numbers, but it can give us a rough idea about how the market is trending, and it seems people are not happy with the idea of upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10. Windows 7's sudden marketshare gain is likely a data anomaly, but interesting timing nonetheless.

Taking a closer look at StatCounter, it appears Windows 11 market share stalled in the last month, maintaining around 48% share. Windows 10 continued to drop, as expected, and is now on just 40% of PCs. While I wouldn't be surprised if some people had experimented with going back to Windows 7 recently, I highly doubt it's a number as high as 9.61%.

Of course, it's absolutely not recommended to be using Windows 7 in 2025. The OS is 16 years old, with a kernel that hasn't been patched with security updates since 2023. Plus, driver and app compatibility is likely waning at this point, so switching to Windows 7 will almost definitely generate more headaches for you than it's worth.

Windows 11 failing to gain any market share in the final month before Windows 10's end of support is frankly shocking, and if the numbers are accurate, should be setting alarm bells off for Microsoft internally. It's clear that much of the market has rejected Windows 11, whether that be because of its high system requirements or insistence on AI features, people aren't moving to it.

In recent months, it seems Windows' reputation has fallen off a cliff. With enshittification slowly moving in, a lack of innovative new features and experiences that aren't tied to AI, and monthly updates that consistently introduce unnecessary changes and issues, people are getting tired of Microsoft's antics.

Perhaps it's time for a clean slate for Windows. If Windows 11 is following the famous "good/bad" cycle that Windows is known for, perhaps it's time for Windows 12 to right the ship. What are your thoughts on Windows 7's usage numbers increasing? Let us know below.

via Neowin

Yes, it's true. Windows 7 can run natively on Valve's (usually Linux-based) Steam Deck, the world's most popular handheld gaming PC. Why? Well, it comes back to that age-old question that hobbyists and tech tinkerers usually fire back at skeptics: "Why not?"

I mean, fair enough, but even as a nostalgia-driven Windows sentimentalist, I was surprised to hear that anyone would go through the effort in the first place. I know Windows 7 was popular (possibly the most beloved version in Microsoft's history), but I'm not rushing to replicate what tech fanatic Bob Pony recently shared on Bluesky and other social platforms (via Tom's Hardware).

Windows 7 natively running on Steam Deck.

— @bobpony.com (@bobpony.com.bsky.social) 2025-07-15T15:26:09.344Z

Those with a keen eye will notice the most glaring issue with running Windows 7 on Valve's handheld: it's stuck in portrait mode. Anyone who has delved into some of the Steam Deck's technical specifications might know that its "sideways" screen is by design.

Without any code to rotate the visuals, the panels in these gaming handheld PCs are built with portrait-oriented devices in mind, but there's nothing stopping a manufacturer from digitally spinning the resulting image by 90 degrees.

So, does Windows 7 even work on a Steam Deck with regular device drivers for the custom-made "Van Gogh" AMD Zen 2 APU? At a glance, we can certainly see that Bob's efforts managed to get them to the desktop, but would anyone be able to, you know, play games on this thing as Valve intended?

The answer is "probably not". Then again, that could change if some equally fixated Windows 7 connoisseur took it upon themselves to further customize the already-unique AMD graphics driver for the Steam Deck's integrated GPU. I'd say that's unlikely, but who knows at this point? Would it even be worth it? Who am I to say? I'm just here because someone mentioned Windows 7.

This isn't Bob's first foray into installing previous versions of Windows onto Valve's Steam Deck, by the way. In fact, they uploaded a video of Windows 8.1 on the Steam Deck on YouTube back in 2022, so this isn't some strange new avenue for them — more of a continued curiosity that I strangely can't look away from. Again, I wouldn't do this myself, especially not since ASUS' Windows 11-based ROG Ally took over as my go-to handheld, but it's fun to observe from a safe distance.

To be clear: Windows 7 isn't officially supported by Microsoft (and by extension, neither is Windows 8.1), so I don't recommend installing it on your Steam Deck. Frankly, just because you can install Windows 11 on a Steam Deck, I don't recommend that either — there's a reason SteamOS is so popular, spurring on the "Year of the Linux Desktop" crowd to believe harder than ever. Stick with the Arch Linux spinoff for your Deck.

If nothing else, it's a neat hobby project that keeps the spirit of older Windows builds alive, and perhaps even a small amount of extra fuel for the hot topic of Windows 10's impending end-of-life status in October this year. Some people just flat-out prefer these older versions of Microsoft's dominant operating system, even if they technically aren't functional or safe to use. My favorite flavor was Windows XP, paired with the "secret" Royale Noir theme — but which of the modern versions was really the best?

Microsoft's iconic Windows Vista boot sound from 2006 has made a surprise return in the latest preview builds of Windows 11. Users booting their PCs after installing the latest flight will have been greeted by an absolute blast from the past as the startup sound shared by both Windows Vista and Windows 7 plays when logging in.

The company hasn't said what caused this bug to occur, but it is funny timing given Apple just announced Liquid Glass, which has Windows Vista and Aero Glass on everyone's mind. The boot chime plays in-place of the Windows 11 startup sound, which appears to be missing from the latest flights.

How a bug like this happens is anyone's guess. XenoPanther on X discovered the bug late last week, noting that Windows 11's startup sound has been outright replaced with the Windows Vista startup sound in system files. Indeed, it was an odd moment booting my PC on Saturday morning to discover that Windows Vista's boot sound had returned.

Here's what Microsoft said about the "bug" in the release notes:

• This week’s flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. We’re working on a fix.

Of course, most users will likely be familiar with Windows Vista's boot sound via Windows 7, as that OS shared the same system sounds. In fact, Windows 7 ultimately shared a lot of similarities with Windows Vista, with some describing Windows 7 as a service pack designed to fix Windows Vista's shortcomings at the time of its release.

For those that need the reminder, here's the Windows Vista boot sound in all its glory.

If you've been using Microsoft's operating system for a while, you'll undoubtedly remember the wildly popular Windows 7. As you may know, Microsoft ended support for updates to Windows 7, including the Extended Security Upgrade (ESU) program, back in January 2023.

While running the OS on your PC, you might have noticed that it took longer to load when using a single-color image as your desktop wallpaper, but it wasn't your fault. Veteran Microsoft engineer Raymond Chen recently explained that the issue was caused by a simple programming error (via PC World).

The error made Windows 7 take up to 30 seconds to start up and switch from the "Welcome" screen to your desktop. As it turns out, the issue was consistent for users who'd set up a solid color as their desktop wallpaper.

According to Chen, the error forced the OS to set up the desktop piece by piece, including the taskbar, desktop window, application icons, and the background image.

As such, Windows 7 had to wait for all the components to finish loading and receive feedback from each of the listed components, which could take up to 30 seconds. However, if it didn't receive any feedback from the components, it would still switch from the Welcome screen to the desktop anyway.

Essentially, Windows 7 expected an internal message that any particular image set as your desktop wallpaper is ready before a switch happens from the Welcome screen. However, if you set a single solid color as your desktop wallpaper, the message wouldn't ever be passed, hence the delay.

The code for the message was located within the background image, so the message wouldn't be passed if you'd set a single color as your desktop image, because it's technically not an image at all.

The issue was also persistent for users who'd activated the "Hide desktop Icon" group policy. Chen revealed that this was due to the fact that the policy was added after the main code had already been written.

Microsoft fixed the issue via an update in November 2009, five months after Windows 7 debuted. Maybe that's why your old Windows 7 PC was slow for a few months. Good to know in 2025.

As you may know, Microsoft cut support for Windows 7 in 2020, forcing users to upgrade to a newer operating system for critical security updates and technical support. However, Windows 7 still lurks in Firefox.

Last year, Mozilla highlighted its plan to extend support for legacy versions of Windows and macOS until March 2025, including Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, and macOS 10.12 to 10.14. The company has been shipping important security updates via an Extended Support Release (ESR) version of its browser — Firefox 115.

This means users running Firefox on unsupported Windows operating systems like Windows 7 have until March 4, 2025 to upgrade to supported software.

Mozilla initially planned to cut support for Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 in September 2024 but abruptly changed its plans, leading to the shipment of two ESR releases, including 115 for unsupported operating systems and 128 for Windows 10 and newer.

According to Mozilla:

"Continuing to support it past October isn't going to be free (backporting security fixes is already getting increasingly painful due to the divergence which naturally happens over time as an ESR goes further into its lifecycle), but there's still enough users there that we felt it was worth doing for now at least."

After Mozilla cuts support for unsupported operating systems, it will move forward with its plans to clean up the code base, lessening the burden on Firefox to maintain newer libraries that aren't supported on pre-Windows 10 releases.

While the move to offer extended support for unsupported Windows versions might have give Mozilla a slight competitive edge in the browser market share against Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, it's now joining the fray.

Beyond March 4, 2025, users will be forced to upgrade to newer and supported operating systems to continue receiving important security updates and technical support, attempting to install Firefox 116 on these unsupported operating systems will be futile.

Microsoft has aggressively doubled down on its Windows 11 campaign as Windows 10's imminent death edges closer. Users have blatantly expressed their reluctance to upgrade to Windows 11, citing flawed design elements coupled with stringent minimum system requirements.

While Windows 11's market share is subtly on the rise, it remains to be seen whether it will gain broad adoption beyond Windows 10's end of support slated for October 14, 2025.

What you need to know

• Windows95man is a Finnish visual artist and DJ who represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.
• On December 6, he released a new single 'Paperclip' dedicated to his friend Clippy.
• You can stream the song right now on YouTube and Spotify.
• UPDATE: The music video dropped on December 8 and you can enjoy below!

Just when I thought I was in for another dull winter day, hot news dropped from my favorite Windows-themed DJ—well, perhaps the only Windows-themed DJ. It's not exactly a burgeoning genre. Yes, Windows95man is back with another '90s rave-inspired song just in time for the holidays, and this one is all about his partner in crime: Clippy. There's even a music video complete with some nifty WordArt.

New single 'Paperclip' drops today

In a press release given to NME about the new song, Windows95man said "Clippy is my best friend," describing the new track as an ode to the “tireless assistant of Windows operating systems, as well as to all Windows fans.”

Well, I don’t think Clippy has been doing much assisting in Office these days. He was last spotted partying with Windows95man in Helsinki, where they regularly perform DJ sets.

If you want to check out the song yourself, it's also available to stream on Spotify. I'm just gutted Spotify Wrapped has stopped counting because I'm about to go stream this on repeat.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to locate the lyrics for 'Paperclip' anywhere, but I had a go at scribing them myself.

"It's 1995, and there's no need to cry — Clippys by my side.

The year is 95, I'm up in my room, I'm listening to 'Can't Stop Loving You.' I can't help it, the feeling inside I'm blue, but Clippy will guide me through. "

I gave up around the chorus, but later, Windows95man moves on to 2025, singing: "Clippy, you and I—together we can fly." He also reflects on the crazy year the pair have had, no doubt inspired by their Eurovision 2024 journey, when Windows95man and Clippy represented Finland in the contest. Sadly, they didn’t secure a victory, but I’m glad to see the duo still making music and moving along the DJ circuit.

Windows95man, real name Teemu Keisteri, has been gaining more popularity with his EDM-inspired sets since his Eurovision appearance. He’ll soon be touring the world, starting in New York on January 18, will you be there?

What you need to know

• Mozilla announced its plans to extend Firefox support on unsupported operating systems until March 2025.
•  The company will offer two ESR (Extended Support Release) releases, including 115 for unsupported operating systems and 128 for Windows 10 and newer. 
• Mozilla argues "enough" Firefox users are still running unsupported operating systems, including Windows 7, prompting its decision to extend support for Firefox on old devices. 

While it's apparent Microsoft is moving forward with its plans to cut support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, users can continue running Firefox 115 on unsupported devices, including Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, and macOS 10.12 to 10.14 as Mozilla has extended its support and will continue pushing important updates until April 1, 2025. Firefox 115.21 will also continue receiving updates until March 4, 2025.

For context, Firefox 115 is the last version of the browser that will run on the highlighted unsupported operating systems. This means attempting to install Firefox 116 on these unsupported operating systems will be futile.

In case you missed it, Mozilla announced its plans to extend Firefox's support on these unsupported operating systems in July. Before Mozilla announced the extended support, the company shipped Firefox 115 without mentioning whether it would run on unsupported operating systems, leaving concerned users in limbo about updating the browser. 

Mozilla planned to cut support for Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 in September 2024, but it changed its plans. The company offers two ESR (Extended Support Release) releases, including 115 for unsupported operating systems and 128 for Windows 10 and newer. 

Cutting support for Windows 7 would have allowed Mozilla to clean up the code base and relieved it of the responsibility of maintaining newer libraries that aren't necessarily supported on pre-Windows 10 releases. Interestingly, Mozilla claims enough Firefox users are running Windows 7, prompting it to extend support for the operating system. Microsoft's Edge browser and Google Chrome already cut support for Windows 7, perhaps giving Mozilla a competitive edge with an untapped market share. 

According to Mozilla:

"Continuing to support it past October isn't going to be free (backporting security fixes is already getting increasingly painful due to the divergence which naturally happens over time as an ESR goes further into its lifecycle), but there's still enough users there that we felt it was worth doing for now at least."

To this end, it remains unclear whether Mozilla will extend Firefox's support for these unsupported operating systems beyond the highlighted dates.

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What you need to know

• DISCLAIMER: Running third-party scripts may potentially harm or render your device unusable. Proceed with caution. 
• A script called Revert8Plus can transform Windows 11 or 10 with visual aesthetics from Windows 7 or Vista without functional differences.
• Tamper protection in Virus and Threat Protection Settings in Windows must be turned off for the script to work.

According to StatCounter's January report, Windows 10 still dominates the market share with 66.47%, followed by Microsoft's two-year-old OS, Windows 11, which holds a 27.83% market share. This is a significant improvement from December's 26.54%, which could indicate that users are transitioning to Windows 11 ahead of Windows 10's end-of-support, which is slated for October 2025.

Users have outrightly highlighted the design flaws consistent with Microsoft's latest OS, especially in the Start menu, coupled with strict minimum requirements to run the OS, as some of the main reasons for their hesitance to upgrade to Windows 11. Windows 10's Live Tiles, a popular and favorite feature among most users, is also seemingly missing in action in Windows 11. 

As a result, there's an emergence of third-party apps designed by developers to solve some of these issues, including Stardock's Start11 or the Files app. And now, there's a new way to transform your Windows 11 or 10 into older and unsupported Windows operating systems, including Windows 7 or Vista.

Users can achieve this via a third-party script dubbed Revert8Plus, as spotted by BetaNews. The installation process is pretty straightforward; you only need to launch the Run box and enter the script. The transformation process takes some time, depending on the features you'd like to include while overhauling your OS. 

RELATED: Remembering Windows Longhorn

It's critical to note that you must manually turn off tamper protection in Virus and Threat Protection Settings if you're running Windows 11 on your device. However, the third-party script will do this automatically if you're using Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8.

A dated theme for Windows 11

When you opt for the Windows 7 aesthetic during the transformation process, your OS will spot Windows 7's taskbar, Start menu, login dialog, dated boot screen, and more. The transformation process also ships with neat features and tools like the beloved Windows Media Center.

The same also applies to Windows Vista. Revert8Plus only changes the look and feel, not other functional elements of the OS (think of it like a traditional theme).

WARNING: When installing this third-party script, you potentially run the risk of rendering your device unusable. As such, we strongly recommend that you exercise caution.

You may also encounter some issues with Revert8Plus since it's not fully compatible with all Windows versions, as highlighted in the list below:

• Windows 8 -- Fully Supported -- 100%
• Windows 8.1 -- Fully Supported -- 100%
• Windows 10 1809 -- Fully Supported -- 100%
• Windows 10 21H2 -- Fully Supported -- 97%
• Windows 10 22H2 -- Fully Supported -- 97%
• Windows 11 21H2 -- Supported -- 80%
• Windows 11 22H2 -- Supported -- 80%
• Windows 11 23H2 -- Supported -- 80%

Finally, when running the script, you can revert to your operating system setup by uninstalling the theme-related programs installed on your device.

Would you use it? Are your nostalgic feelings for Vista strong enough to go back in time? It's straightforward enough if you do, so let us know in the comments or share some screenshots of your results!

What you need to know

• Valve officially ended Steam support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 this week.
• The Steam clients on those versions of Windows will no longer receive updates, including security updates.
• Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 have all been out of support for at least one year, and in the case of Windows 7 several years.

If you use a PC that's woefully out of date to play your favorite PC games, there's bad news for you. Valve officially dropped Steam support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 this week. Steam clients running on those operating systems will no longer receive updates of any kind. Most notably, those clients won't receive security updates, giving any gamers on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 a major reason to upgrade.

Valve announced the cutoff this week:

"As of January 1 2024, Steam will officially stop supporting the Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 operating systems. After that date, existing Steam Client installations on these operating systems will no longer receive updates of any kind including security updates. Steam Support will be unable to offer users technical support for issues related to the old operating systems, and Steam will be unable to guarantee continued functionality of Steam on the unsupported operating system versions."

Windows 7 stopped receiving technical support in January 2020, while support for Windows 8.1 ended in January 2023. In the future, Steam will require security updates that will only ship to Windows 10 and newer versions of the OS.

While Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 have been out of support for a while, Valve had to cut off support this week because of an update to Google Chrome.

"This change is required as core features in Steam rely on an embedded version of Google Chrome, which no longer functions on older versions of Windows," said Valve. "In addition, future versions of Steam will require Windows feature and security updates only present in Windows 10 and above."

No one should use Windows 7, 8, or 8.1

Steam dropping support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 is hardly surprising. We knew the cutoff date was on the way, but Valve officially dropped support for older version of Windows yesterday. None of those operating systems are supported anymore, making them insecure in addition to being out of date.

PCs with those older operating systems have received warnings about end of support and prompts to update for years. Microsoft went as far as to show full-screen warnings about the end of Windows 8.1 support in July 2022. Windows 8.1 officially reached the end of support on January 10, 2023.

Without security updates, PCs running older versions of Windows are not safe to use, especially for those who use the internet. Performance can also worsen if your PC is the victim of an attack. Valve emphasized these facts in its post about the end of support.

"Computers running these operating systems, when connected to the internet, are susceptible to new malware and other exploits which will not be patched," said Valve. "That malware can cause your PC, Steam and games to perform poorly or crash. That malware can also be used to steal the credentials for your Steam account or other services."

• Related: The next Windows 11 feature drop is coming in early 2024

If you for some reason can't move on from those old versions of Windows, you certainly shouldn't use them for connecting to the web, which could result in your PC being attacked using methods it's not patched to prevent. An online service dropping support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 makes sense given the security risks those operating systems present.

Almost no one uses Windows 7, 8, or 8.1

Systems with Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 combined make up less than 1% of Steam users as of December 2023. The popular service has a large user base, so there are still some people that will be affected by this change, but that group is relatively small.

Users still running Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 need to get with the times and update their systems. Even if they can't update to Windows 11 due to the operating system's requirements, Windows 10 will continue to receive support until next year. Those who wish to stay on Windows 10 will also have the option to pay to receive extended support.

Do you still play your Steam games on a PC running Windows 7, 8, or 8.1? Let us know in the comments below.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is closing the loophole that allowed older Windows product keys to activate Windows 10 and Windows 11.
• This loophole has existed since Windows 10 first launched as a "free" upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users.
• That free upgrade was supposed only last a year, but remained open and worked with both Windows 10 and Windows 11 until now.
• Windows 10 keys will continue to work on Windows 11.

When Windows 10 first launched back in 2015, Microsoft also made the OS a free upgrade for all Windows 7 and Windows 8 users who did so within the first year of its release. After July 29, 2016, that offer expired, and Windows 10 was no longer a free upgrade... except, it was.

Even though Microsoft said the upgrade offer had expired, users found that they could still upgrade from Windows 7 and Windows 8 to Windows 10 without needing to buy a new product key. In fact, Windows 10 would accept Windows 7 and 8 keys with no question asked.

When Windows 11 rolled around in 2021, those older Windows 7 and Windows 8 keys continued to work, likely because under the hood, Windows 11 was just Windows 10 with a fresh coat of paint. But now, as we move into the next era of Windows, Microsoft is closing that loophole.

Announced today, older Windows 7 and Windows 8 keys will no longer activate Windows 10 or Windows 11. This change is already in effect with the latest Windows Canary preview builds, which are testing the next major version of the Windows client due out next year.

The announcement said:

"Microsoft's free upgrade offer for Windows 10 / 11 ended July 29, 2016. The installation path to obtain the Windows 7 / 8 free upgrade is now removed as well. Upgrades to Windows 11 from Windows 10 are still free."

As of right now, these older keys still activate the production builds of Windows 11, but it's unclear how long that will remain. Microsoft says Windows 10 product keys will still be able to activate Windows 11, as long as you're using Windows 11 on an eligible PC that officially supports the newer OS.

What you need to know

• Mozilla Firefox version 115.0 is the last update for those still using Windows 7 and 8.
• This comes after Microsoft ended support for those operating systems back in January 2023.
• Users will be automatically migrated to the latest version so that they continue to receive important security updates.

Mozilla Firefox version 115.0 was released on July 4th 2023 bringing new features and fixes, whilst also signaling the end of its support for the Windows 7 and 8 operating systems. This is a consequence of Microsoft ending extended support for them both in January of 2023. For those using Firefox on these older Windows platforms you don't have to do anything here as you will be automatically migrated to the latest version.

There are a number of new features for Firefox that the version 115.0 update brings:

• If you're migrating from another browser you can now bring over payment methods that you've saved in Chrome-based browsers.
• Hardware video decoding is now enabled for those using Intel GPUs (ARC) on Linux.
• The Tab Manager dropdown now has close buttons, allowing you to close tabs faster.
• The user interface for importing data from other browsers has been refreshed and streamlined.
• Those who are without platform support for H264 video decoding can now use Cisco's OpenH264 plugin for playback.

The fixes for this version 115.0 of Firefox are as follows: 

• Windows Magnifier now follows the text cursor correctly when the Firefox title bar is visible.
• Windows users on low-end/USB wifi drivers and with OS geolocation disabled can now approve geolocation on a case by case basis without causing system-wide network instability.
• Various security fixes 

It's always a shame to see support end, but it's a natural conclusion once an operating system is no longer supported. You can head to the Mozilla website to check out the full list of changes to Firefox version 115.0

What you need to know

• A ChatGPT client called "JavaGPT" allows you to access the popular chatbot on Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 11.
• The java application supports chatting in real-time, chat history, and an HTML viewer.
• Most of the operating systems that JavaGPT is built for are out of date.

ChatGPT is the latest trend in tech, but you don't have to be on a new gadget to use OpenAI's chatbot. A ChatGPT client called JavaGPT supports Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 11. While support for Windows 11 is likely more practical than working with older versions of Windows, the headline here is support for operating systems dating back to 1998.

JavaGPT is an open-source project that's available through GitHub. The entire application lives within a Java GUI, which is both intriguing and functional. It can run on a long list of operating systems because of how it's built.

Here are the features highlighted by JavaGPT's creator:

• Chat Streaming: makes responses generate in real-time just like on the ChatGPT website
• Chat History: lets you interact with previous chats like on the website
• Revert Chats: Be able to void previous prompts and responses from chat
• HTML Viewer: View your chat content in HTML. Supports Markdown Language syntax
• Chat Titles: autogenerates a title for a chat based on its context. Can be manually changed if preferred.
• Import premade prompts
• Save chats to file
• Dark mode and right click copy-edit-paste features
• Support for ChatGPT 4 and all ChatGPT 3.5 models
• Cross platform
• Only 6mb build size

The app's developer specified that JavaGPT supports GPT-4 as well as GPT 3 Turbo. You can configure which model you'd like the program to use through JavaGPT's settings.

If you're curious why JavaGPT doesn't work with Windows 95, Reddit user atomic1fire shed some light on the situation. They highlighted that getting an app like JavaGPT to run on Windows 95 would require getting Java 8 to run on the ancient OS.

What you need to know

• Windows 10's market share increased significantly in February 2023.
• The shift in OS usage coincided with many users leaving Windows 7 and Windows 8.1
• PCs that shipped with Windows 7 are unlikely to meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11, which may explain the surge in Windows 10 usage.

Windows 11 may be the newest operating system from Microsoft, but it's far from the most used. Windows 10 has hovered around a 70% market share for well over a year, according to Statcounter (via Neowin). Interestingly, the latest stats showed a large increase in Windows 10 users in February 2023.

Windows 10 market share increased from 68.86% to 73.31% between January and February of this year. That spike brings the operating system to its highest share since June 2022.

Windows 7 market share in February plummeted from 9.55% to 5.33%. Notably, Windows 7 extended support ended in January 2023.

Windows 8.1 saw a significant drop as well, falling from 2.28% to 1.14%. Windows 8.1 also reached end of support in January of this year and will not receive extended support.

With Windows 7 and 8.1 reaching end of support in the same month, it's not surprising to see people move to newer versions of Windows. What may be surprising to some is that many are not shifting to the newest OS from Microsoft.

Windows 11 did see an increase in market share from 18.12% to 19.13% in February, but that's significantly smaller than the gain seen by Windows 10.

While other factors may be at play. Users are likely moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10 because their systems do not meet the strict hardware requirements of Windows 11. PCs that originally shipped with Windows 7 are unlikely to have the components necessary to upgrade to Windows 11, such as a TPM 2.0 chip.

Windows 10 will still be supported until October 2025, so anyone running the operating system has a while before worrying about finding a system that can run Windows 11.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has ended support for updates to Windows 7, including the Extended Security Upgrade (ESU) program.
• Ending updates and patches mean users who choose to remain on Windows 7 will be at risk, and data stored on these machines could be exposed to undiscovered vulnerabilities.
• Recommendations from Microsoft include purchasing an all-new machine running Windows 11 or upgrading to Windows 10.

Support for Windows 7 officially ended years ago. Still, Microsoft offered the Extended Security Upgrade (ESU) as a paid solution to maintain critical security measures for a maximum of three years after January 14, 2020. It's unlikely that many users outside of businesses would have remained with the aging operating system, but not impossible.

If you're one of the rare few still using Windows 7, it's time to upgrade since your computer or laptop is at serious risk without continued updates. Don't be tempted to update by only one step since Windows 8.1 has received the same end-of-life treatment, and popular web browsers, including Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome, are dropping their support for Windows 7 and 8.1.

What are my options?

The most sensible upgrade for Windows 7 users is the current edition of Windows 11, with a full breakdown of its benefits in our Windows 11 review. Still, not every device would be compatible with this modern edition if manufactured so many years ago. You'll need specific components, including a TPM chip, to use the cutting-edge OS from Microsoft.

If you're unsure whether or not your current device has the necessary parts, you can check for a TPM chip, but the PC Health Check app from Microsoft is out of reach since it's only available on at least Windows 10.

A more practical choice might lean towards Windows 10 for older devices, which is set for support until at least October 14, 2025, so you have two years of guaranteed support for now. If you've stuck with Windows 7 because you prefer how everything works, the similarities to Windows 10 will feel comfortable enough without needing to re-learn any significant menus or functions.

Depending on your options and the abilities of older machines, one version of Windows may be more suitable. Regardless of your choice, upgrading from Windows 7 is no longer seen as optional regarding your machine's security and safety. 

"Support for Windows 7 has been discontinued, Microsoft customer service no longer is able to provide technical assistance, and your PC no longer receives security updates. It's important that you move to a modern operating system such as Windows 11, which can provide the latest security updates to help keep you and your data safer." - via Microsoft.

Windows Central take

It might seem unusual to some when they hear users are sticking with an older version of Windows. Still, some of my family members refuse to upgrade to modern technology simply because they're unwilling to learn about what's changed. The same thing happens in businesses; some companies commission software specifically for their needs that is often designed exclusively for one operating system and avoid updating for fear of everything breaking down.

That stubborn behavior, as frustrating as it can be, is usually passable as long as security updates are maintained. For Windows 7 and 8.1, though, that ship has sailed. Anyone still using these two editions should upgrade immediately or replace their machine with one including Windows 11 as standard. Malicious attackers are always looking for vulnerabilities; these older computers will become unsuitable for storing sensitive data without reliable patches.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Edge and WebView2 will reach end of support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 in January 2023.
• Microsoft Edge version 109 and WebView2 Runtime version 109 will be the final respective versions to support Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
• Edge 109 and WebView2 Runtime 109 will ship on January 12, 2023, which is two days after Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 reach end of support.

Microsoft announced the end of support date for Edge on both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Since those older operating systems will reach end of support in January 2023, it makes sense that Microsoft would cut off support for its browser running on those operating systems. Google is also ending support for Chrome on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, so people looking to browse the web will want to upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Microsoft Edge version 109 and WebView2 Runtime version 109 will be the last respective versions to support Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Those are both currently scheduled to ship on January 12, 2023, which is just two days after Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 reach end of support.

The timeline was shared by Microsoft in a recent blog post:

"This end of support timeline applies to both the Evergreen and Fixed versions of the WebView2 Runtime.

Previously installed Evergreen WebView2 Runtimes will update as normal to version 109 but will not continue updating after that. After end of support, future attempts to install the Evergreen WebView2 Runtime on Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 will install version 109.

Fixed versions of the WebView2 Runtime higher than 109 will fail to start on Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 and should not be used on those operating systems."

To continue to receive support, people should upgrade their system to Windows 10 or later. Windows 10 will still be supported until 2025, so people don't need to jump all the way to Windows 11 yet.

What you need to know

• Google Chrome users will now see a prompt to update their PC if they're running the browser on Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
• Support for Windows 8.1 and the extended support of Windows 7 ends in January 2023, meaning the operating systems will not receive updates after that date.
• Chrome users can upgrade to either Windows 11 or Windows 10, as both of those versions of Windows are still supported at this time.

Those running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 will now see a prompt from Google Chrome to update their PC's operating system. The message, which was first spotted by Ghacks, appears at the top of the browser as a notification. Even if someone clicks to get rid of the notification, it will reappear the next time Chrome is opened.

Chrome users don't have to jump all the way to Windows 11 to receive support. The browser's prompt states, "to get future Google Chrome updates, you'll need Windows 10 or later. This computer is using Windows 7"

The cutoff should affect all Chromium browsers in the same way, so switching to Brave or another browser based on Chromium will not avoid the need to update to Windows 10 or Windows 11.

The official end of support for Windows 8.1 is January 2023. Windows 7 reached end of support in January 2020, but Microsoft extended support until January 2023. With those cutoff dates coinciding, Chrome users on older versions of Windows will need to update their PCs in the next few weeks to stay up to date.

After January 2023, Microsoft will not offer technical assistance or software updates for the out-of-date versions of Windows. As a result, using Chrome or any other web browser will be much riskier.

Since Windows 11 has strict hardware requirements, some systems may not be able to update to the latest version of Windows. Anyone with a PC that falls into that category can look toward Windows 10, which will receive support until October 2025.

What you need to know

• Windows enthusiasts believe Windows 7 was the most innovative version of Windows, according to a recent poll.
• Windows 95 earned a close second place, trailing behind Windows 7 by just over one percent.
• Several voters argued that Windows XP was the most innovative, as it introduced the NT core to many PC users.

Windows 3.1 turned 30 years old last week. To celebrate the anniversary of the OS, we ran a poll to see which version of Windows our readers believed was the most innovative. After a close campaign, Windows 7 (24.86%) defeated Windows 95 (23.36%) by a narrow margin. Windows 10 (14.57%) and Windows 8/8.1 (13.2%) also received noteworthy numbers of votes.

While Windows 7 drew the plurality of the votes in our poll, very few people commented about the operating system. One user, Andrew G1, noted that Windows 7's main innovation was stability.

"I'm not sure I know what constitutes innovation in an OS. All I can say is Windows 7 had the innovation of not crashing on me nearly as often as previous versions. My main OS was still some version of GNU/Linux, usually with KDE."

We added an "other" option in case anyone felt a different version of Windows was the most innovative. Several people pointed to the innovation of Windows XP in our comment section.

"Why isn't XP on your list? First to merge the NT/Consumer cores and way too many other things to name. I had to pick Win95, since it changed Windows significantly from 3.x," said christopherandroid. "However, XP is as transformative for what it did under the hood as 95's UI improvements."

Our readers don't appear to rank the innovations of early versions of Windows highly. Windows 3.0/3.1 only earned 2.94% of the votes, while Windows 1 received just 0.57%.

We recently celebrated the 30th birthday of Windows 3.1. To celebrate the occasion, our poll this week focuses on the history of Windows as an operating system. Rather than asking which version of Windows was your favorite, we'd like to know which one you thought was the most innovative. For example, you may not think Windows 95 was the best version of Windows, but it introduced a long list of features that have become mainstays on PCs and other operating systems.

There are plenty of candidates to choose from. We'll highlight a few of the biggest additions to Windows throughout the years and note which version they came with.

Windows 95 was the first version of the OS to look like what most people would identify as Windows. It had a Start menu, a simple interface, and was a 32-bit OS. While it didn't originally ship with the browser, Windows 95 was the first to support Internet Explorer, which opened up new computing possibilities.

Those looking for a bit of Windows history can check out the full Windows 95 launch keynote, which only recently became available in its entirety.

Windows 3.1 introduced the copy and paste shortcuts that are now ubiquitous. Some would argue that Windows 3 was more innovative than 3.1 though, since 3 brought clickable icons and support for CD-ROMs to Windows.

Windows 8 wasn't a popular version of Windows, but it was certainly different. Moving away from cascading windows that you could resize, Windows 8 featured an interface that focused on fullscreen applications and split-screen multitasking. It also had a charms bar, a tablet mode, and introduced Live Tiles.

Windows 7 wasn't as innovative in the way of new features. In many ways, it just delivered what people expected. But when stacked up against some of the failing versions of Windows that preceded it, it could be seen as innovative to have an OS custom-crafted to avoid drama.

Which version of Windows do you think was the biggest game-changer? Let us know in the poll above and in the comments below.

What you need to know

• Due to a bug, recovery discs created with the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app will not work with systems running Windows updates from after January 11, 2022.
• Microsoft is working on a fix for the issue but has not shared a timeline for its upcoming update.
• Third-party backup and recovery apps are not affected by the issue.

If you prefer to restore your PC through a physical disc, such as a CD or DVD, you may run into an issue. According to a Microsoft support document, any PC running a Windows update from after January 11, 2022 will not be able to use a recovery disc created with the Back and Restore (Windows 7) app in Control Panel (via Bleeping Computer).

"After installing the Windows updates released January 11, 2022 or later Windows versions on an affected version of Windows, recovery discs (CD or DVD) created by using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app in Control Panel might be unable to start," said Microsoft.

"Recovery discs that were created by using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app on devices which have installed Windows updates released before January 11, 2022 are not affected by this issue and should start as expected."

Despite the Backup and Restore app having Windows 7 in its name, it also works with Windows 11. The app is part of the restoration process outlined by Microsoft support.

Microsoft's support document does not explain why the latest Windows updates prevent recovery discs from working. It just notes that the company is working on a fix and that an update will come out in a future release.

No third-party backup or recovery apps are affected by the issue, according to Microsoft.

If you'd like to move away from using CDs and DVDs to backup and restore your system, you can check out our guide on how to create a full backup of your Windows 11 PC. We also have a guide on how to backup your PC automatically on Windows 10.

What you need to know

• Paint.NET recently received an update to version 4.3.3, which improves rendering and startup performance.
• It is the final version of Paint.NET that will support Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or any 32-bit versions of Windows.
• Going forward, the app will only work with 64-bit versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Paint.NET will no longer support Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or any 32-bit versions of Windows going forward. In the future, only 64-bit versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10 will be supported. The move allows the program's developer to focus time on supporting the creative app on modern versions of Windows. As a reminder, Windows 11 is only available as a 64-bit operating system, so this change only affects older versions of Windows.

In the release notes for Paint.NET version 4.3.3, the developer explained why the app will only support 64-bit versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10 going forward.

Version 4.3.3 migrates Paint.NET To .NET 6. This improves both rendering and startup performance of the application. Here's the complete list of what's new, improved, and fixed in Paint.NET:

• New: The app has been migrated to .NET 6, which has improved both rendering and startup performance
• New translation: Catalan (ca)
• New translation: Corsican (co)
• New translation: Thai (th)
• Changed: The /createMsi command for the installer has been removed. Instead, you can now download MSIs directly from the GitHub releases page.
• Improved various UI controls for Dark Theme, e.g. scrollbars (Win10 v1809+ only)
• Fixed the way various UI controls look on Windows 11, e.g. buttons and drop-down lists
• Fixed the View -> Zoom to Window command when using the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+B), which was resetting instead of toggling the zoom level
• Improved performance during the "extracting" stage of the installer by migrating away from Nullsoft Scriptable Installer System (NSIS)
• Reduced the download size on ARM64 by about 33%
• Fixed a rendering bug in the Dents and Polar Inversion effects, as reported here: https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/118746-paintnet-update-changed-the-way-the-dents-distortion-filter-works-causing-unwanted-artifactsglitches-was-this-an-intended-change/
• Fixed a memory leak in the selection renderer that was consuming gigabytes of GPU memory, resulting in crashes. Thanks to @Zagna for finding this and testing the fix! https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/118806-paint-crashes-if-you-do-a-selection-glitch-and-then-history-jump-forward/?do=findComment&comment=587772
• Fixed some GDI object leaks, particularly with the Save Configuration dialog, which would eventually result in a crash. Thanks @rechlin for finding and reporting this! https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/118785-crash-due-to-running-out-of-gdi-objects/
• Fixed a memory leak in Settings -> Tools. Thanks @otuncelli for finding this! https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/118785-crash-due-to-running-out-of-gdi-objects/#comment-588468
• Fixed an issue that was preventing new plugins from loading their native DLL dependencies as specified in their .deps.json file
• Fixed the app crashing after an effect plugin crashes when you choose to restart the app
• Fixed a crash while drawing a selection, right-clicking on the History window before releasing the left mouse button, and then clicking to redo a history entry, as reported here: https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/118806-paint-crashes-if-you-do-a-selection-glitch-and-then-history-jump-forward/
• Fixed a text rendering bug in some parts of the UI, mostly in Effects, as reported by @midora over at https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/118866-paintnet-43-footnote-of-indirectui-control-in-filetype-shows-artifacts-after-scrolling/
• Fixed the "untitled:" file name argument prefix, which was preventing Window Clippings from being able to send screenshot
• Fixed some registry keys that were not being deleted during uninstall
• Fixed the PdnRepair utility on Windows 7
• Fixed some inconsistencies with the MSI as compared to v4.2.16 which were causing problems for some deployments
• Updated the bundled AvifFileType to v1.1.17.0, courtesy of @null54, which updates the AOM version and fixes a crash when reading large EXIF blocks. See its GitHub releases page for more info.

There are a few different ways to download Paint.NET. It's available through the Microsoft Store for $7. This cost helps fund the development of the app. You can also get Paint.NET for free through the app's website or GitHub.

What you need to know

• Windows 7's time in the Extended Security Update (ESU) Program will end on January 10, 2023.
• Now, Chrome support for Windows 7 will run until (at least) January 15, 2023, closely mimicking Microsoft's support end date.

Some variants of Windows 7 are still receiving a small bit of love from Microsoft. Those editions are Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 7 Professional for Embedded Systems, which are enjoying time in the Extended Security Update (ESU) Program. However, on January 10, 2023, that's all over, and Google is now committed to matching Microsoft's timeline for offering support to the elderly operating system.

Microsoft ESU support ends for the aforementioned versions of Windows 7 on January 10, 2023. And now, Google has announced that Chrome will set its sights on a similar date for its Windows 7 support commitments. Users can enjoy Windows 7 support on Chrome "through" January 15, 2023. You can read Google's post on the subject to decipher what exactly that means, since it's not a hard doomsday declaration, but it certainly lines up peculiarly well with Microsoft's own end-of-support date for the old OS.

Some may wonder who is still using Windows 7 in 2021 or why this news even matters. To those folks, consider: As of September 2021, Windows 7 was powering nearly 10% of all Steam users' machines. And in some parts of the world, even older operating systems are king of the hill. Just look at Windows XP, which still holds a dominant market share in some pockets of the globe.

The point is, no matter how irrelevant an OS may seem in the age of Windows 11, there's almost certainly a large contingent of people still using it. This sentiment especially applies to Windows 7, which many regard as a success for Microsoft.

What you need to know

• Samsung will discontinue DeX support for Windows 7 and macOS in January 2022.
• Windows 10 and Windows 11 appear to be unaffected by this change.
• Samsung devices that support DeX can connect wirelessly or through a wired connection to supported devices.

Samsung will discontinue DeX support for Windows 7 and macOS devices in January 2022. Samsung's website for DeX was recently updated to outline the end of support for macOS and Windows 7. People will still be able to use DeX on other devices, including external monitors and PCs running Windows 11 or Windows 10.

The Samsung page for DeX now states:

Some Mac owners on Reddit have seen a similar message appear on their devices. That message specifies that people will still be able to use DeX if it's installed but that the feature won't receive any future support or updates. People won't be able to download DeX after January 2022 on devices that lose support.

Samsung's DeX allows you to connect your supported phone to monitors and computers to switch to a desktop mode. The interface of DeX looks similar to that of Windows, making it much more usable for multitasking and getting work done. DeX serves a purpose directly on devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE, which switches to desktop mode when you attach a keyboard. You can also project your phone into DeX mode on supported computers and external monitors.

Since most people have moved away from Windows 7, this change probably won't affect PC owners. Any person with a combination of a Mac and a Samsung phone or tablet will have to find an alternative solution.

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced support for the OneDrive desktop app is over if you're on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1.
• First, updates will be cut off starting January 1, 2022.
• Then, cloud syncs will stop on March 1, 2022, at which point "your personal files will no longer sync and should be uploaded/accessed directly on OneDrive for web."

If you're still on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1, the powers that be (Redmond) have decided to deliver unto you bad news on a Friday: The OneDrive desktop application is losing support on the aforementioned operating systems. Should you want to maintain desktop app support, you'll need to use the shiny and new Windows 11 or ever-cool Windows 10.

Starting the very first day of 2022, the OneDrive desktop app will stop receiving updates on Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 devices. Then, on March 1, 2022, cloud syncs go the way of the dinosaur.

Here's what Microsoft has to say for those still rocking Windows 7, 8, or 8.1: "If you are currently using one of these operating systems, we recommend upgrading your operating system to either Windows 10 or Windows 11 to avoid disruption. For machines that do not meet system requirements for Windows 10 or Windows 11 operating system upgrade, you can back up and protect your files by manually uploading them to OneDrive on the web, and continue to access, edit, and share your files on all your devices."

As a purple man once said, "it's just the way it is." Old operating systems eventually lose the attention of their creators, and the passage of time sweeps away any lingering guilt. However, end-users aren't nearly as bound to linear progression, hence why Windows XP is still being enjoyed by many, many people.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Edge Dev has an update available that brings it to version 96.0.1043.1.
• The update enables Picture in Picture support on Windows and adds a new feature for Windows 7.
• Several new management policies are also added following the update.

Microsoft Edge version 96.0.1043.1 recently rolled out to the Dev channel. The update brings Picture in Picture support to the browser and surprisingly adds Share support for Windows 7. Several new management policies also arrive with the latest update to Edge Dev.

Edge Dev version 96.0.1043.1 also completes the rollout of the ability to search the web for an image in the sidebar from the context menu.

Here's everything that's new in the latest version of Edge Dev:

• Added Share support to Windows 7.
• Enabled Picture in Picture support on Windows.
• Finished rolling out the ability to search the web for an image in the sidebar from the context menu.
• Management policies (note that updates to documentation or administrative templates may not have occurred yet):
• Added a policy to control if the Typosquatting Checker is Enabled, which is a feature that warns if the website being navigated to isn't the one that was intended because the address was mistyped.
• Added a policy to control if Renderer App Container support is Enabled, which controls if tab processes are created with extra security.
• Added a policy to control if Application Guard Upload Blocking in Enabled, which controls if files are allowed to be uploaded from Application Guard window.
• Added a policy to control when Efficiency Mode is active.
• Added a policy to control if the New SmartScreen Library is Enabled, which will be deprecated and removed along with the legacy SmartScreen library.
• Added a policy to control if Shared Links are Enabled, which controls access to the list in History of links shared by or to the user from other Microsoft 365 apps.
• Added a policy to configure Force Sync Types, which determines which types of data are required to be synced.

The update also improved reliability in several areas:

• Fixed an issue where using a to draw on a touchscreen sometimes causes a Blue Screen of Death.
• Fixed a crash when autofilling payment card info.
• Fixed an issue where new tabs sometimes immediately crash as soon as they're opened.
• Fixed an issue where certain shopping websites crash or are blank.
• Fixed a crash when closing the last window in a profile.
• Fixed a crash on launch if a Guest window was the last window closed during the previous session.
• Fixed a crash on startup after taking a major update.
• Fixed a crash on launch on mobile.
• Fixed a crash on Android 12.

You can read the complete changelog in Microsoft's Tech Community post on the update.

What you need to know

• The latest NVIDIA Game Ready driver cuts support for Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1.
• NVIDIA also ended support for GPUs built on its Kepler architecture.
• Kepler-based GPUs will receive security updates until September 2024, but they won't receive Game Ready drivers.

There's bad news for PC gamers running decade-old GPUs or operating systems that are out of support. NVIDIA's latest Game Ready driver drops support for Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1. NVIDIA's Kepler GPUs are also out of support, ending a run that in some cases lasted around 12 years (via PC Gamer).

Kepler GPUs are inside NVIDIA's 600-series GPUS and some 700-series cards. NVIDIA's website has a list of all GPUs based on Kepler architecture.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti and GTX 750 aren't affected by this move as they are built on NVIDIA's Maxell architecture.

While Kepler cards are no longer supported, they'll continue to work. They'll even get security updates until September 2024. They won't, however, get Game Ready drivers that optimize systems for certain games.

Many of the now unsupported cards would struggle to play the best PC games, but finding replacement cards could be difficult. The best GPUs are rarely in stock, and new graphics cards sell out almost instantly. Even when AMD quietly launched the Radeon RX 6600, the GPU sold out in moments.

NVIDIA cutting support for Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 likely won't affect that many PC gamers, but there are people running the old operating systems. Around 5% of Steam gamers run Windows 7, according to the latest Steam survey. Less than 1% of gamers on Steam run Windows 8.1.

What you need to know

• Every month, Steam releases its userbase's hardware and software data via survey results.
• July 2021's data is now live.
• The trends from previous months have continued.

Steam Hardware & Software Survey July 2021 results are in, and they're... well, they're not earth-shattering. In fact, they're more or less just a continuation of the trends we saw forming in previous months. For example: The fun of Windows 7 (64-bit) controlling 4.88% of the Steam ecosystem's OS makeup in June has continued at a steady clip into July, with the big W7 (still 64-bit) now powering 5.48% of the computers owned and operated by Steam-friendly gaming geeks.

Other continuing trends include NVIDIA absolutely obliterating AMD in the GPU market share sector, which should surprise no one given that it's been that way for a long, long time and nothing momentous has happened to disrupt the status quo when it comes to the best graphics cards.

AMD was also unable to regain its CPU figures from May, wherein it briefly held over 30% control of the Steam userbase's CPU makeup. Though July results show AMD inching back up to the 30% line, it's still not there, meaning over seven out of every ten gamers roll with Intel and there's nothing the red team can do about it.

VR stats continue their similar monthly trends as well, with the total amount of Steam users with VR headsets having jumped to 2.07%, which is a 0.21% increase over last month. In a shocking upset, Steam users rolling with Sony PlayStation VR units went down by 0.03%, bringing the total amount of Steamers rocking a PSVR headset down to 0.16%, a number that beats out the Pimax 8K's 0.12% and HTC Vive Elite's 0.08% shares of the market as of July 2021.

Maybe next month will have spicier results. For now, July 2021's metrics keep things relatively normal.

What you need to know

• Upgrading directly from Windows 7 to Windows 11 will require a clean install or for you to reimage your PC.
• In contrast, PCs moving from Windows 10 will also have the option to upgrade through Windows Settings.
• Only PCs that meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11 will be able to upgrade to the new operating system.

If you plan to upgrade your PC directly from Windows 7 to Windows 11, you'll have to go through a bit of a longer process. PCs that meet the Windows 11 minimum requirements will have to perform a clean install or reimage a PC to go directly to Windows 11. The details for the upgrade process are answered in an FAQ page from Lenovo about Windows 11.

When asked about the upgrade path from Windows 7 to Windows 11, Lenovo explains:

It's unclear how many PCs currently running Windows 7 meet the minimum requirements of Windows 11. Windows 7 has been out of support since January 2020 and is now quite dated for an operating system.

The upgrade path from Windows 7 to Windows 11 may affect business and enterprise customers more than individual people. Some organizations still run Windows 7 across networks of PCs.

If people don't want to perform a clean install, they could upgrade a PC to Windows 10 first and then upgrade to Windows 11.

What you need to know

• Steam's hardware and software survey results for June 2021 are live.
• Windows 7 (64 bit) has seen a 2.91% upsurge in market share.
• AMD has lost its 30% share against Intel in the CPU sector.

Good things die hard, as can be evidenced by Windows 7's surge in PC gaming market share over the course of June 2021, according to Steam's latest survey results. The 64-bit version of the long-since-relevant operating system still commands 4.88% of the Steam userbase ecosphere, thanks to a 2.91% increase over the course of June. That means nearly 5% of gamers (or one out of every 20) are hellbent on sticking with Windows 7 through thick and thin, even though Windows 11 is officially out in the wild.

In less positive news for underdogs fighting to maintain their standings, AMD has lost its 30% share of the market against Intel in the CPU sector, dipping down to 28.41%.

Other interesting results from the hardware survey's June info include a mysterious spike in the "other" section of the VR category. "Other" went from a little over 1% in May to 14.48% in June. Meanwhile, the Oculus Quest 2 saw an 11.80% dropoff, signaling odd trends, odd stat tracking, or both in the VR sector.

It remains to be seen whether AMD will be able to reclaim its 30% and hold onto that figure for more than a month on the CPU end of its operations. Its stats are still nowhere near its primary competitor on the GPU side, hovering around 15%, while NVIDIA commands a hefty 76%. However, that's not a strict indicator of the quality of both companies' offerings; AMD and NVIDIA both make some of the best graphics cards, whether you want something like an RTX 3060 Ti or Radeon RX 6800.

What you need to know

• Windows Report's latest survey asked people about their thoughts on the upcoming Windows 11.
• 65% of participants that run Windows 7 say they will upgrade to Windows 11.
• Almost one in ten people polled expressed concern about losing data when upgrading to Windows 11.

Windows 11's official announcement is less than 24 hours away. Before Microsoft's livestream to showcase the new operating system, Windows Report held a survey to gauge people's thoughts. The survey covers if people are concerned about updating to a new operating system, what people expect from Windows 11, and if people have heard about the OS at all.

Results consist of responses from over 6,000 participants. Over 31% of results come from people in the United States. In total, Windows Report received responses from 152 countries.

Windows Report highlights five takeaways from the survey:

1. Windows 7 users are thrilled about the new OS, with 65% willing to finally upgrade
2. A third of users are actually expecting Microsoft to release a full, separate version of Windows
3. Half of polled readers want a fast interface and a design overhaul
4. Losing data while upgrading is a big fear factor, with 9% of users refusing to upgrade because of that possibility
5. Windows 11 might bring a boom in sales, as 8% of users are willing to buy a new device to upgrade

The most surprising takeaway may be that Windows 7 users seem excited about a new operating system. Three versions of Windows have rolled out since Windows 7, so people holding onto the now out-of-support OS don't seem like the demographic that'd be keen to upgrade. But that may not be an entirely accurate perception, given the figures from the survey.

While many seem excited about the concept of Windows 11, 9% of polled participants expressed concern over losing data when upgrading. While upgrades to new versions of Windows are supposed to be seamless, there have been issues with Windows 10 updates over the last six years, including deleting people's files.

In addition to these highlights, it's interesting to note that 23% of polled participants haven't heard of Windows 11. Those results are a good reminder that while Windows Central readers are likely up to date on the latest Windows 11 scoops, a large portion of people haven't even heard of the OS.

What you need to know

• Microsoft stopped publishing drivers through Windows Update for Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2.
• Organizations using the Extended Security Updates program will still be able to manage drivers through Windows Server Updates Servers.
• The switch is due to SHA-1 Trusted Root Certificate Authority expiring for the operating systems.

If your PC still runs Windows 7, you may have to find a new way to manage your drivers. On June 17, Microsoft discontinued the publication of drivers to Windows Update for Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2. Organizations that still use systems running these operating systems will have to use other options, including Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

Microsoft explains in a Tech Community post (via Bleeping Computer) that this change is being implemented to prevent degraded functionality of systems (emphasis added):

The SHA-1 Trusted Root Certificate Authority expired for the affected operating systems on May 9, 2021.

To minimize any impact that could be caused by incompatibilities, Microsoft decided to stop publishing SHA-2 signed drivers to Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2.

This change won't affect many personal PC users, but there are still organizations that rely on Windows 7 with extended support.

Windows 7 support officially ended on January 14, 2020.

What you need to know

• NVIDIA will end driver support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 this October.
• The company will focus on Windows 10 going forward, which is what the vast majority of gamers with NVIDIA hardware run.
• Presumably, NVIDIA will also support Windows 11 if it's confirmed and announced this month.

NVIDIA will end support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 in October 2021. The company outlines the change in a post that explains why the company will focus on Windows 10 going forward. After October, NVIDIA drivers will exclusively be available on Windows 10, and presumably Windows 11 if it's announced this month.

"The vast majority of our GeForce customers have migrated to Windows 10 OS," says NVIDIA. "In order to ensure GeForce owners experience the best possible security, support, and functionality, NVIDIA will now focus on Windows 10 operating system."

The latest Steam survey states that almost 93% of Steam users run Windows 10. Windows 7 users only make up 2 percent of Steam usage, so it makes sense that NVIDIA would focus exclusively on Windows 10. While there are people who game on other stores, figures are likely similar to what's seen on Steam.

The final Game Ready Driver that supports Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 will go public on August 31, 2021. The first Game Ready Driver to not support those older operating systems will ship on October 4, 2021.

With NVIDIA ending driver support for older versions of Windows, you'll have to make sure your PC is running Windows 10 to take advantage of the best graphics cards.

While game drivers won't be available for older versions of Windows, critical security updates will still be available for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 through September 2024.

What you need to know

• Windows 7 still has at least 100 million users, according to several analysts.
• Microsoft ended support for Windows 7 at the start of 2020.
• Out of support operating systems don't receive security updates.

Despite being out of support for a year, Windows 7 still appears to have at least 100 million users. Microsoft hasn't released figures for Windows 7 users in some time, but ZDNet recently gathered together information from several areas, and the figures point to at least 100 million people being on the out of support operating system (via The Verge).

Figuring out the exact number of people on Windows 7 is quite complicated. Determining the market share of an operating system isn't an exact science, with different outlets reaching different figures by using different methods. Additionally, finding out the exact number of Windows PCs running any version of Windows isn't easy.

Microsoft estimates that all versions of Windows put together have a user base of 1.5 billion. NetMarketShare has Windows 7 market share at 21.7 percent. StatCounter Global Stats has Windows 7 at 17.7 percent market share. The United States Government Digital Analytics Program states that Windows 7 usage dropped to 7 percent, though it's worth noting that the United States Government Digital Analytics Program measures actual usage of PCs across U.S. websites, not a total number of PCs running an operating system.

These figures varying isn't the fault of analysts but does create a large window (pardon the pun) of figures to deal with. Even with conservative estimates, it appears that at least 100 million people still use Windows 7.

While 100 million users is high, it's dramatically lower than where Windows 7 was at the end of 2019. ZDNet estimated that roughly 200 million PCs still used Windows 7 at the end of 2019.

This year Microsoft released the Surface Duo, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and plenty of other products and services, but it also said farewell to quite a bit. Streaming platforms, old operating systems, physical stores, and more all shut down in 2020. Some things that ended were quite expected, like Windows 7 support, while Mixer and others came as a surprise. 2020 has been an incredibly different year, so some shutdowns, like the closing of physical Microsoft Stores, may not have happened in different circumstances.

Windows 7 support

Windows 7 is an operating system beloved by many, but all good things come to an end. Official support for Windows 7 ended in January 2020. With its end, PCs running the old operating system no longer get official security updates. This end of support was known for years, but several organizations haven't migrated away from Windows 7 yet.

Windows 10X on dual-screen devices (at least for now)

At one point in time, Windows 10X seemed destined to only grace the likes of folding devices such as the Surface Neo. But in May of this year, Microsoft chief product office, Panos Panay, announced that Microsoft shifted its strategy for Windows 10X. Instead of being an OS that shipped exclusively to folding devices, Windows 10X will arrive first on single-screen devices.

Luckily for those who love folding tech, Windows 10X will still come to them at some point. Panay said, "These single-screen devices will be the first expression of Windows 10X that we deliver to our customers, and we will continue to look for the right moment, in conjunction with our OEM partners, to bring dual-screen devices to market."

Unfortunately, that means that the ThinkPad X1 Fold started rolling out with Windows 10 Pro, which isn't built for large folding screens. On the bright side, we'll likely see Windows 10X on more budget-friendly devices in the future.

Mixer

Mixer shutting down was one of the biggest surprises of the year. Not only did the news pop up quickly for the public, it broke to partners and streamers through a tweet. BobDuckNWeave streamed for years on Mixer and said, "[It was] worse than a breakup via text from your other half of five years," adding that "The delivery of the announcement shows the complete lack of empathy you'd expect from a corporation like Microsoft."

While Microsoft shut down Mixer this year, the platform's ultra-low latency video streaming technology lives on in other Microsoft services. Microsoft Teams leverages the former service's streaming technology.

Matt Brown took a deep dive into what went wrong with Mixer shortly after Microsoft announced that it was shutting down, while later speaking to some of the top personalities from the platform.

Cortana skills on Windows 10

Cortana shifted towards productivity and away from general consumer usage this year. Microsoft announced a new Cortana experience that can find information across Microsoft 365, help manage your schedule with insight, and do other tasks that improve productivity. Microsoft dropped support for Cortana skills on Windows 10 with the new experience. That means that skills for Xbox, Spotify, SmartThings, and more stopped working on Cortana on Windows 10.

More devices are set to lose access to Cortana soon. Starting in January 2021, Microsoft will end Cortana integration with the Harman Kardon Invoke speaker.

Physical Microsoft Stores

This past June, Microsoft announced that all physical Microsoft Stores would close as part of a "strategic change." Microsoft stated at the time that it would put more money and effort into digital storefronts.

Physical Microsoft Stores closed only a few months after they shut their doors due to the global pandemic. Team members moved to remote jobs, and Microsoft shifted its efforts to deliver an experience not anchored to physical stores. But Microsoft Stores weren't just about shopping. They provided a place for people to bring in faulty devices to get help, a location for training, and a place to check out the latest tech from Microsoft in person.

Microsoft will repurpose four stores to "experience centers," but those locations are only available to a small group of people due to geography. Our senior editor Zac Bowden discussed the negative impact of physical Microsoft Stores shutting down earlier this year.

Honorable mention- Skype

Ok, so Skype isn't actually dead. In fact, hundreds of millions of people have Skype accounts, and I bet a few people still use them. That being said, in a year when more people shifted to video calls than ever, Skype fell even further behind competing services. Zoom became the verb of choice for video calling and Skype ... didn't. The Late Late Show with James Corden did a great sketch that summarizes Skype in 2020.

While Skype didn't do well in 2020, Microsoft Teams use skyrocketed. Teams appears to be Microsoft's pride and joy. The service gained new features, regularly received updates, and over 115 million people use it daily. More importantly for Microsoft, Teams gained traction among businesses, in enterprise, and in the eyes of the general public.

A final farewell

As 2020 comes to a close, we big a final farewell to these Microsoft products and services. While it's sad to see some of them go, there's a lot to look forward to in 2021. Next year is set to be a big year for Windows and new Surface hardware is just around the corner.

Which product or service will you miss the most? Is there one that you're happy Microsoft moved on from? Let us know in the comments below.

What you need to know

• Google announced that Chrome support will be extended on Windows 7 until at least January 15, 2022.
• The extension is in place to help organizations migrating to Windows 10.
• Support was previously set to end on July 15, 2021.

Google's support of Chrome on Windows 7 will now last until at least January 15, 2022. Support was previously set to end on July 15, 2021, but Google extended support to help organizations migrating to Windows 10. With extended support, the browser will receive security updates and other benefits, such as enterprise capabilities, for over a year.

Google shared in a blog post (via ZDNet) that 21 percent of organizations are still migrating to Windows 10. Some organizations have had to delay migration due to the current global pandemic.

"Our hope is that this extension gives our enterprise customers the flexibility they need to continue supporting their workforce, while moving off of Windows 7 as their situation allows," said Google engineering director, Chrome, Max Christoff.

Microsoft made a similar move earlier this year when it announced extended support for Windows 10 version 1809. With IT managers and admins having to prioritize other items during the current global pandemic, having the option to delay major updates without losing security features is valuable.

What you need to know

• Grounded, the latest project from Obsidian Entertainment, just came out in Early Access and Game Preview.
• The game is already a ton of fun, but is suffering from lots of early bugs and issues.
• One issue has players on Windows 7 playing through Steam unable to log in to Grounded.
• Grounded's first hotfix is rolling out now to resolve this specific issue, with more updates coming in the future.

If you've been trying to get into Grounded through Steam on your Windows 7 gaming rig, you might have run into an issue with logging into the game. This is a known issue in Grounded's Early Access and Game Preview, and Obsidian Entertainment is rolling out an update to resolve the issue right now. Any players running into this bug should go and install this update right away.

This update marks the first of many expected for Grounded, especially with the long list of known issues and bugs that currently plague the game's early access. The small team behind Grounded are undoubtedly working night and day to resolve these issues, while continuing to update the game with new content and features.

Related: All of the known issues, bugs, and upcoming fixes for Grounded

If you continue to run into an issue with logging into Grounded while playing on Windows 7, please be sure to let Obsidian know on their support website so they can keep track of any unresolved issues with the game.

Grounded

Main

• Grounded: Everything You Need to Know
• Grounded: Is it good?
• Grounded: Beginner's Guide
• Grounded: List of creatures
• Get Grounded's best weapon
• Grounded: How to get the level 2 axe/hammer

What you need to know

• A Windows 7 bug currently stops people from shutting down or restarting their PC.
• Windows 7 is officially out of support, so Microsoft might have to decide to make an exception and issue an update.
• Microsoft recently made an exception for a wallpaper bug that is now fixed.

Yet another Windows 7 bug is in the headlines. This time it's a bug that prevents people from shutting down their computers. Several Windows 7 users reported that an error message pops up stating, "You don't have permission to shut down this computer" every time they try to shut down their PC. Several reports of the issue emerged online over the weekend, including a Reddit thread with a solution to the issue (via ZDNet).

This new issue seems more significant than the recent wallpaper bug that Microsoft fixed. Since Windows 7 is out of support, Microsoft decided to make an exception and ship an update for that issue. If this shutdown bug is widespread enough, Microsoft might have to make another exception.

A few users on Reddit found a workaround and an unofficial fix, though we haven't tested these solutions ourselves yet. One solution involved creating an additional admin account, logging into that account, logging back into a default admin account, and shutting down the system.

One Reddit post lists what appears to be a more permanent solution, but it requires using gpedit. As with any solution involving more complex steps, you should understand what you're doing before jumping in and making changes.

Being able to shut down and reboot your computer is an essential function, so Microsoft will probably have to find a fix and issue another update.

What you need to know

• Microsoft issued a fix for the Windows 7 wallpaper bug.
• The update is generally available even though Windows 7 is officially out of support.
• Many businesses and people still use Windows 7 even though it's out of support.

Microsoft released an update that fixes the Windows 7 wallpaper bug that recently appeared for many people on Windows 7. The bug caused wallpapers set to "Stretch" to appear as solid black images rather than the image set by a person. Windows 7 is officially out of support, but since the bug was included in an update sent out by Microsoft, the company decided to ship the fix to everyone.

Because the operating system is out of support, people and businesses usually have to pay for extended support, but this update is available to anyone running Windows 7 SP1 and Server 2008 R2 SP1. Here's the complete changelog for the update:

• Addresses an issue that might cause your wallpaper that is set to Stretch to display as black. Important Before you apply this update, see the "Prerequisites" section.

A support page from Microsoft breaks down all the prerequisites for the update and important information about how to apply the update, including having to restart your device to apply the update.

Even though Windows 7 officially fell out of support last month, many people still use it. A recent study shows that Windows 7 is "nearly ubiquitous" at large companies and the German government will have to pay €800,000 for Extended Security Updates. Microsoft continues to push people towards Windows 10, but it could be a while before some organizations and people switch over.

What you need to know

• Windows OEM revenue was up 18% overall.
• Windows 10 Pro licenses were up 26% due to Windows 7 EOL.
• Windows OEM non-Pro revenue was also up by 4 percent.

Microsoft's earnings report is out for the second quarter of its 2020 fiscal year, and the company raked in 36.9 billion beating most estimates.

Overall, Windows OEM growth grew 18 percent ahead of the PC market growth. Microsoft notes that "chip supply constraints" last year drove that discrepancy to be larger than it should be, and this is more of a correction. Intel was noted to have issues meeting the demand for its 14nm chipsets to OEMs, which in turn reduced sales of Windows licenses.

Windows 10 Pro had a massive quarter partially driven by Windows 7 support coming to an end as enterprise scrambles to upgrade to new hardware. That has resulted in a significant but expected growth in Windows 10 Pro licenses, which were up 26 percent from last year.

However, even Windows 10 Home and OEM sales saw a nice uptick, too, with a 4 percent year-over-year increase. Microsoft cites "the benefit from the low prior year comparable and the timing of license purchases" that "more than offset continued pressure in the entry-level category."

Update: On the earnings call, Microsoft's CFO Amy Hood noted noted that next quarter the company expects lower to mid single digit growth driven by the end of Windows 7 support, generally "healthy demand" from consumers and Microsoft's partners' ability to meet that demand.

When combined with Surface revenue (up 6%), Xbox content (down 21%), Search (up 6%), the More Personal Computing division (one of the big three at Microsoft) was up in revenue by two percent (or 3 percent in constant currency).

See more of Microsoft's full quarter results.

What you need to know

• Microsoft will send out one last bug fix for Windows 7.
• The update will fix a wallpaper bug that Microsoft accidentally caused recently.
• The update will roll out to all Windows 7 users, not just those that paid for Extended Security Updates.

Windows 7 has one last update that's on its way to all systems running the older operating system (via The Verge). The update fixes a wallpaper bug that caused PC displays to appear black when a wallpaper is set to Stretch. At the moment, the workaround for the bug is to set your wallpaper to Fill, Fit, Tile, or Center, but Microsoft is working on a resolution for the issue.

The bug first appeared in update KB4534210. That was supposed to be the last update to Windows 7, but since it included the wallpaper bug, an update with a fix is on the way. A Microsoft support document states that Microsoft is "working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release, which will be released to all customers running Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1." The Verge points out that the update was initially only going to be available for organizations that purchased Windows 7 Extended Security Updates, but will instead ship out to everyone. Some around the web had already begun criticizing Microsoft for shipping an update with a bug and then planning to charge people to fix it through an upgrade to Windows 10. Now, people will receive the fix for free.

Windows 7 officially fell out of support this month. Microsoft continues to push people towards Windows 10, but many are still on Windows 7. The German government will have to pay €800,000 for Extended Security Updates and a recent study shows that Windows 7 is "nearly ubiquitous" at large companies.

What you need to know

• The German government will pay €800,000 for Extended Security Updates for PCs running Windows 7.
• The German government has more than 33,000 workstations running Windows 7.
• Extended Security Updates range between $25 and $200 per workstation depending mainly on the version of Windows 7 a device runs.

The German government will pay €800,000 (roughly $886,000) for Extended Security Updates for Windows 7 PCs via ZDNet. The German government has more than 33,000 workstations that still run Windows 7, and Extended Security Updates come at a high cost. Windows 7 fell out of support earlier this month, and Extended Security Updates range between $25 and $200 per device depending on what version of Windows 7 a device runs and what year the security updates cover.

While Windows 7 is out of support, larger enterprises can pay Microsoft for Extended Security Updates. These updates start at $25 per device as a Windows Enterprise add-on but cost $50 per Windows 7 Pro device. These prices go up each year, with the price of a Windows 7 Pro device reaching $200 per device by January 2022.

Local German newspaper Handelsblatt initially broke the story. According to Handelsblatt, the German government began migrating its PCs to Windows 10 in 2018 but has not finished the migration.

This likely won't be the last enterprise client of Microsoft that we hear about paying high security fees. A recent study states that Windows 7 is "nearly ubiquitous" at large companies.

Since Windows 7 is out of support, enterprise customers have to choose between a mass migration to Windows 10, paying for Extended Security Updates, or using an unsecured operating system, though that last choice isn't a viable option.

What you need to know

• Windows 7 is still 'nearly ubiquitous' at large companies, and has a large presence in the education and government sectors, according to a new study.
• That's despite Windows 7 reaching end of support on January 14.
• Windows 7's prevelance represents a potential security threat for many organizations unless they migrate to Windows 10 or pay for extended security updates.

Windows 7 reached its end of support date on January 14, but it's still heavily relied upon by a large number of organizations, according to a new study. BitSight, a company that runs a security ratings platform, found that almost 90 percent of large companies with more than 10,000 employees still run Windows 7. That's compared to 61 percent of companies with fewer than 1,000 employees, the company said in a press release today.

The overall picture is similar for education and government sectors. BitSight found that both verticals have a Windows 7 deployment rate above 80 percent (84 percent for education and 82 percent for government). Expanding to retail, transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare industries shows that just above 40 percent of all PCs in each runs Windows 7.

BitSight obtained its data by analyzing data from around 60,000 organizations over the past 60 days. Overall, BitSight says, nearly 70 percent of those 60,000 organizations were running Windows 7 "in some capacity." Though reliance on Windows 7 isn't evenly spread across all of these organizations, BitSight found that 51 percent of those in the study had Windows 7 running on more than one in 10 machines.

Because Microsoft will no longer provide security updates for Windows 7 going forward, its presence across all sectors is an area of concern. Microsoft offers extended security updates for organizations that pay for them, and it has vowed to protect election systems with further security updates through 2020. However, it's unlikely that every organization that uses Windows 7 in some capacity will opt to purchase paid security updates.

The obvious solution, BitSight points out, is to upgrade machines to a newer operating system. However, upgrading and patching PCs across an entire organization takes time, and there are numerous reasons to delay such a rollout. The process can become even more complicated for companies that rely on bespoke software that doesn't play nice with Windows 10 for one reason or another as well.

"Any organization relying on [Windows 7] moving forward could be susceptible to a security issue, attack or data breach unless they purchased extended support from Microsoft," BitSight said in its press release.

The high-profile "WannaCry" ransomware outbreak that impacted Britain's National Health Service in 2017 showed how a lapse in security can disturb large organizations. With Windows 7 still in wide circulation without guaranteed security updates, attacks like "WannaCry" are a threat that looms large.

We're back with another exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast, and this week, There's renewed interest and speculation about Surface Duo thanks to a photo of Satya Nadella showing off the upcoming device. Windows 7 support has officially ended, but there are still hundreds of millions of machines in service running the OS.

In other software news, Windows 10 build 18546 has arrived for Fast ring insiders with a cool new graphing calculator, and Edge is out of beta. Additionally, there's a public preview available for Microsoft Launcher 6.0 for Android.

Daniel and Zac close out the show with a few morsels of Xbox news and rumors.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast was recorded on January 17th 2020.

Links:

• Satya Nadella poses for the camera with Surface Duo in hand | Windows Central
• Windows 7 support officially ends today, more than 10 years since its release | Windows Central
• Windows 10 build 19546 arrives for Fast ring Insiders with graphing calculator | Windows Central
• The new Microsoft Edge review: A browser that could rival Google's Chrome | Windows Central
• Microsoft Launcher 6.0 for Android enters public preview with new UI and more | Windows Central

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Hosts

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

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What you need to know

• Windows 7 support finally came to an end today.
• To mark the occasion, Databarracks gave Windows 7 a true Viking sendoff.
• We'll see you in Valhalla, old friend.

Windows 7 had a good run, but Microsoft officially dropped support for the aging OS today. That means no more security updates (unless a company pays to have them extended), and it marks the end of an era. But with such a popular OS finally kicking the bucket, it deserved a proper sendoff.

And that's just what IT security and cloud company Databarracks did with its proper Viking funeral. Check it out below.

"It's a bit of fun, but there's a serious message we want to highlight. Staying up to date with operating systems and patching is the simplest and most important security practice to follow," Databarracks said in a press release. "There are countless examples of cyber-attacks and breaches that could have been avoided simply by staying on top of important software updates."

For those of us who follow Microsoft and Windows, Windows 7's end of life is a bittersweet moment. The OS brought a number of great features to the table, including window snapping and an evolution of the Aero aesthetic. Moreover, it marked a significant step forward from the maligned Windows Vista.

For businesses that still plan to continue using Windows 7, Microsoft is offering paid extended security updates through 2023. However, it's priced on a per-device basis, and the cost will continue to rise with each passing year. For now, the safest bet is to push forward to Windows 10.

As for Windows 7, we'll see you in Valhalla, old friend.

What you need to know

• PCs experienced overall market growth in 2019.
• This is the first time the PC market grew over a year since 2011.
• Gartner and IDC point to the end of Windows 7 support as a contributing factor to the growth of the PC market.

In 2019, the PC market experienced its first year of growth over a year since 2011. Both IDC and Gartner state that the overall PC market grew and that the end of Windows 7 support is a contributing factor. The Verge points out that the PC market grew in the first quarter of 2018, but that 2019 is the first year the market saw growth over the course of an entire year.

IDC states that worldwide PC shipments grew by 2.7 percent up to 266.7 million devices. Gartner states a lower 0.6 percent growth over the same time period. It's worth highlighting that Gartner does not include Chromebooks in its figures, which might account for some of the discrepancies in figures.

Both firms point toward the end of Windows 7 support as a contributing factor for PC market growth. IDC states that "The storyline in the commercial sector for most of the year was around the momentum driven by businesses transitioning PCs over to Windows 10 before the end of support for Windows 7 arrives in January 2020." Gartner echoes a similar sentiment, stating, "We expect this growth to continue through this year even after Windows 7 support comes to an end this month, as many businesses in emerging regions such as China, Eurasia and the emerging Asia/Pacific have not yet upgraded."

Despite the fact that Windows 7 is over 10 years old, millions of devices run the operating system. As support ends and companies and general consumers migrate to newer devices, the overall PC market should see a positive bump.

What you need to know

• Windows 7 support officially ends today.
• After support ends, the operating system will no longer receive security updates, technical support, or any software updates.
• Some estimate that 300 million devices still run Windows 7.

Windows 7 support officially ends today. Microsoft warned people repeatedly to help them prepare for today, and now the end of support has officially arrived. Following the end of support, Windows 7 will no longer receive software updates, security updates, or technical support. Microsoft recommends moving to Windows 10 to receive support and updates. You can read answers to common questions about Windows 7 support ending on Microsoft's website

Windows 7 is one of the most-loved versions of Windows ever. There are still many companies and people who choose to stay on it. Some estimate that approximately 300 million devices still run Windows 7. That being said, Windows comes with a plethora of features that make it worth upgrading to in the eyes of many. Windows 10 has been out for years, meaning it's received several meaningful major updates and thousands upon thousands of bug fixes.

Windows 10 November 2019 Update: What is it, and what's included?

Even though Microsoft claims that support for the free Windows 10 upgrade offer is over, you can still take advantage of it. Microsoft seems to turn a blind eye to anyone who uses the Windows 10 Upgrade website to activate a Windows 10 license with a Windows 7 serial key.

For enterprise scenarios, end of support for Windows 7 could mean putting customers, suppliers, and partners at risk if they're still running Windows 7 PCs, says Kevin Galvin, senior product manager at Quest Software.

"Many businesses are still running Windows 7 because they've been slow to act, hadn't seen it as a priority, or thought of it as too much of a daunting challenge to upgrade all their systems," Galvin says. "Daunting as it may be, we're now at the stage where the best option is to upgrade. However, if businesses cannot and have made arrangements with Microsoft to pay for continued Windows 7 patching support, it is critical that they make sure their patch management system will be able to apply them."

If you upgrade to Windows 10 and miss the look of Windows 7, you can use software like Start10 to make your new operating system look old again.

What you need to know

• Windows 7 support ends January 14 2020.
• Microsoft will be sending out the 5th (and final) warning to users.
• Windows 7 users dismiss the message and continue using their PCs.

Windows 7's life support is almost up. Launched a decade ago in 2009, Windows 7 has been a success story for Microsoft, but just like with Windows XP; there are millions of people who are still using Windows 7 as support for it comes to an end. Support officially ends on January 14, and beginning January 15, Microsoft will start letting users know this with full-screen warnings.

Just like the smaller windowed warnings that have been popping up for Windows 7 users this year, this full-screen warning will be dismissible and can be turned off forever if the user chooses. Those who do decide to stick with Windows 7 after the end of support date will be vulnerable to any Windows OS attacks that become known after January 14, which could put your PC and data at risk.

There are a guesstimated 300 million Windows 7 users connected to the internet today, which pales in comparison to the 900 million Windows 10 users out there. But 300 million is not a small group of people and is a huge target for attackers looking to take advantage of people using an OS that is no longer in support.

If you're running Windows 7 on your PC today, you can still take advantage of the free Windows 10 upgrade offer, even though that offer has expired. Microsoft will turn a blind eye and let you activate Windows 10 legitimately with your Windows 7 serial key. You can head to the Windows 10 Upgrade website to get started.

Are you still using Windows 7? Will you continue to use it after January 14? Let us know in the comments.