Microsoft drops official technical support for older products on community forums

If you head to the Microsoft Answers forum for any expecting official technical support for an older Microsoft product, you'll soon be out of luck. The company announced today that it will no longer be providing technical support from Microsoft agents for a slew of products, including older versions of Windows and Office, along with Microsoft Band, Zune, and older Surface PCs (via MSPU).

Here's a look at all of the products that will be "discontinued across different forums in the community" as of July, 2018:

• Windows 7, 8.1, 8.1 RT
• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Internet Explorer 10
• Office 2010, 2013
• Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, Surface RT, Surface 2
• Microsoft Band – this topic will be locked. Users are invited to participate in Microsoft Band 2 topic.
• Mobile devices forum – Microsoft support will continue in "Other Windows mobile devices" topic
• Zune – this topic will be locked, but will remain available for browsing

According to Microsoft, the move is being made to "shift" its support scope. Staff will still moderate the forums, and community members are asked to continue to participate in topics that remain open. However, Microsoft says there will no longer be "proactive reviews, monitoring, answering or answer marking of questions."