Windows 8.1 users will receive a warning that support will end from July

Microsoft will warn Windows 8.1 users from July that support for the operating system will end in January 2023. There will be no Extended Security Update program for Windows 8.1.

The end-of-support notifications that Windows 8.1 users can expect from July onwards are similar to those of Windows 7 as the end of support for that version approached. Users are given the option to click away the notifications and choose ‘Remind me later’, writes ZDNet†

On January 10, 2023 Extended support for Windows 8.1 ends, after which no more security updates for the software appear. Microsoft 365 Office apps will also receive after the end-of-life date no more updates if users are running it on Windows 8.1.

Mainstream support for the OS ended on January 9, 2018. Companies and organizations that have not yet upgraded to a more current Windows version by January 2023 will not be able to purchase Extended Security Support for Windows 8.1. With Windows 7, Microsoft still offered a paid Extended Security Update program.

Windows 8.1 appeared in 2013 and was supposed to fix some shortcomings of the critically received Windows 8. For example, that version opened by default with the Modern UI environment optimized for touchscreens. Windows 8.1 allowed users to set the OS to start with the traditional mouse and keyboard environment. According to Statcounter, the market share is compared to the other Windows versions at less than 3 percentwhile that of Windows 7 is still more than 11 percent.