If you’re still using Windows XP or Windows Vista, you probably don’t know the actual date of their “end-of-life” — the date Microsoft will no longer provide “mainstream and extended support” for their operating systems. Using a computer beyond it’s supported life is dangerous because users won’t receive critical updates and patches — they won’t receive patches or updates of any kind.
Not to worry. If you’re still using Windows Vista or Windows XP you’ve got time. The following actual end-of-life dates were found by Ed Bott on a Japanese Microsoft blog post:
Here are the end-of-life dates for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7:
Windows XP – April 8, 2014
Windows Vista – April 11, 2017
Windows 7 – January 14, 2020
If you’re clinging to that old Windows XP machine you can breathe a bit easier. As of today, February 21, 2012, you still have a bit over 800 days of updates and patches left. Enjoy.
This info re Window’s support was really important. Thanks for letting us know.
Doesn’t Microsoft believe in the old sayng ” If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”
Look at Vista after Xp. Xp to my mind has been the best.Haven’t used windows 7 for very long, but why change everything so you can’t find anything. No graphics, that is a real downer
Will be keeping XP till the death knock
I have so enjoyed the recent news about the FBI possibly shutting down the internet and why. I loved the link you provided to check our PC’s to see if we were infected. This news is just as great! Last I knew, support for WinXP was ending in 2012. How nice to know I have a little more time left. Thank you for all you do!!!!
Love XP….it is on my lap top, desk top, and the computer at work. Please, please, keep supporting it. Give us the choice to keep it up and running.
I agree as far as Win XP being the best, I have 7 now, only because there were no new XP’s to be found. Im used to 7 now, but still love XP. Thanks for all your articles, I learn something new with each one!!
Well, it looks like I have 8 years left for my Windows 7. I agree, though, that Windows XP was the best. Change is always difficult, but why change when things work great the way they are and the change doesn’t improve anything?
For those of us who are totally unwilling to give up our XP, but knowing we have to, there is:
“Apply the Windows 7 look & feel to Windows XP”
(Cannot allow our readers to download from Softronic — they install spyware/adware in the their bundles — even when you uncheck the box).
(Yes, beware of the toolbar offer in the download.)
And then, the wiget to countdown to the (sniff) end of XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=11662
Thanks for protecting us from websites like these. I visited a LOT of websites, searching for plugins for WMP, when I saw this. After a couple of hours, I couldn’t wait to run my virus scanner. You never know what you’ll pick up just by looking and not downloading. I’m glad I didn’t find anything to download at this site. ~ML
Thankfully I have eight years to go with Windows 7, I am not looking forward to changing again as I still miss XP, you just get used to one system and they change it, hopefully one day they will come up with a keeper?
The world changes. We don’t drive cars made in the 80’s or watch TVs with tubes in them anymore. Things change. Changes are happening more rapidly now than ever before. There are things that Windows XP just can’t do. There will come a day when Windows 7 will seem outdated and won’t be able to keep up with the changes. I doubt you’ll ever see a ‘keeper’. That would be like expecting to buy one car and keep it your whole life. It’s not going to happen. What you will see is WOW — Windows On the Web — then you’ll pay an annual subscription fee and you’ll always have the most up-to-date version.
I to am still using XP and love it. I really don’t want to change but I am looking at a new laptop and will be forced to change. I only have one thing to say to Microsoft and that is that not everyone in this world can afford to upgrade every time Microsoft wants to make a change and make more money. We are not all rich.
Buy a Mac — Apple only charges $39 for its operating systems :-). And to be fair, by the time Microsoft stops supporting XP in 2014 — they will have given uses 13 years of support. How many thing can you buy that have a 13 year guarantee. After 13 years things get old – cars, appliances, etc. I don’t think it’s unfair of Microsoft to stop supporting an operating system that was created in 2001. The Web has changed and so have operating systems. Windows XP was introduced at time when there was no facebook, Google was an infant. There was no YouTube and very few homes had Wi-Fi. Windows Vista users will get support until 2017 and Windows 7 users will get support until 2020. I think their new guidelines are fair. Who knows what the Web will be like in 2012.
In the future — your computer won’t even have an operating system. Windows will run from the Web and your computer will just be an appliance that connects you to your desktop in the cloud. Google’s Chromebooks work like this already. When the day comes that Windows runs from the Cloud – the days of losing your files and photos and docs and programs to a “crash” will be over. You may not like that idea — and I may not either — but the day is coming where you won’t install Windows on your computer — you’ll pay a subscription fee to access your Windows on the Web.
“The following actual end-of-life dates were found by Ed Bott on a Japanese Microsoft blog post:”…
The dates here are for extended life cycle which is available only to commercial customers.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/lifecycle
…gives a clearer idea for mainstream support, which as it turns out, is 5 years earlier than extended support! So e.g. mainstream support for XP ran out in April 2009, but that doesn’t stop someone from using it still.
I prefer xp as well I am using 7,I have tried windows 8 and believe me it is as bad as vista wass,I was so glad to be rid of it