Don’t we just love them? Windows 8.1, a rather underrated operating system version, will reach its end of life on January 10, 2023, a date that is getting closer and closer.
To prepare this small user base, Microsoft has decided to send them messages similar to the ones that those using Windows 7 received before its end of support. These notifications about the operating system’s upcoming death will go live sometime in July.
The more things change, the more they stay the same!
Redmond officially confirmed this, revealing that users will have options to receive notifications later, receive them after January 10, 2023, or learn more. The latter choice will guide them to a support article that explains what the end of support means and what they can do.
This version of the operating system reached the end of mainstream support a few years ago, on January 9, 2018, to be exact.
Distressingly, Microsoft does not currently offer free upgrade paths from Windows 8.1 to Windows 11 or even Windows 10. This means that these folks need to consider buying a license for a newer release.
Of course, Microsoft recommends that you purchase a new computer that fully supports these newer operating systems because those built for Windows 8.1 are designed with technology that is about 10 years old.
Windows 8.1 was released on October 17, 2023, after all.
Interestingly, this version of the OS was the only major Windows release that Microsoft allowed you to download from the Microsoft Store — similar to how Apple updates macOS.
This version was clearly an attempt by the company to fix the mess that was the initial launch of Windows 8. It brought back and fixed a number of problems that broke the platform, including the traditional Start Menu and the option to boot directly into the desktop.
It also included Internet Explorer 11, which saw its final days last month.
