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Windows 7 professional no longer supported free. How to Continue Using Windows 7 Safely with No More Updates |
Windows 7 professional no longer supported free. Windows 7 support ended on January 14, 2020
Remember, Windows 10 and 11 are still being continuously updated, making them more secure. However, most users can mitigate most risks by taking a few precautions. With Windows 7 still having over a percent market share at the time of writing, many users are sticking with Windows 7 no matter what. So why not be a little safer? In fact, my antivirus regularly blocks sites with expired security certificates and malicious ads or scripts. Start by researching various antivirus tools to see which one is best for your needs.
Real-time protection, automatic updates, ease of use, and efficiency are great features to look for. Another option to consider is Windows Defender , which works on Windows 7 as well as later versions of Windows. If you suspect something might have already infected your Windows 7 PC, download the offline version of Microsoft Defender on another computer and use a USB drive to scan your system.
You can also download Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows 7 for additional protection. Your browser usually has some built-in security features.
Every extra line of defense helps protect you against malware and other threats. Currently, Google is promising that Chrome will work with Windows 7 until at least January Most browsers automatically update or at least notify about updates.
Install them to have the most recent security updates for the browsers themselves. Whichever browser you use, update it. An outdated extension leaves you open to attack. Even the most reputable sites can be dangerous. For instance, Forbes tried to force users to stop using ad-blocking tools only to serve up malware to those who disabled their adblockers. Of course, Equifax had malicious ads not long after being hacked. A few options to consider include:. Also, some browsers have ad-block tools built-in.
For instance, Chrome still supports Windows 7 and receives regular security updates. Now might be a good time to upgrade to Office Try to stay away from questionable software, such as audio and video downloaders that often come bundled with dangerous trackers and keyloggers. While you should do this on any operating system you use, using Windows 7 safely means being more cautious than usual.
Avoid visiting sites that are known to be dangerous, such as P2P downloading sites and adult sites. If it looks legitimate, click the sender name to verify the email address before clicking anything in the email itself. Simply being cautious, using updated software, and using antivirus is enough to keep you safer while using Windows 7. However, the recommendation is still to upgrade to Windows 10 if possible.
If you really insist on staying on Windows 7, then at least see our guide on how to make Windows 7 look like Windows Honestly, this tip applies no matter what operating system you might be using. One line of defense is to secure your network. Create a strong Wi-Fi password. It may sound silly at first, but with so many smart home devices in use, hackers do try to break into networks just to make use of network resources.
Having a strong Wi-Fi password can help thwart those attacks and keep your Windows 7 device safer. The same holds true for any device on public Wi-Fi. These sites are safer to use in general.
Even if you ditched Windows 7 years ago, you could still be affected by the Windows 7 End of Life. Windows 7 will enter its End of Life on Tuesday, January 14, After that date, Microsoft will no longer offer patches and security updates for Windows 7.
That means that any bugs or problems still found in Windows 7 will never get fixed. Likewise, any security vulnerabilities could also remain in Windows 7, as Microsoft is unlikely to patch those unless they are very severe — more on that in a moment.
Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows 7 back in January 13, , which meant new features stopped being added, and warranty claims were no longer valid. It then entered its extended support phase, where only necessary patches and fixes were released. That ends on January 14, If someone finds a nasty bug or security vulnerability in Windows 7, they could easily take advantage of it, putting you at risk.
Again, if there are bugs and security vulnerabilities in Windows 7 versions of the programs and applications you use, these may never get fixed. Even ignoring the fact that Windows 7 is now in its End of Life phase, you should stop using such an old operating system, anyway. You can upgrade your existing PC to Windows 10, and Microsoft has done a good job of ensuring that its new operating system works reasonably well with older hardware.
Check out our pick of the best laptops and best desktop PCs for help in choosing a new device. Although Microsoft has officially stopped offering a free Windows 10 upgrade to Windows 7 and Windows 8. All you need to do is use the Windows Media Creation Tool opens in new tab and select to upgrade from there. Enter in your Windows 7 or Windows 8 licence key, and you should soon have a Windows 10 running — for free.
You need to make sure you choose to upgrade your Windows 7 installation, rather than installing a fresh version of Windows
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