If for some reason, you’re still using Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 on your PC, you’ll have to soon make the change to Windows 10 or 11 if you want to keep using the Microsoft Edge browser. Despite being well-known as a powerful browser that was launched as a placeholder for Internet Explorer, Edge will soon lose support for previous Windows versions.
On the Microsoft Edge Blog, the Redmond-based tech giant itself brought the harsh news that its Edge browser won’t get support anymore for users who cling to Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1. The move was certainly expected, as those versions of Windows are undoubtedly obsolete, regardless of how useful they once were. Furthermore, the vast majority of PC owners nowadays use either the latest Windows 11 or the previous operating system from Microsoft, meaning Windows 10.
January 2023 is the deadline
After January 2023, it will no longer be possible to navigate the web using Microsoft Edge installed on a laptop or desktop PC that’s also running Windows 7, 8, or 8.1. Microsoft Edge version 110 will be the last update that will still support those operating systems, and it lands in January 2023.
Here’s a quote from Microsoft’s blog, which tells us more:
With Windows 7 Extended Security Update (ESU) and Windows 8/8.1 end of support on January 10th, 2023, and Google Chrome ending support for Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1, Microsoft Edge browser version 109 and Webview2 Runtime version 109 will be the last respective versions to support these operating systems. Additionally, WebView2 SDK versions 1.0.1519.0 and higher will no longer support Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1.
Back in early 2020, Microsoft even halted any technical support for Windows 7. That means that if you still want to use the legendary operating system, you can do it at your own risk. It’s clear that Microsoft is slowly but surely leaving aside its older operating systems to make room for its newer Windows 11 that came out last year.