Extended support for Windows Vista ends

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Microsoft Windows Vista is not longer a supported operating system as its extended support just ended on April 11.

The mainstream support for Windows Vista ended on April 10, 2012 after which Microsoft put the OS in extended support until April 11, 2017. Windows Vista was possibly one of the most criticised operating system in Microsoft’s history owing to a number of issues with the OS itself.

Whatsoever may be the case, it is out of Microsoft’s responsibility now and users are expected to migrate to another operating system if they still haven’t as Microsoft will no longer provide security updates for the operating system, while automatic fixes, feature requests, warranty claims, and online technical assistance.

Microsoft noted on a Windows Vista support page that Windows Vista customers are no longer receiving new security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options, or online technical content updates from Microsoft.

Microsoft also explains what happens if users continue to use Windows Vista. “If you continue to use Windows Vista now that support has ended, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Internet Explorer 9 is no longer supported, so if your Windows Vista PC is connected to the Internet and you use Internet Explorer 9 to surf the web, you might be exposing your PC to additional threats. Also, as more software and hardware manufacturers continue to optimize for more recent versions of Windows, you can expect to encounter more apps and devices that do not work with Windows Vista.”

The company explained it has also stopped providing Microsoft Security Essentials for download on Windows Vista. Users with Microsoft Security Essentials already installed will continue to receive antimalware signature updates for a limited time. It adds however, that “Microsoft Security Essentials (or any other antivirus software) will have limited effectiveness on PCs that do not have the latest security updates.”

Mainstream support for Windows 7 ended on January 13, 2015, but extended support is available till January 14, 2020.