Starting next month, Microsoft will start displaying periodic pop-up notifications reminding Windows 7 users that support for that OS is ending early next year. Happily, you'll be able to shut them off.
By Mary Jo Foley for All About Microsoft | March 12, 2019 -- 16:01 GMT (09:01 PDT)
Just like it did when Windows XP support was ending back in 2014, Microsoft is readying pop-up notification screens that it will start showing to users still running Windows 7. Beginning some time in April 2019, Microsoft will start reminding users that the company will no longer provide free support for Windows 7 after January 14, 2020.
Microsoft's March 12 blog post about the coming "courtesy reminder" about Windows 7's end of support notes that users will see the notification "a handful of times in 2019." The notifications will include a user-selectable checkbox for "do not notify me again," enabling them not to see any future reminders. Just closing the pop-up using the X in the right corner won't prevent users from getting more of these notifications, however.
There's no screen shot of what the coming Windows 7 end-of-support pop-up will look like. But from Microsoft's blog post, it sounds like it will be informational and include a link to Microsoft's www.microsoft.com/windows7 page. That page includes information on how to transfer data from a current Windows 7 PC to a newer device; how to backup personal data; tips on how to use Windows 10; and more.
With Windows XP, Microsoft's notifications for end of life included a "Click here to learn more" link and a "Don't show this message again" box.
My guess is Microsoft is alerting users about the coming pop-up several weeks early so they're not surprised -- or worried that the coming pop-ups are malware -- once they start appearing in April.
On January 14, 2020 -- Microsoft's support for Windows 7 will cease. That means no more updates or fixes, including security fixes after that date, which is the first Patch Tuesday of 2020, unless a customer pays. Microsoft officials have announced two ways that Windows 7 users can continue to get security updates beyond the January 14, 2020 date. But both of these ways -- purchasing paid Extended Support Updates and buying Windows Virtual Desktop (which includes Extended Support Updates for no additional fee) are designed for business customers, not consumers.
