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Windows 7, released back in 2009, alleviated the criticism that Redmond faced over Windows Vista. The OS has also been a daily driver for the people who didn’t go for Windows 8/8.1. But 10 years later, the operating system still finds a home in over 400 million PCs across the globe.

The day of January 14, 2020, has finally come when Windows 7 reaches the end of life (EOL). From now on, it will not receive any security updates

Windows 7, released back in 2009, alleviated the criticism that Redmond faced over Windows Vista. The OS has also been a daily driver for the people who didn’t go for Windows 8/8.1. But 10 years later, the operating system still finds a home in over 400 million PCs across the globe.

Now, theoretically, all these users will have to look for alternatives for Windows 7 to move forward in their digital lives. Various federal bodies and intelligence services, including the UK’s GCHQ, have started to warn users that they shouldn’t use the older OS for carrying out sensitive work.

Although it seems that Windows 7 end of life will bring dark days, the situation appears to be manageable in the real world. People can get a sense of satisfaction by knowing that some machines are still running Windows XP, including the one used by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

However, it’s still recommended to upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10 or use any other freshly updated OS.

So, if you have been a Windows 7 user until now, here’s what you can do.

What to do after Windows 7 End of Life?Beef up your security and privacy

Your Windows 7 PC won’t receive any security patches, so it becomes obvious that you can’t be careless while doing things, for instance, clicking random links, downloading files from unknown sources. Given the OS would be vulnerable to undiscovered threats, making online payments and accessing internet banking services becomes a risky business too.

Make sure that the antivirus software you’re using continues to offer support for Windows 7. That way, if not the official patches, the updates from the antivirus company will be able to protect your machine.