Time to upgrade? Google Chrome is going to end support for these old versions of Windows

Google is finally dropping Chrome support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 around February 2023.

Google will drop support for the two legacy Windows versions in the Chrome 110 stable release, which is pencilled in for February 7. That version of Chrome makes Windows 10 the new minimum requirement for Chrome for Windows. 

The date is consistent with Google's commitment, following 2020's pandemic lockdowns, to support Windows 7 so long as Microsoft was supporting that version under its Extended Security Update (ESU) program. 

Both Windows 7 ESU and the Windows 8.1 extended support reach end of support on January 10, 2023. Microsoft is also ending support for Microsoft 365 apps on these versions of Windows on that date. 

A Chrome support manager has just published a reminder to Chrome users of the timing of the Chrome 110 stable release. 

Not many systems are still running on Windows 7. Microsoft stopped providing free patches for Windows 7 in January 2020. According to Steam, only 2.4% of Windows PCs connecting to the gaming platform were running Windows 7 in September. 

Microsoft is supporting Edge on Windows 7 and on Windows Server 2008 R2 until January 15, 2023. 

“Older versions of Chrome will continue to work, but there will be no further updates released for users on these operating systems,” the Chrome support manager noted. 

“If you are currently on Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, we encourage you to move to a supported Windows version before that date to ensure you continue to receive the latest security updates and Chrome features.” These supported options include Windows 10 and Windows 11. 

Ending Chrome support for Windows 7 has been a long process thanks to the pandemic's impact on major projects. While some, like digital transformations, accelerated, others were put on the backburner. 

Google in November 2021 extended Chrome support for Windows 7 by six months to assist organizations whose Windows 10 migrations were stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two months before lockdowns started around the world, Google had targeted July 2021 for the end of Windows 7 support in Chrome.