Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of windows 8.1 end of life free download latest features, security updates, and technical support. Feedback will be sent to Microsoft: By pressing the submit button, your feedback will be used to improve Microsoft products and services. Privacy policy. Please go here to search for your product's lifecycle. Windows products are governed by both Modern and Fixed Lifecycle Policies. Search for the product lifecycle for your specific Windows product and its corresponding Lifecycle Policy and end-of-support dates.
A Windows quality update is an incremental update to Windows products that includes bug fixes, feature improvements, and security issue resolutions. A Windows feature update is an update that contains new features. A feature update also includes all previous quality updates, as applicable. Go here for more information on these terms. To receive monthly quality updates, customers windows 8.1 end of life free download be on a supported version of Windows.
Go here for support dates. Windows quality updates are cumulative, with each update built upon the quality updates preceding it. If you have a valid Windows license, you are eligible for support from Microsoft, subject to the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy and the support terms and conditions that were in place at the time of purchase.
If you acquired your Windows operating system through the Microsoft Volume Licensing program or from an Original Equipment Manufacturer OEMMicrosoft offers access to a wealth of online self-help support content in addition to paid technical help offerings. To use prior versions of Windows on devices currently running a newer version, it is possible for customers to obtain a license for downgrade rights. To learn more about these rights, review the downgrade rights licensing brief.
For more information, please see Microsoft Lifecycle Policy. Once a Microsoft operating system OS reaches the end of support, customers will no longer receive security updates. The OS may still work with programs and hardware after the sale or support of the operating system has been discontinued.
However, the possibility increases that new programs and hardware will not be performant on an older OS. This frequently occurs because the manufacturers of new hardware and software make product-design decisions that take advantage of the increased functionality and features in newer operating systems. These manufacturers may decide to discontinue support of their products on older operating systems as appropriate. New versions of Windows windows 8.1 end of life free download will be released once per year and will receive monthly quality updates that include security and non-security updates.
Customers should always install the latest version before the current version reaches end of servicing to remain supported by Microsoft. There are windows 8.1 end of life free download minimum system requirements for installing Windows Devices that don't meet these requirements might not be able to install Windows Go here for Windows 11 requirements.
Note that devices must be running Windows 10version or later, to upgrade via Windows Update. Historically, new versions of Windows 10 also called feature updates were released twice a year via the Semi-Annual Channel. Beginning with Windows 10, version 21H2 the Windows 10 November Updatefeature updates will be released annually in the second half of the year via the General Availability Channel.
Go here to learn more. As of September 6,we have evolved our servicing timeline for customers who need more time to test and deploy Windows 10 feature updates. Supported versions will be serviced via monthly quality updates. It is highly recommended that customers install the latest feature update to stay up to date with the latest security updates, as well as to continue receiving future feature updates, with less impact on IT processes and infrastructure. To help reduce the burden on network bandwidth, Microsoft designed two different update types: Full and Express 3.
On devices that do not defer the installation of feature updates, the subsequent Semi-Annual Channel or General Availability Windows 8.1 end of life free download version of Windows 10 may be automatically offered and installed prior to the end date. Update deferral is not available for all editions of Windows 10 4.
Please see Windows as a Service WaaS for information on release channels and the Windows 10 release information page for additional update details. Not all features in a feature update will be available on all devices. Similarly, a device may not be able to receive updates if the device hardware is incompatible, lacks current drivers, lacks sufficient storage space, or is otherwise outside the original equipment manufacturers OEM support period.
For more information on compatibility, review the Windows 10 System Requirements as well as the Windows Processor Requirements. Update availability may vary by country, region, network connectivity, mobile operator e. To learn more, go here. Customers are required to move to a supported version feature update to continue to receive monthly quality updates with security and non-security fixes.
To receive monthly quality updates, customers must be on a supported version of Windows See Overview of Windows as a Service WaaS for more information on release channels and the Windows 10 release info page for additional update details. To receive monthly quality updates, customers must be on a supported version of Windows Server. A component is defined as a set of files or features that are included with a Microsoft product, whether it is shipped with the product, included in a product service pack or update, or later made available as a web download for the product.
Windows 8. With the general availability of Windows windows 8.1 end of life free download. Historically, Microsoft has taken a similar support approach related to service packs. When a Windows service pack is released, Microsoft provides customers 24 months of support for the prior service pack or original release. Unlike service packs that are typically a collection of fixes, Windows 8.
Therefore we are applying the service pack policy to Windows 8. Business customers who had Software Assurance licensing received Windows 8. Windows Embedded products have their own distinct lifecycles, based on when the product was released and made generally available. It is important for businesses to understand the support implications for these products windows 8.1 end of life free download ensure that systems remain up-to-date and secure. This is the original toolkit and componentized version of Windows XP.
It was originally released inand Extended Support ended on January 12, This product is for use in point of sale devices. It's built from Windows XP Embedded. It was originally released inand Extended Support ended on April 12, Windows Embedded Standard This product is an updated release of the toolkit and componentized version windows 8.1 end of life free download Windows XP. It was originally released inand Extended Support ended on January 8, This product for point of sale devices reflects the updates available in Windows Embedded Standard It was originally released onand extended support ended on April 9, Given this relationship, both operating systems followed the same release schedule and share the same timeline.
XP Embedded is a modular windows 8.1 end of life free download of Windows XP, with additional functionality to support the needs of industry devices. It was released separately from Windows XP and provides a separate support lifecycle to address the unique needs of industry devices.
Devices running Windows XP Embedded reached end of support in Windows Embedded 8. Customers have 24 months to move to Windows Embedded 8. The type of support provided in the Extended Support phase is consistent across all products.
Critical security updates are made available for products until the published Extended Support end date. This allows businesses to ensure that they are up to date in protection against security attacks. Similar to Windows products, Embedded products also receive updates through Microsoft Update.
Windows products will be supported for security, reliability, and compatibility on the latest silicon available at the time of release. Windows 7 and 8. These systems should be upgraded to Windows 10 to continue receiving support after the period ends. Search here to see your product's end of support dates. Windows Embedded 7, 8, and 8.
During this supported period, these systems should be upgraded to Windows 10 to continue receiving support after the period ends. There is no supported device list for Windows Embedded. Today, you can browse the catalog and find hardware that meets or exceeds our minimum server hardware requirements and has been successfully certified for windows 8.1 end of life free download Windows Server products. For Windows Server, the policy consists of five years of mainstream support followed by five years of extended support.
This lifecycle impacts the timeframe for which new devices and systems can be certified. We allow new systems to be submitted for certification up to the point when the OS transitions to extended support. To identify what generation of processor you have, see Intel's page on processor numbers. To see if your processor supports Windows 10, see Intel's Product Specification page. Go here to learn more about the latest processor requirements for all Windows products.
To find your Windows product end of support date, search the Product Lifecycle site. Microsoft will make software updates, including security updates, available for Windows RT. Search here for your specific product and its corresponding Lifecycle Policy. Please refer to hardware warranties for more information. More details can be found in the Hardware FAQ.
Go here to learn about the Lifecycle Policy for Windows Mobile. Skip to main content.
