Earlier this week, Microsoft released Edge 110 to insiders in the Dev Channel. The changelog has made it clear that Edge 110 is the first version of Microsoft's browser to ditch Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 support. Now Microsoft has published a blog post with the official announcement of the end of support for Edge on pre-Windows 10 versions (consumer, enterprise, and server SKUs).
Microsoft Edge and WebView2 Runtime (Evergreen and Fixed) version 109 are the last to support Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. Also, WebView2 SDK version 1.0.1519.0 and higher now require Windows 10 or 11.
The software giant will release Edge and WebView 2 Runtime version 109 on the week of January 12, 2023. Microsoft says those unwilling to ditch Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 can continue using the browser and Runtime. However, these products will not receive new features, security updates, and bug fixes.
End of support applies to the old consumer Windows versions, plus Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2012 R2. Although Microsoft ditches support of the Edge browser, Internet Explorer 11 will remain supported until the company stops supporting those operating systems.
Microsoft now encourages developers to drop support for Windows 7 and 8/8.1. Such a decision might not be easy, but it is necessary to ensure users remain safe and keep receiving security updates, new features, and bug fixes. Google is already nagging users to update their computers to a more recent Windows version, and other developers will follow suit.
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