OneDrive reaches end of support on Windows 7, 8 in January

Microsoft has announced that the OneDrive desktop application will reach the end of support on legacy Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 starting with January 1, 2022.

OneDrive is a file hosting and synchronization service enabling Microsoft customers to access their files from the cloud on all their devices, from anywhere.

"In order to focus resources on new technologies and operating systems, and to provide users with the most up-to-date and secure experience, beginning January 1, 2022, updates will no longer be provided for the OneDrive desktop application on your personal Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 devices," the OneDrive Team said.

Customers with systems still running Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 are advised to upgrade their OS to Windows 10 or Windows 11. On devices that don't meet the upgrade requirements, users can still back up their files to the cloud by manually uploading them to OneDrive on the web.

This will allow them to continue accessing, editing, and sharing their files on all devices with an Internet connection from onedrive.com or using a OneDrive mobile app.

"Personal OneDrive desktop applications running on these operating systems will stop syncing to the cloud on March 1, 2022.  After March 1st, 2022, your personal files will no longer sync and should be uploaded/accessed directly on OneDrive for web," Microsoft added.

You can find detailed instructions on how to move your files from Windows 7 PCs using OneDrive in the video embedded below.

Windows 7 ESU program ending in January 2023

This week, Microsoft also announced that the Extended Security Update (ESU) Program for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will enter the third and final year of extended support, starting with February 8, 2022, and ending on January 10, 2023. 

Windows 8 has already reached its end of support on January 12, 2016, and it hasn't received any security updates in the last five years.

"The steps to install, activate, and deploy ESUs are the same for first-, second-, and third-year coverage," Microsoft explains.

"For more information, see Obtaining Extended Security Updates for eligible Windows devices for the Volume Licensing process and Purchasing Windows 7 ESUs as a Cloud Solution Provider for the CSP process."