Tech – Metro | Millions of Windows 7 users at risk by not upgrading to Windows 10 this week, Microsoft says

Windows 10 has taken over from Windows 7 and millions need to upgrade (Getty)

Millions of PCs around the world will stop receiving security updates and patches this week as Microsoft finally stops support for Windows 7.

When it launched the operating system over a decade ago, the US tech giant promised ten years of service. Now the time is up and from Tuesday users will no longer receive security updates or patches.

Microsoft is committed to Windows 10, the latest version of the software and has urged all users to upgrade to this version by the cut-off date.

'If your PC is running Windows 7, it will no longer receive security updates. Therefore, it's important that you upgrade to a modern operating system such as Windows 10, which can provide the latest security updates to help keep you and your data safer,' the company said on its support website.

'If you continue to use Windows 7 after support has ended, your PC will still work, but it will become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses.

'Your PC will continue to start and run, but you will no longer receive software updates, including security updates, from Microsoft.'

Windows 7 was launched over a decade ago and overseen by then-CEO Steve Ballmer (Getty)

According to estimates from tech site ZDNet, a massive 200 million PCs worldwide are still running on Windows 7.

While Windows 7 machines won't be rendered obsolete after this week, it does mean using them brings with it an increased risk of security vulnerabilities.

Any new laptop or PC will come with Windows 10 pre-installed. However, older machines will need to be upgraded.

According to Microsoft, a single licence for one PC to upgrade to Windows 10: Home Edition is £119.99.

Microsoft wants all users to upgrade to Windows 10 this week (Alamy)

The company has set up a help page to give users guidance on how to proceed with the upgrade.

'If you want to get started today, you can visit www.microsoft.com/windows7 to find out more. The transition to Windows 10 and Office 365 has never been simpler and this site is designed to help you along that journey,' explains Microsoft.

'The content available will help you with data transfer to easily get your photos and documents onto a new PC. It will also show you tips for choosing a new device and getting up to speed quickly with the familiar but newer versions of Windows and Office.'

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