San Francisco, Jan 11 (IANS): Tech giant Microsoft will no longer provide security updates to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, leaving the users with the option to upgrade to a newer operating system or remain vulnerable to security threats.

After more than a decade of service, Windows 7 was discontinued in January 2020, although the company allowed users to purchase extended security support, reports TechCrunch.

However, now, those extended security updates came to an end.

The exact number of Windows 7 PCs still in use is unknown, but some market share data puts the figure as high as one in 10 desktop computers.

Windows 7 will work without extended security updates, but will not receive patches for new and existing security vulnerabilities.

Moreover, the tech giant said it will no longer offer extended security updates for Windows 8.1.

Windows 8.1 is the operating system version that succeeded Windows 7.

"The latest version of Microsoft Edge (version 109), scheduled for release on Thursday, is the latest version to support the no-longer-supported Windows 7 and Windows 8.1," the report said.