Firefox Support for Windows 7 beyond Jan 2023
It has recently come to my attention that Mozilla may not continue to support Firefox browsers installed on Windows 7 computers after Jan. 2023, when the extended support for Windows 7 ends. Is that correct?
Will Firefox continue to work, but not receive security updates after that date?
Will Firefox still work on a Windows 7 computer that gets patches from 0Patch?
Thanks!
Chosen solution
TaylorNorth2 said
It has recently come to my attention that Mozilla may not continue to support Firefox browsers installed on Windows 7 computers after Jan. 2023, when the extended support for Windows 7 ends. Is that correct? Will Firefox continue to work, but not receive security updates after that date? Will Firefox still work on a Windows 7 computer that gets patches from 0Patch? Thanks!
Technically extended support for Windows 7 ended Jan 14, 2020 as it is only the pay for Extended Security Updates that will go as late as Jan 10, 2023. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-7
Firefox Releases works fine on Windows 7 now so why would it not after Jan 10, 2023 ?
Unless there is something OS dependent there is no reason for Firefox web browser to stop supporting Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 anytime soon. Win8.1 extended support ends Jan 10, 2023
If anything Mozilla may stop supporting 32-bit Firefox for Windows before Firefox is not able to run on 7, 8 and 8.1.
Microsoft stopped WinXP extended support on Apr 8, 2014, yet Mozilla supported the EOL WinXP (and Vista) til Fx 52.9.0esr released June 26, 2018. Over two years after Chromium, Chrome, Opera dropped WinXP/Vista support back in April 2016.
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Thanks! I think I had read through that thread - but that isn't really my question. My question is will Mozilla no longer support FF on Win 7 computers after Jan 2023? That is when Microsoft will stop the paid extended updates for Win 7.
In the thread you mentioned - from 2019 - Mozilla was going to continue support. This is about what will happen going forward after 2023 when the extended updates will no longer be available - will Firefox continue to be supported then?
Thanks for the link. Hopefully someone might have some current information regarding this going forward after 2023.
Chosen Solution
TaylorNorth2 said
It has recently come to my attention that Mozilla may not continue to support Firefox browsers installed on Windows 7 computers after Jan. 2023, when the extended support for Windows 7 ends. Is that correct? Will Firefox continue to work, but not receive security updates after that date? Will Firefox still work on a Windows 7 computer that gets patches from 0Patch? Thanks!
Technically extended support for Windows 7 ended Jan 14, 2020 as it is only the pay for Extended Security Updates that will go as late as Jan 10, 2023. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-7
Firefox Releases works fine on Windows 7 now so why would it not after Jan 10, 2023 ?
Unless there is something OS dependent there is no reason for Firefox web browser to stop supporting Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 anytime soon. Win8.1 extended support ends Jan 10, 2023
If anything Mozilla may stop supporting 32-bit Firefox for Windows before Firefox is not able to run on 7, 8 and 8.1.
Microsoft stopped WinXP extended support on Apr 8, 2014, yet Mozilla supported the EOL WinXP (and Vista) til Fx 52.9.0esr released June 26, 2018. Over two years after Chromium, Chrome, Opera dropped WinXP/Vista support back in April 2016.
Great - thanks so much! I know it is early to even worry about this, but I wanted to start thinking ahead.
My Win 7 laptop hasn't gotten any MS updates since the EOL - I have 0Patch and that seems to work fine. And you are right - FF has worked well and I am now up to v 98.0.2 without any issues.
I will continue to use FF and update it as needed, and hopefully the comments I had seen about Mozilla no longer supporting it won't turn out to be true come Jan 2023.
Thanks again for the help!
Hello,
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Well it turns out there is one update for Windows 7 you will require in order to install Firefox 100.0 and later.
https://techdows.com/2022/03/firefox-100-windows-7-kb4474419-update.html https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/01/firefox-100-requires-the-windows-update-kb4474419-on-windows-7/
Wonder if you could extract the files as Firefox setups for Windows have been self-extracting 7z since the Firefox 0.8 Release (Feb 2004) as a workaround?
James said
Well it turns out there is one update for Windows 7 you will require in order to install Firefox 100.0 and later. https://techdows.com/2022/03/firefox-100-windows-7-kb4474419-update.html https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/01/firefox-100-requires-the-windows-update-kb4474419-on-windows-7/ Wonder if you could extract the files as Firefox setups for Windows have been self-extracting 7z since the Firefox 0.8 Release (Feb 2004) as a workaround?
Thanks! I do have KB4474419 - installed on Oct 4, 2019. So as far as 100 goes - I should be OK, I think.
Most Windows 7 users should already have the needed KB4474419 update installed, since it was an automatic Windows Update. However those who do a new Win7 install or do not do or hold off on some updates may not have it.
It will likely be mentioned in the Release Notes for Fx 100.0 Release as it is mentioned in the Fx 100b# Release notes. https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/100.0beta/releasenotes/
Beginning in this release, the Firefox installer for Windows is signed with a SHA-256 digest, rather than SHA-1. Update KB4474419 is required for successful installation on a computer running the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. For more details about this update, visit the Microsoft Technical Support website
Also not sure if this will impact Win7 users if they are updating to Fx 100.0 vs installing Fx 100.0 if the KB4474419 is not installed
Modified
There is now a support article on this https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-version-100-on-windows-7
Thanks so much!