Firefox: Support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 extended again

Anyone still using Windows 7, 8, or 8.1, whose support by Microsoft ended between 2016 and 2023, can still surf the web with the web browser Firefox ESR 115 on these operating systems. While they will no longer receive security updates, Firefox ESR 115 will. Mozilla had planned to discontinue this in February 2026. Now there's an additional reprieve for those affected.

This is explained by the Firefox developers in an updated support article. Previously, it was announced that support would end in February 2026, they write. “But to ensure our users can continue to browse the web, we will extend support for Firefox for these operating systems for another six months and then re-evaluate the situation,” they state. “After that, if support is not extended, users should upgrade their operating system to continue receiving Firefox security and feature updates.”

The programmers emphasize that support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 officially ended in January 2023 at the latest and that unsupported operating systems do not receive security updates – and also contain known vulnerabilities. Without official support from Microsoft, maintaining Firefox for outdated operating systems becomes costly and risky for users.

Firefox: Extended Grace Period

It was only in mid-February 2026 that Mozilla clearly pointed out the end of support for Firefox on Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. The developers have now deviated from this “final” stance. However, the further advice remains: Switching to other browsers after Firefox support ends for the mentioned operating systems is not an option, as these have generally already discontinued support. Upgrading to Windows 10 or newer helps. For hardware that does not support this, or if there are other reasons, switching to a Linux-based operating system is recommended by the Firefox developers. The vast majority of these come with Firefox as the default browser.

(dmk)