Microsoft is killing off Windows 7 End of line , but Microsoft Security Essentials lives on

While Windows 7 reaches its End of Life stage on January 14, 2020, Microsoft will continue to provide updates for the Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) app, which is the built-in antivirus program included in Windows 7.

This applies as long as you have Service Pack 1 installed. If you haven’t installed Service Pack 1 already, you should do it now by clicking here.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/15090/windows-7-install-service-pack-1-sp1

Is Windows 7 still safe to use?

Once an operating system enters extended support, it's still very safe to use. It means that Microsoft will continue to patch any security threats but won't add any new features (as it would do during the 'mainstream support' phase).

This is despite Microsoft itself releasing an updated FAQ on Extended Security Updates for Windows 7, which says that “your Windows 7 computer is not protected by MSE after January 14, 2020. MSE is unique to Windows 7 and follows the same lifecycle dates for support.”

This made it pretty clear that MSE won’t protect Windows 7 users once Windows 7 enters its End of Life, which is when Microsoft will no longer support or update the aging operating system, but Microsoft seems to have changed its mind.

Microsoft Security Essentials will continue to be updated

In an AMA (ask me anything) session held on the Microsoft Community Forums, Woody Leonhard, a columnist for Computerword, asked: “Can you confirm that Microsoft will really, for sure, cut off Microsoft Security Essentials malware signature updates after January 14? Even if you’re paying for Extended Support?”

In response, Mike Cure, a Microsoft engineer, replied: “MSE will continue to receive signature updates after Jan. 14.”

Cure also pointed to a passage in the FAQ that says: “Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) will continue to receive signature updates after January 14, 2020. However, the MSE platform will no longer be updated.”

Now, as Woody pointed out, this is a bit confusing, as it seems to contradict other parts of the FAQ, which prompted Cure to promise that “I'll get [the ESU FAQ] corrected as soon as possible.”

 So, this is reasonably good news for Windows 7 users, as it means that after January 14, your PC won’t suddenly become at risk to viruses if you’re using MSE. With MSE continuing to get signature updates, it should be able to identify new threats as they emerge.

However, it’s still not a good idea to continue to use an unsupported operating system, and we recommend switching from Windows 7 to Windows 10 (or a Linux alternative) as soon as possible.