Mozilla has announced that Firefox version 115 will be the last to support Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. As of now, the latest iteration of the popular browser is Firefox 147, but users of these older operating systems will need to upgrade to Windows 10 or a newer version to continue receiving updates after February 2026. This change serves as a gentle reminder for those still operating on outdated hardware, as the cessation of security updates could pose risks to users’ online safety.
Upgrade to Windows 10, 11, or switch to Linux
- Firefox 115 is now the last version supported on Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.
- Updates will be delivered through the ESR channel until the end of February 2026.
- After that, users should upgrade their operating system to continue receiving Firefox security and feature updates.
Source: Mozilla Support
Mozilla’s decision to discontinue support for these older versions of Windows comes as Microsoft has already stopped providing security updates for them since January 2023. Although Firefox had continued to support these systems, the company has determined that maintaining this support has become both costly and risky. Notably, other major browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge have also ceased support for these outdated operating systems, making a switch to them an unviable option.
If upgrading to Windows 10 or higher isn’t feasible due to hardware limitations, users can consider transitioning to a Linux-based operating system. Most Linux distributions come with Firefox as the default browser, ensuring users can continue to enjoy a secure browsing experience. For specific guidance, users should refer to the support websites of their chosen Linux version.
Source: Mozilla Support
For those unable to upgrade their Windows systems, Linux presents a compelling alternative. The open-source nature of Firefox makes it particularly attractive to Linux users, distinguishing it from corporate-owned browsers like Google Chrome. This preference is reflected in the fact that Firefox is often pre-installed on many popular Linux distributions. Furthermore, Firefox stands out as one of the few modern browsers that does not rely on Google’s Chromium codebase, which can lead to more efficient memory usage.
