Windows 8 Archives

Winsage

September 19, 2025

Steam will drop support for the last 32-bit Windows systems in January 2026

In January 2024, Valve ceased support for all versions of Windows 7 and Windows 8. Windows 11, released in 2021, does not have a 32-bit version. The 32-bit version of Windows 10 will lose security updates by October 2025 or October 2026. The Steam Hardware Survey from August shows that 32-bit Windows versions account for only 0.05 percent of Steam users, while the 64-bit version of Windows 10 is used by over a third of Steam users and the 64-bit version of Windows 11 by just under two-thirds. The transition in the Steam client is not expected to affect game availability or compatibility, as older 32-bit titles will continue to function on 64-bit versions of Windows.

Winsage

September 18, 2025

Steam Ditches 32-Bit Support As Windows 10 Nears Its End

Valve will discontinue support for Windows 10 32-bit systems starting January 1, 2026. Users on 32-bit versions are encouraged to transition to 64-bit systems to maintain access to Steam's features and updates. After the cutoff date, Steam clients on 32-bit systems will not receive updates, including security updates and technical support. Currently, only 0.01 percent of systems use Windows 10 32-bit, according to Valve's Steam Hardware Survey. Future versions of Steam will only operate on 64-bit Windows. This announcement coincides with Microsoft's end of support for Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 on October 14. Valve advises users to upgrade to enhance security and improve their gaming experience.

Winsage

September 12, 2025

Microsoft Store ditches fees for indie devs

Microsoft has announced that individual developers can now publish their applications in the Microsoft Store without incurring any fees, eliminating the previous requirement of a one-time payment. The process has been streamlined, as developers no longer need to provide a credit card to publish their apps. This change applies to over 200 markets and was hinted at during the Build 2025 conference. While individual accounts can publish for free, company accounts still require a one-time fee. Developers must have a Microsoft account, provide identification, submit a selfie for verification, and fill out additional details to register. The Microsoft Store has evolved since its launch in 2012, now supporting various app formats and allowing developers to host apps on their own servers. Popular applications available in the store include Adobe Creative Cloud, Discord, Slack, and Spotify.

Winsage

September 10, 2025

Microsoft removes old web components from Windows

Microsoft has deprecated a series of web components in Windows, including Legacy Web View, HTML and JavaScript apps from Windows 8 and 8.1, the first generation of Progressive Web Apps, and developer tools from the original Edge browser. These components are built on EdgeHTML, which powered the classic Edge before its transition to Chromium in 2020. While these features will not be removed immediately and will continue to receive security updates for now, they will eventually cease to receive updates and be phased out in future Windows versions. Microsoft is directing developers towards alternatives like WebView2 and modern Chromium-based Progressive Web Apps. This announcement is part of a broader clean-up initiative that also includes the removal of WordPad, Mixed Reality, NTLMv1 protocols, and tools like WMIC and PowerShell 2.0.

Winsage

September 10, 2025

Microsoft is finally updating this decade old File Explorer interface with a new color that better fits dark mode on Windows 11 — let’s take a first look

Microsoft is updating the dark mode experience in Windows 11, introducing a new blue progress indicator for file operations like copying and deleting files in dark mode, replacing the long-standing green indicator. This change is part of ongoing efforts to enhance dark mode functionality, which has been inconsistent since its introduction in Windows 10. The new blue color is currently exclusive to dark mode, while light mode continues to use green. There are hopes for further updates to other legacy components, such as Control Panel and Registry Editor, but there is no indication that file property windows will receive similar updates soon. The upcoming Windows 11 feature update, version 25H2, is expected to maintain the same features as version 24H2, meaning the new dark mode interfaces may appear in future updates.

Winsage

September 9, 2025

Copilot on Windows 11 has a new “Home” UI and it feels like a Start menu for AI

Copilot on Windows 11 is being updated with a new "Home" tab that replaces the traditional chat-first interface. This Home UI serves as a central hub for accessing applications and files, resembling the Start menu. Users can toggle between the Home tab and the previous chat-focused interface. The Home tab features four dynamic cards that provide quick access to recently used files, but users must enable this feature in their settings. The "Jump back into your files" card pulls recent files from File Explorer’s Quick Access tab, offering options like Open, Attach to prompt, and Summarise. The "Attach to prompt" option allows users to drop files into the message compose box for analysis by Copilot. Other cards include access to previous conversations and a feature for document or code editing similar to ChatGPT’s Canvas. The "Get guided help with your apps" card displays recently used applications and initiates a Vision session for personalized assistance. Future updates are expected to introduce a ChatGPT-powered Agent that can open a terminal and browser within a Linux shell on an Azure cloud virtual machine, enabling automation of tasks. Microsoft aims to enhance Copilot's utility for managing documents and file searches on PCs.

Winsage

September 5, 2025

Mozilla Extends Firefox ESR 115 Support for Windows 7 Until March 2026

Mozilla has extended support for Firefox ESR 115 for users on aging operating systems until March 2026, specifically for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and macOS versions 10.12 through 10.14. This extension allows these users to continue receiving essential security patches for an additional six months. Firefox ESR 115, released in July 2023, is the final version compatible with these legacy systems. Mozilla emphasizes its commitment to providing security updates for deprecated operating systems, making Firefox ESR one of the few mainstream browsers still offering secure browsing on these platforms, as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge have ceased support.

Winsage

September 5, 2025

Firefox ESR won’t quit Windows 7 until March 2026

Mozilla has extended support for Firefox ESR 115 for Windows 7 users until March 2026. Firefox 115 is the last version compatible with Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. Microsoft ended support for these operating systems, while Mozilla continues to provide security updates through the ESR channel. Initially, support was set to end in September 2024, then extended to 2025, and now to March 2026. The end of support for Windows 7 was officially marked in 2020, with security updates available until January 10, 2023. Mozilla plans to discontinue support for 32-bit Linux with Firefox 144, and Firefox 145 will not support 32-bit Linux users, who will need to revert to Firefox ESR 140 until at least September 2026.

Winsage

September 5, 2025

Mozilla extends Firefox ESR 115 support for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, macOS 10.12 to 10.14 until March 2026

Mozilla has extended support for Firefox ESR 115 until March 2026 for users on older systems, including Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and macOS versions 10.12, 10.13, and 10.14. Initially launched in July 2023, Firefox ESR 115 was originally set to be supported until September 2024, but this timeline has been adjusted multiple times. Support was first extended to April 1, 2025, then to September 2025, and finally to March 2026. Mozilla will reassess this support in February 2026. According to the latest Firefox Public Data Report, 6.769% of Firefox users are still on Windows 7, which likely influenced the decision to maintain support for older operating systems.

Winsage

September 4, 2025

Firefox support for Windows 7 PCs gets extended once again

Mozilla has extended its support for Firefox on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 until at least March 24, 2026, providing an additional six months of security updates. Users must use the Firefox Old ESR (Extended Support Release), currently at version 115, with plans to upgrade to version 140 by July 2026. Mozilla will reassess its support for these older Windows versions in February 2026.