It seems Microsoft is forcing customers to switch over to its latest operating system. This follows the decision by Microsoft that, effective today, the company is ending support for Windows 8, as well as older versions of its Internet Explorer web browser, IE 8, IE 9, and IE 10.
Although this does not mean that the software will become instantly nonfunctional, it does mean that the regular bug fixes or other security patches that are needed for its continued use will no longer be provided. Security patches are necessary to protect computers from attacks, so “upgrading and staying current is important.”
Microsoft suggests that users who want to remain on Internet Explorer immediately move to the new version, Internet Explorer 11, which offers better security, improved performance, better backward compatibility, and support for web standards.
This decision to end providing support means Windows 8 users will need to upgrade to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, in order to continue to protect their PC from security risks.
Windows 8.1 upgraders will then receive support until Jan. 10, 2023, and Windows 10 upgraders will have support until Oct. 14, 2025 after they move to the new OS version.
Source Tech Crunch, Microsoft