Global InformationWindows 7 information
| Version of the Windows NT operating system | |
 | |
 Screenshot of Windows 7 Ultimate, showing its Start Menu, desktop, taskbar, and the glass effect of Windows Aero | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Source model |
|
| Released to manufacturing | July 22, 2009[1] |
| General availability | October 22, 2009[2] |
| Final release | Service Pack 1 (6.1.7601.24499) / February 9, 2011[3] |
| Marketing target | Consumer and business |
| Update method | Windows Update |
| Platforms | IA-32 and x86-64 |
| Kernel type | Hybrid |
| Userland | Windows API, NTVDM, SUA |
| License | Proprietary commercial software |
| Preceded by | Windows Vista (2007)[4] |
| Succeeded by | Windows 8 (2012) |
| Official website | Windows 7 (archived at Wayback Machine) |
| Support status | |
| Excludes Windows Thin PC and some embedded editions: Mainstream support ended on January 13, 2015.[5][6] Extended support ended on January 14, 2020.[5][6] Windows 7 was eligible for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) service. This service was available via specific volume licensing programs for Professional & Enterprise editions (via OEMs for some embedded editions) in yearly installments. Security updates were available for the operating system until January 10, 2023.[7][8] Exceptions exist until at most October 8, 2024, see § Support lifecycle for details. | |
| Part of a series of articles on |
| Windows 7 |
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Windows 7 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009, and became generally available on October 22, 2009.[9] It is the successor to Windows Vista, released nearly three years earlier. Windows 7's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 R2, was released at the same time. Windows 7 remained an operating system for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs and media center PCs, and itself was replaced in November 2012 by Windows 8, the name spanning more than three years of the product.
Extended support ended on January 14, 2020, over ten years after the release of Windows 7, after which the operating system ceased receiving further updates. A paid support program was available for enterprises, providing security updates for Windows 7 for up to three years since the official end of life.[10]
Windows 7 was intended to be an incremental upgrade to Microsoft Windows, addressing Windows Vista's poor critical reception while maintaining hardware and software compatibility. Windows 7 continued improvements on the Windows Aero user interface with the addition of a redesigned taskbar that allows pinned applications, and new window management features. Other new features were added to the operating system, including libraries, the new file-sharing system HomeGroup, and support for multitouch input. A new "Action Center" was also added to provide an overview of system security and maintenance information, and tweaks were made to the User Account Control system to make it less intrusive. Windows 7 also shipped with updated versions of several stock applications, including Internet Explorer 8, Windows Media Player, and Windows Media Center.
Unlike Windows Vista, Windows 7 received critical acclaim, with critics considering the operating system to be a major improvement over its predecessor because of its improved performance, its more intuitive interface, fewer User Account Control popups, and other improvements made across the platform. Windows 7 was a major success for Microsoft; even before its official release, pre-order sales for the operating system on the online retailer Amazon.com had surpassed previous records. In just six months, over 100 million copies had been sold worldwide, increasing to over 630 million licenses by July 2012. By January 2018, Windows 10 surpassed Windows 7 as the most popular version of Windows worldwide.[11] As of 2024[update], just 3% of traditional PCs running Windows are running Windows 7.[12] Windows 11 has recently taken second place from Windows 7 as the most popular Windows edition on all continents.[13] Windows 7 remains relatively popular in some countries, as of 2024, e.g. China and is second most popular in some countries.[14]
Windows 7 is the final version of Windows that supports processors without SSE2 or NX (although an update released in 2018 dropped support for non-SSE2 processors).[15] Its successor, Windows 8, requires a processor with SSE2 and NX (for any then-supported architecture).[16]
- ^ LeBlanc, Brandon (July 22, 2009). "Windows 7 Has Been Released to Manufacturing". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
- ^ LeBlanc, Brandon (October 22, 2009). "Windows 7 Arrives Today With New Offers, New PCs, And More!". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
- ^ LeBlanc, Brandon (February 9, 2011). "Announcing Availability of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- ^ Thadani, Rahul (September 6, 2010). "Windows 7 System Requirements". Buzzle. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
- ^ a b "Microsoft Support Lifecycle". Support. Microsoft. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
- ^ a b Rose, Stephen L (February 14, 2013). "Windows 7 RTM End Of Support Is Right Around The Corner". Springboard Series Blog. Microsoft. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
- ^ Spataro, Jared (September 6, 2018). "Helping customers shift to a modern desktop". Microsoft Corporation. Archived from the original on May 20, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
- ^ "Lifecycle FAQ-Extended Security Updates". support.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
The Extended Security Update (ESU) program is a last resort option for customers who need to run certain legacy Microsoft products past the end of support.
- ^ "Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Timelines Shared at Computex". News Center. Microsoft. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
- ^ "Windows 7 End of Support Info - Microsoft". www.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
- ^ "Desktop Windows Version Market Share Worldwide". StatCounter Global Stats. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
- ^ "Desktop Windows Version Market Share Worldwide". StatCounter Global Stats. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ "Desktop Windows Version". StatCounter Global Stats. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
- ^ "Microsoft Quietly Kills Windows 7 Support For Non-SSE2 CPUs". Gizmodo Australia. June 23, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
- ^ "System requirements – Microsoft Support". support.microsoft.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.