Microsoft Edge support extended to October 2023 for Windows Server 2012
Microsoft announced in December 2022 that Microsoft Edge 109 would be the last version of the web browser for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. The company retired the two desktop operating systems earlier this month which means that no further updates are released for them.
The Server operating systems Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 reach the end of support in October 2023. It was not clear up until now whether these would continue to receive Microsoft Edge updates.
Attempts to install Microsoft Edge on an unsupported Windows version ends with error messages. While it is possible to keep on using Microsoft Edge 109, the last official release, it becomes less secure with every security update that Microsoft releases for the browser.
Microsoft revised the December 2022 blog post regarding Edge’s end of support last week. Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 will receive Microsoft Edge updates until October 2023 according to the post, but in a different way than most Server administrators may have imagined.
Microsoft notes:
“Microsoft Edge version 109 will be the last supported version on Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 (version 110 and later will be unavailable). Version 109 will receive critical security fixes and fixes for known exploit bugs until October 10, 2023. WebView2 Runtime version 109 will be supported in the same way.”
Microsoft Edge 109 is the last version for Server 2012 and Server 2012 R2. The browser will, however, receive security updates until October 2023. Microsoft plans to patch critical security issues and known exploits only until October 2023.
In other words, Microsoft Edge 109 won’t receive new features or improvements on Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 going forward. Non-critical or exploited security issues won’t be included in the updates for the two Server products either.
Microsoft notes that Internet Explorer 11 will remain supported until October 2023 on Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 as well.
It is unclear whether other Chromium-based browsers, including Google Chrome, will follow Microsoft’s lead and extend support for their browsers until October 2023.
Extended Security Updates (ESU) are offered for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 on Azure exclusively. Support ends on October 13, 2026 in that case.
Microsoft recommends upgrading to a new Windows client or server version to stay supported. Windows 10 is supported until October 2025, Windows 11’s end of support has not been announced yet. On the Windows Server side, Windows Server 2016, 2019 and 2022 are available. Windows Server 2016 support ends on January 12, 2027, Server 2019 on January 9, 2029, and Server 2022 on October 14, 2031.
Browsers that continue to be supported, like Firefox, may be an alternative in some cases. Businesses that rely on Internet Explorer-specific content may only use Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Edge in IE Mode to access these contents.
Now You: are you still on Windows 7 or 8.1? What are you plans?
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