According to StatCounter, Windows 8 and 8.1 still account for about 4.3 percent of the Windows install base worldwide, far less than Windows 11, Windows 10, or even Windows 7.

ZDNet reports that Microsoft will soon begin pushing out notifications to the remaining Windows 8.1 users, warning them that support and security updates will be ending on January 10, 2023, and recommending that they move to a newer operating system (Windows 8.0 support ended in 2016).

Microsoft provided similar end-of-support messages to Windows 7 users when its updates dried up back in January 2020.

ZDNet says that users will be able to click the notification messages to learn more or dismiss them until after the end-of-support date arrives.

Microsoft says it has no plans to offer ongoing Windows 8.1 security updates to businesses that choose to pay for them, as it has with Windows 7.

Businesses willing to fork over the money can still get security updates for Windows 7 until 2023, but Windows 7 is still running on 13 percent of all Windows PCs worldwide.

Remaining Windows 8 users who aren't ready to replace their PCs can still buy themselves time by upgrading to Windows 10, which was Microsoft's flagship OS up until less than a year ago and will continue receiving updates until at least October of 2025.