Over a fifth of PC users continue to operate Windows 7 Over a fifth of PC users continue to operate Windows 7 Turns out not everyone heeded the call to upgrade. Credit: IDG / Microsoft Globally, 22 per cent of PC users continue to run the outdated Windows 7 operating system, according to cyber security firm Kaspersky. Microsoft ended Windows 7 support on 14 January 2020 as the 10-year period for which it promised to provide support for the operating system, which was released in October 2009, came to an end. The move to cease support meant that technical assistance and software updates from Windows Update that help protect PCs were no longer available for the product.