What happened to Windows XP?

Windows XP reached its official "End of Life" on April 8, 2014. On this date, Microsoft officially ended extended support for the operating system, meaning they stopped providing regular security updates, bug fixes, and technical support.

Released in October 2001, Windows XP was one of Microsoft's most successful and longest-lasting operating systems. Because of its massive popularity and stability, millions of individuals, businesses, and critical infrastructure systems (like ATMs and hospital networks) continued using it well past its intended lifespan.

After support ended, Microsoft heavily pushed users to upgrade to newer, more secure operating systems like Windows 7, 8, and eventually 10 and 11. However, because so many legacy systems still relied on XP, Microsoft made rare exceptions to release emergency security patches years after its official death—most notably to stop the spread of the WannaCry ransomware in 2017.

Today, Windows XP is entirely obsolete. Using it on a device connected to the internet is considered highly dangerous, as known security vulnerabilities are no longer patched.