Firefox v115 ESR Extended Support Through March Next Year, Offering Security Updates for Win7/8.1 Users

While most web browsers have ceased support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 systems, Mozilla Firefox v115.x ESR (Extended Support Release) continues to back these older systems, providing security updates to ensure safe web access.

In July 2024, Mozilla announced the extension of support for these legacy operating systems, though the exact duration was initially unspecified. Last week's release of the new Firefox ESR version successfully extended this support period.

The current Firefox 115 ESR version will be supported until March 2025, meaning users can expect Firefox updates to fix security vulnerabilities until this date.

This support also encompasses older macOS versions, 10.12 and 10.14. Attempting to install Firefox or any other mainstream browsers on these older operating systems usually results in unsupported notices, leaving users with the option of ESR or other outdated browser versions.

Interestingly, it remains unknown if this extension signifies the final support cycle for these legacy operating systems. It's possible Mozilla may announce further extensions, providing even longer support past March next year.

The reason behind Google Chrome discontinuing support is straightforward: Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 no longer receive security updates from Microsoft, making these systems inherently vulnerable. Continuing to update browsers for these systems is deemed pointless.

Eventually, Mozilla will also discontinue support for these outdated operating systems. Given the negligible user base and the impracticality of perpetual updates, this decision is expected.