What you need to know
- Microsoft announced support for the OneDrive desktop app is over if you're on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1.
- First, updates will be cut off starting January 1, 2022.
- Then, cloud syncs will stop on March 1, 2022, at which point "your personal files will no longer sync and should be uploaded/accessed directly on OneDrive for web."
If you're still on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1, the powers that be (Redmond) have decided to deliver unto you bad news on a Friday: The OneDrive desktop application is losing support on the aforementioned operating systems. Should you want to maintain desktop app support, you'll need to use the shiny and new Windows 11 or ever-cool Windows 10.
Starting the very first day of 2022, the OneDrive desktop app will stop receiving updates on Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 devices. Then, on March 1, 2022, cloud syncs go the way of the dinosaur.
Here's what Microsoft has to say for those still rocking Windows 7, 8, or 8.1: "If you are currently using one of these operating systems, we recommend upgrading your operating system to either Windows 10 or Windows 11 to avoid disruption. For machines that do not meet system requirements for Windows 10 or Windows 11 operating system upgrade, you can back up and protect your files by manually uploading them to OneDrive on the web, and continue to access, edit, and share your files on all your devices."
As a purple man once said, "it's just the way it is." Old operating systems eventually lose the attention of their creators, and the passage of time sweeps away any lingering guilt. However, end-users aren't nearly as bound to linear progression, hence why Windows XP is still being enjoyed by many, many people.
