Google will stop supporting Google Drive on devices running Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 operating systems starting next August.
“In August 2023, we will end support for Drive for the desktop on Windows 8/8.1, Windows Server 2012, and all 32-bit versions of Windows. To avoid service interruption, Windows users should upgrade to Windows 10 (64-bit) or higher before August 2023. Users of 32-bit versions of Windows can still access Drive through a browser,” Google wrote on its support page.
The Google Drive desktop app allows users to synchronize files and folders on their computer with the cloud storage service and back up all photos and videos to Google Photos. However, starting next August, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and users running the 32-bit version of Windows 10 will not be able to use the app to sync or back up their files through the app. However, users can still access Google Drive through a browser.
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The halt of Google Drive support in Windows 8 itself indicates that users must immediately upgrade their devices or switch to Windows 10 if they want to continue synchronizing files on the platform. The reason is that Windows 8 and 8.1 are slowly being relinquished. Microsoft stopped security updates and technical support for the aging operating system in January.
Google released the first Google Chrome browser version that does not support Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 in February. Furthermore, Mozilla Firefox also plans to end security updates for Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 next year.
Windows 8 and its slightly better brothers have never really been considered the “beloved” Windows operating system. The reason is, this operating system has many problems which the user interface is not mouse friendly.
Windows 8 was Microsoft’s operating system launched in 2012 and was later replaced by Windows 10, which was released three years later in 2015. Microsoft’s current operating system is Windows 11, which will be launched in 2021.
Source: CNN Indonesia
