Google throws Chrome-lifeline to Windows XP users

Google Chrome
Protection, even in XP's afterlife

Microsoft may be officially putting Windows XP out to pasture next spring, but Google Chrome will keep chugging along with security fixes and updates on the operating system for a full year after.

The Google Chrome Blog announced today that Windows XP users won't completely be abandoned come April 8, 2014, the date when Microsoft will officially retire the desktop operating system after more than a decade.

That's because Google has pledged to continue offering support for its Chrome web browser on Windows XP with "regular updates and security patches until at least April 2015."

"Like all technologies that come to their end-of-life, the XP operating system and most of its desktop applications will no longer receive updates and security patches," explained Google Chrome Director of Engineering and Superintendent of Public Safety Mark Larson.

Migrating from XP

Larson says the move was made to protect Chrome users from "unpatched browser bugs [which] are often used by malware to infect computers."

With hundreds of millions of users still using Windows XP, Google hopes the stay of execution will help users and organizations migrate to more current versions of Microsoft's operating system.

Google plans to automatically update Chrome on Windows XP with the latest security fixes the same way it does with Windows 8 and other platforms in an effort to reduce malware and phishing attacks.

IT administrators are also encouraged to use Legacy Browser Support, which makes Chrome the default option for web applications that might otherwise depend upon unsupported legacy browsers.

  • Check out our extensive review of Apple's new iOS 7!
Latest in Software & Services
woman listening to computer
AWS vs Azure: choosing the right platform to maximize your company's investment
A person at a desktop computer working on spreadsheet tables.
Trello vs Jira: which project management solution is best for you?
Autonomous finance
Quickbooks vs Quicken: what are the main strengths and weaknesses for your business
finance
Quickbooks vs Xero: which is the best for your business?
Group of people meeting
Zoom vs Google Meet: which is the best video conferencing tool for your business?
Fingers typing on a computer keyboard.
Microsoft 365 Personal vs Microsoft 365 Family: are there any real differences?
Latest in News
Pebble smartwatch countdown
Pebble confirms its smartwatch announcement is just hours away
Google DeepMind panel discussion
“More sovereignty and protection” - Google goes all-in on UK AI with data residency, upskilling projects, and startup investments
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 expected to have AI upscaling and I can't wait to finally play Tears of the Kingdom with upgraded graphics
PowerColor Red Devil AMD RX 9070 XT graphics card shown side-on
Your next GPU could be from AMD, not Nvidia, if Team Red’s success with PC gamers continues
Intel Lunar Lake concept
Intel's Panther Lake processors won't arrive until Q1 2026 - corroborates previous delay rumors despite former Intel CEO's promise of 2025 launch
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, March 18 (game #1149)