Tech Transformers

Microsoft is killing Windows Vista: Here’s what you should do

Chris Ratcliffe | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Microsoft is putting the final nail in the coffin of its 10-year old – and often maligned – operating system, Windows Vista.

After April 11, the U.S. technology giant will end support for Vista, meaning customers will no longer get crucial security or software updates.

"Microsoft has provided support for Windows Vista for the past 10 years, but the time has come for us, along with our hardware and software partners, to invest our resources towards more recent technologies so that we can continue to deliver great new experiences," the company said in a statement on its website.

Will my computer still work?

The short answer is yes, but it might be vulnerable to viruses because Microsoft is not providing new security updates. Also, Internet Explorer 9 is no longer supported, so surfing the web with this browser could also leave you open to security vulnerabilities.

Microsoft also warned that users might find apps and devices that do not work with Vista as software and hardware manufacturers optimize services for the latest version of Windows.

What should I do next?

Microsoft's latest operating system is called Windows 10 and upgrading to this could be an option, and one that the company would prefer.

Some PCs might not be able to handle Microsoft 10 so users would need to check the specifications of the software and their hardware. Otherwise, upgrading to Windows 7 could be an option.

Windows Vista criticism

The operating system came under fire not long after it was released from users and the press. Windows Vista currently has less than 1 percent global market share in terms of PC operating systems, according to Net Applications.

But Microsoft has come a long way and Windows 10 is doing well. More than 400 million devices are running Windows 10.