While many major browsers have dropped support for outdated operating systems like Windows 7 and macOS Mojave, Mozilla has decided to stay the course with users on these platforms. It is a commendable effort that helps keep Internet access safe for people who can't yet upgrade their devices.
Firefox keeps delivering security updates on older operating systems
Mozilla has officially announced that it will extend support for Firefox ESR 115, the long-term support release, by another 6 months on Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, as well as macOS 10.12 Sierra, 10.13 High Sierra, and 10.14 Mojave. This confirms that Firefox will continue to receive security maintenance and bug fixes through at least March 2026.
The move responds to requests from the loyal Firefox user community, especially individuals and organizations that can't upgrade their devices or software because of budget limits or application compatibility. Mozilla says it will reassess in February 2026 to decide whether to extend support further, depending on its users' situation and its technical resources at that time.
Firefox sticks with Windows 7 users
While other browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Vivaldi have completely dropped Windows 7, Firefox continues to serve users of the older operating system. Mozilla acknowledges that maintaining this support takes considerable financial and technical resources, but it still considers the effort worthwhile because Firefox retains a meaningful number of users on Windows 7.
However, the extension covers only critical bug fixes and security patches. New features such as a refreshed interface, AI integration, and advanced sync will appear only on operating systems that their makers still officially support, such as Windows 10 and 11 and macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia.
With Microsoft set to end support for Windows 10 in October 2025, Firefox users on that platform should also prepare to move to Windows 11 or a newer macOS if they want to keep receiving full updates. Mozilla maintains that continuing to support older operating systems does not mean ignoring innovation. It is simply a way to make sure everyone still has safe, stable access to the web.
Mozilla's pledge to keep supporting older platforms shows its commitment to its user community, even as costs rise and technical challenges grow. Still, the company advises users to consider upgrading to an officially supported operating system for the full feature set and stronger security.
