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Are You Still Using Legacy Systems? Why Did Mozilla Extend Firefox Support?
Extended Firefox 115 Support Timeline
Mozilla developers recently extended Firefox browser support for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 users. The company originally planned to end support for Firefox 115 in March 2026. The revised timeline pushes this support period to August 2026. This extension grants legacy systems an additional five months of vital security updates.
The Importance of Browser Security
Microsoft ended official support for Windows 7 and 8.1 several years ago. A secure web browser becomes critical for your system’s safety when the underlying operating system no longer receives regular patches. Mozilla previously warned users that browser updates for these older platforms would eventually cease. Firefox 115 Extended Support Release (ESR) currently serves as the final development branch compatible with these operating systems. The Mozilla development team now limits releases for this specific branch entirely to security patches rather than introducing new features.
Future Evaluation Process
The updated Mozilla release schedule officially moves the end-of-life date for Firefox 115 ESR to September 15, 2026. The guaranteed security support window for Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and macOS 10.12 through 10.14 will remain active until August 2026. Mozilla plans to evaluate this timeline again in July 2026. The developers will announce their final plans regarding the end of the ESR 115 lifespan following that review. This extension offers excellent news for users requiring extra time to upgrade their hardware or operating systems securely.