Maxer Host are committed to providing the latest technology on our web, database and email servers. As we maintain regular updates to our servers, it's important our clients maintain regular updates to their own systems. Please make sure your operating system, web browser and email application are kept up to date for optimum security, compatibility and performance.
Over time, older operating systems, web browsers and email applications will reach their end-of-life; they will stop working as they are not compatible with the latest technology & security standards. If you've been directed to this article, you might be using an operating system or application that has reached its end-of-life. This article specifically relates to Microsoft products.
If your computer is still running Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8, you need to update! There are no if's or but's. You are using a legacy operating system that is no longer supported by its creators and is no longer receiving security updates. These operating systems were designed over a decade ago and a lot has changed, making such systems unsafe and incompatible with modern applications.
If your computer is still running Windows 8.1, Microsoft are only providing essential/security updates, and now is a great opportunity to update to Windows 11.
Windows 10 product lifecycle
With the launch of Windows 10 operating system, Microsoft started to provide semi-annual major updates. For example, version "1803" was released in March 2018 and version "1809" was released in September 2018. Starting 2022, these major updates are only released on an annual basis. Windows 10 users need to remember to update their systems to the latest version and this will help keep their system safe and compatible.
Support is traditionally divided into "mainstream support" (where the product is fully supported) and "extended support" (where only essential/security updates are still provided). If you use Windows 10, you could usually add another 18 months of support for your operating system when you install the latest version.
The final version of Windows 10 is version 22H2, which will reach end of servicing on 14 October 2025.
Windows 11 product lifecycle
Windows 11 was released on 4 October 2021 and had its third release (23H2) two years later on 31 October 2023. If you do not have it, we recommend updating!
Below we'll list the major Windows versions with their launch date and end of support date. For a current and official list for Microsoft products, please refer to this page: Search Product and Services Lifecycle Information - Microsoft Lifecycle | Microsoft Learn
| Windows Version | Launch Date | End of Support |
| Windows 11 (23H2) Latest release |
31 Oct 2023 | 11 Nov 2025 Windows 11 should be supported until at least 2028 if you install the annual updates. |
| Windows 11 (22H2) | 20 Sep 2022 | 8 Oct 2024 Windows 11 should be supported until at least 2028 if you install the annual updates. |
| Windows 10 (22H2) Latest and final release |
18 Oct 2022 | 14 Oct 2025 Final Windows 10 update. No further major updates will be released. |
| Windows 11 (21H2) First release of Windows 11 |
4 Oct 2021 | 10 Oct 2023 (upgrade available!) |
| Windows 10 (21H2) | 16 Nov 2021 | 13 Jun 2023 (upgrade available!) |
| Windows 10 (21H1) | 18 May 2021 | 13 Dec 2022 (upgrade available!) |
| Windows 10 (1507) First release of Windows 10 |
29 Jul 2015 | 9 May 2017 (upgrade available!) |
| Windows 8.1 | 17 Oct 2013 | Mainstream support ended 9 Jan 2018 Extended support ended 10 Jan 2023 |
| Windows 8 | 30 Oct 2012 | Extended support ended 12 Jan 2016 |
| Windows 7 | 22 Oct 2009 | Support ended 13 Jan 2015 Extended support ended 14 Jan 2020 |
| Windows Vista | 30 Jan 2007 | Support ended 10 Apr 2012 Extended support ended 11 Apr 2017 |
| Windows XP | 24 Aug 2001 | Support ended 14 Apr 2009 Extended support ended 8 Apr 2014 |
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is a very popular email application and we fully support the latest versions of it. We're happy to help our customers to connect to their email accounts using Outlook 2019 and newer versions. If you are using an older version, you should please update, as old versions are unlikely to work correctly.
| Outlook Version | Launch Date | End of Support |
| Outlook 2024 Coming soon |
Preview release in April 2024 Consumer release in late 2024 |
Late 2029 |
| Outlook for Windows Free download - Requires Windows 11 |
21 Sept 2023 | Active Support |
| Outlook 365 Requires Windows 10 and newer |
22 Sep 2015 | Active Support |
| Outlook 2021 | 05 Oct 2021 | 13 Oct 2026 (upgrade available!) |
| Outlook 2019 | 24 Sep 2018 | 14 Oct 2025 (upgrade available!) |
| Outlook 2016 | 22 Sep 2015 | 14 Oct 2025 (upgrade available!) |
| Outlook 2013 SP1 | 25 Feb 2014 | 11 Apr 2023 (upgrade available!) |
| Outlook 2011 for Mac SP3 | 29 Jan 2013 | 10 Oct 2017 (upgrade available!) |
| Outlook 2010 SP2 | 23 Jul 2013 | 13 Oct 2020 (upgrade available!) |
| Outlook 2008 for Mac SP2 | 18 Oct 2009 | 09 Apr 2013 (upgrade available!) |
| Outlook 2007 SP3 | 25 Oct 2011 | 10 Oct 2017 (upgrade available!) |
Outlook for Windows (2023) and Outlook 365: The new Outlook for Windows is generally available for free for personal accounts through the Microsoft Store on Windows 11. For business users and users who require technical support provided by Microsoft, Outlook 365 remains available on a subscription-basis, as part of Microsoft 365.
Outlook 2013: Microsoft ended support in April 2018. This product may not work with our email servers. If you are still attempting to use Outlook 2013, please make sure you have all the latest updates, especially this update for TLS 1.2 support. Please make a plan to upgrade to a more recent version.
Outlook 2010 and earlier versions are no longer supported by Microsoft, and as such we're unable to provide any support for them.
TLS Protocol Support in Windows and Outlook
Versions older than Microsoft Windows 7 and/or Outlook 2013 do not support the encryption protocol TLS 1.2, which is technically required to connect to and communicate with current email servers. Not just our mail servers, but the vast majority of the email servers on the internet. For example, Outlook 2010 will try to connect using TLS 1.1 or SSLv3, which are older standards from more than 15 years ago that are vulnerable and no longer supported.
Setup Guides and Alternative
Setup guide for Outlook: To configure an email account in Outlook, please follow this guide: How to add an email account to Microsoft Outlook
Alternative to Outlook: If you use an old Outlook version and for any reason cannot or prefer not to upgrade to a newer Outlook version, there are great free alternatives available, such as Mozilla Thunderbird. We have a setup guide for it here: How to add an email account to Mozilla Thunderbird
Updated by SP on 21/03/2024
