14 DAY TRIAL // Windows XP will be officially retired on April 8, but even though Microsoft is planning to stop releasing updates and security patches for the operating system, it doesn’t mean that you can use it free of charge.
A company spokesperson confirmed for ZDNet that Windows XP will still require activation after retirement, which means that you’ll need to purchase a license if you plan to deploy this OS version on new computers.
“Windows XP can still be installed and activated after end of support on April 8,” the spokesperson explained. “Computers running Windows XP will still work, they just won’t receive any new security updates. Support of Windows XP ends on April 8, 2014, regardless of when you install the OS.”
At this point, Windows XP is powering more than 28 percent of computers worldwide, so it’s pretty obvious that not all users will complete the migration to a new operating system by April 8.