Google has confirmed that Gmail will stop working on Chrome Browser of version 53 and below, from 8th February 2017. If you are using Chrome Browser v53 or lower version of Chrome on the older operating systems, then your Gmail could be vulnerable to attacks and you won’t be able to get any security patches or bug fixes. This means those who are still using Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems on Desktop or laptops are not able to use e-mail platform provided by Google, i.e Gmail.
Chrome Browser version 53 and below are vulnerable to security risks because Microsoft has discontinued their support for its older operating systems Windows XP and Windows Vista.
Google said that Gmail users who are still on Chrome browser v53 or below will be flashed a message or banner on their screens. In the blog post, Google said “Google does not typically announce when we discontinue support for older versions of Chrome browser because of our current supported browser policy, which states that only the most recent versions of Chrome are supported. This announcement was made given the expected impact on Windows XP and Windows Vista users and known security risks,”
It is important that users should migrate to more secure and supported systems, Google says. If you are still using the Windows XP or Vista OS, you should now upgrade to a new OS. You may also use other browsers to open your Gmail account but it would still leave it highly vulnerable to attacks.
What happens if we use Chrome browser v53 or below?
- Gmail will continue to function on Chrome Browser v53 and below through the end of the 2017.
- If you continue to use older versions of Chrome Browser now that support has ended, Gmail will be more vulnerable to security risks and users will not have access to new features and bugfixes.
- In case users still choose to continue with the same version and not upgrade, they will be able to continue using Gmail through 2017, but will be redirected to the basic HTML version of Gmail.
- Installing third-party browsers to access your Gmail account could be possible, but there is no surety on the safety of your account. It is advised that you upgrade immediately.
Recommendation:
- In case users still choose to continue with the same version, we strongly encourage you to update users to the latest version of Chrome. you may need to migrate them to a supported system (Windows 7 or Higher Version of Windows) to get the latest version and features.
- Those who have not yet upgraded their browsers to the latest version can click here to download and install the latest version ofGoogle Chrome Browser.
Source: Deccan Chronicle & G Suite Google Blog.
