Operating system support policy and ESET products

An important aspect of the End of Life policy is compatibility with various operating systems across different platforms. In most cases, ESET tries to align with operating system vendors’ official support policies. In certain instances, we have to consider operating system version fragmentation issues and grant an exception to the rule.

ESET products generally support only the selected OS versions explicitly listed in each product version documentation or End of Life policy.

Backward compatibility

Each ESET product version, when it is released, declares compatibility with specified OS versions (listed in product version documentation). This (full) compatibility lasts for the entire duration of the product version support.

In special cases, the OS version’s compatibility with an ESET product version can be switched to Limited compatibility during a product version’s lifetime—typically due to technical limitations caused by a third party. Limited compatibility of an ESET product version with an OS version means the product version remains compatible. However, users on this OS version might not receive all updates, such as servicing or specific module updates.

In rare cases, during its lifetime, a product version might become incompatible entirely with an OS—due to technical compatibility limitations caused by a third-party. The product version may stop functioning on this OS version with immediate effect. This is, unfortunately, out of ESET’s control.

Forward compatibility

ESET aims to ensure compatibility with newly released OS versions by new, subsequent feature updates to the ESET product. ESET does not change the already released feature updates to be compatible with newly released OS versions. ESET product versions may function if the changes in the OS are minor, but functioning is not officially guaranteed. If an existing ESET product version operates on a newer OS version, this is reflected in the product version’s online documentation.

The only situation when ESET may change the already released product version to support new OS versions is for Windows Endpoint product versions in Full Support for Windows 10 and 11 feature updates.