Editing Windows Me (section)

==Support lifecycle==
Compared with other releases of Windows, Windows Me had a short shelf-life of just over a year. [[Windows 2000]] and Windows Me were eventually succeeded by newer Microsoft operating systems: Windows Me by [[Windows XP editions#Home and Professional|Windows XP Home Edition]], and Windows 2000 Professional by [[Windows XP editions#Home and Professional|Windows XP Professional]]. [[Windows XP]] is noteworthy that the first preview build of Windows XP (then codenamed "Whistler") was released to developers on July 13, 2000, two months before Windows Me's general availability date.<ref name="witpro-betabegins">{{cite web | url=https://www.itprotoday.com/windows-server/introducing-whistler-preview-build-2250 | title=Introducing the Whistler Preview, Build 2250 | publisher=Penton Media | work=Windows IT Pro | access-date=June 9, 2018 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142613/http://www.itprotoday.com/windows-server/introducing-whistler-preview-build-2250 | archive-date=June 12, 2018 | df=mdy-all |first1=Paul|last1=Thurrott|date=July 17, 2000}}</ref>

Microsoft originally planned to end support for Windows Me on December 31, 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycleconsumer.mspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021211153658/http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycleconsumer.mspx|archive-date=2002-12-11|title=Windows Desktop Product Life Cycle Support and Availability Policies for Consumers|website=www.microsoft.com|access-date=August 28, 2022}}</ref> However, in order to give customers more time to migrate to newer Windows versions, particularly in developing or emerging markets, Microsoft decided to extend support until July 11, 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/gp/lifewinextndfaq|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306080804/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/gp/lifewinextndfaq|archive-date=2016-03-06|title=Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Support Extended @ Archive.org|website=support.microsoft.com|access-date=August 24, 2020}}</ref> Microsoft ended support for Windows Me (and Windows 98) on this date because the company considered the operating system to be obsolete and prone to security risks, and recommended customers to upgrade to a newer version of Windows such as Windows XP for the latest security improvements.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://microsoft.com/windows/support/endofsupport.mspx|title=Windows End of support for Windows 98, Windows Me, and Windows XP Service Pack 1|access-date=August 24, 2020|publisher=Microsoft|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061121152144/http://www.microsoft.com/windows/support/endofsupport.mspx|archive-date=2006-11-21|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Retail availability for Windows Me ended on December 31, 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycleconsumer.mspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031204220341/http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycleconsumer.mspx|archive-date=2003-12-04|title=Windows Desktop Product Life Cycle Support and Availability Policies for Consumers|website=www.microsoft.com|access-date=August 28, 2022}}</ref> The operating system is no longer available from Microsoft in any form (through [[Microsoft_Developer_Network#Software_subscriptions|MSDN]] or otherwise) due to the terms of Java-related settlements Microsoft made with [[Sun Microsystems]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/ff723773.aspx|title=What products are included with MSDN subscriptions?|work=[[Microsoft Developer Network]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829015218/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/ff723773.aspx|archive-date=August 29, 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=August 24, 2020}}</ref>

In 2011, Microsoft retired the Windows Update v4 website.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Andrew |date=2023-07-10 |title=Windows 95, 98, and other decrepit versions can grab online updates again |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/07/windows-95-98-and-other-decrepit-versions-can-grab-online-updates-again/ |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |language=en-us |archive-date=August 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805020423/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/07/windows-95-98-and-other-decrepit-versions-can-grab-online-updates-again/ |url-status=live }}</ref> An independent project named Windows Update Restored aims to restore the Windows Update websites for older versions of Windows, including Windows Me.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tyson |first=Mark |date=2023-07-09 |title='Windows Update Restored' Site Provides Updates for Classic Windows Versions |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-update-restored-site-provides-updates-for-classic-windows-versions |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=[[Tom's Hardware]] |language=en |archive-date=July 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727021528/https://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-update-restored-site-provides-updates-for-classic-windows-versions |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0" />

Microsoft announced in July 2019 that the Microsoft Internet Games services on Windows Me (and XP) would end on July 31, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/farewell-to-microsoft-internet-games-on-windows-xp/035d5144-6c1b-49bb-b3d5-37f6355fec39?auth=1|title=Farewell to Microsoft Internet Games on Windows XP, Windows ME, and Windows 7|website=answers.microsoft.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-04|archive-date=July 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714150805/https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/farewell-to-microsoft-internet-games-on-windows-xp/035d5144-6c1b-49bb-b3d5-37f6355fec39?auth=1|url-status=live}}</ref>