TeamViewer makes accessing another computer especially easy. That’s why COMPUTER BILD reader Thomas D. bought TeamViewer 10 in 2015. In the accompanying flyer, the promise of only one-time payment and permanent use of the license was tempting – no one thought about software subscriptions at the time.
The software served Thomas D well for five years until he came across bad news in the TeamViewer forum in December 2020: TeamViewer 10 support will be discontinued – as the company wrote – in mid-2021. From now on, server access is no longer possible.
As an alternative, TeamViewer offered affected users a free trial of TeamViewer 15. For Thomas D, there is one particularly frustrating aspect: “I would like to decide for myself whether or not to continue to use technically outdated software. Restricting unlimited use originally for ten years.”
For life or not?
TeamViewer gives up
At the request of COMPUTER BILD, TeamViewer announced that the shutdown was primarily for security reasons. A solution is now being offered to customers in the forum: all licenses will be transferred from TeamViewer 10 to TeamViewer 15 and therefore can be used for ten years and thus until 2025. All that is needed is a change before September 15, 2021. Thomas D. will also consider this option By himself. However, what will happen after 2025 is still in question.
