diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 34b27269..5e9535c7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.7", "3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
         os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
         compile: [true, false]
         include:
@@ -44,12 +44,9 @@ jobs:
             python-version: "3.11"
             pydantic: "'pydantic<2'"
         exclude:
+          # still working on ci test errors
           - os: windows-latest
             python-version: "3.12"
-          - os: windows-latest
-            python-version: "3.7"
-          - os: macos-latest
-            python-version: "3.7"
 
   test-qt:
     name: Test Qt
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index d9cc5c4d..f03d3d8b 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 name = "psygnal"
 description = "Fast python callback/event system modeled after Qt Signals"
 readme = "README.md"
-requires-python = ">=3.7"
+requires-python = ">=3.8"
 license = { text = "BSD 3-Clause License" }
 authors = [{ name = "Talley Lambert", email = "talley.lambert@gmail.com" }]
 classifiers = [
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ classifiers = [
     "License :: OSI Approved :: BSD License",
     "Natural Language :: English",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
-    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
@@ -25,11 +24,7 @@ classifiers = [
     "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dynamic = ["version"]
-dependencies = [
-    "typing-extensions >=3.7.4.2",
-    "mypy_extensions",
-    "importlib_metadata ; python_version < '3.8'",
-]
+dependencies = ["typing-extensions >=3.7.4.2", "mypy_extensions"]
 
 # extras
 # https://peps.python.org/pep-0621/#dependencies-optional-dependencies
@@ -122,7 +117,7 @@ exclude = [
 [tool.cibuildwheel]
 # Skip 32-bit builds & PyPy wheels on all platforms
 skip = ["*-manylinux_i686", "*-musllinux_i686", "*-win32", "pp*"]
-build = ["cp37-*", "cp38-*", "cp39-*", "cp310-*", "cp311-*"]
+build = ["cp38-*", "cp39-*", "cp310-*", "cp311-*", "cp312-*"]
 test-extras = ["test"]
 test-command = "pytest {project}/tests -v"
 test-skip = "*-musllinux*"
@@ -196,15 +191,9 @@ module = ["numpy.*", "wrapt", "pydantic.*"]
 ignore_errors = true
 
 [[tool.mypy.overrides]]
-# msgspec is only available on Python 3.8+ ... so we need to ignore it
-module = ["wrapt", "msgspec"]
+module = ["wrapt"]
 ignore_missing_imports = true
 
-# remove when dropping python 3.7
-[[tool.mypy.overrides]]
-module = ["psygnal._signal"]
-warn_unused_ignores = false
-
 # https://coverage.readthedocs.io/en/6.4/config.html
 [tool.coverage.report]
 exclude_lines = [
diff --git a/src/psygnal/__init__.py b/src/psygnal/__init__.py
index 28c6ac98..fd2dfe36 100644
--- a/src/psygnal/__init__.py
+++ b/src/psygnal/__init__.py
@@ -4,22 +4,12 @@
 """
 
 import os
+from importlib.metadata import PackageNotFoundError, version
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    PackageNotFoundError = Exception
     from ._evented_model_v1 import EventedModel  # noqa: TCH004
 
-    def version(package: str) -> str:
-        """Return version."""
-
-else:
-    # hiding this import from type checkers so mypyc can work on both 3.7 and later
-    try:
-        from importlib.metadata import PackageNotFoundError, version
-    except ImportError:
-        from importlib_metadata import PackageNotFoundError, version
-
 
 try:
     __version__ = version("psygnal")
diff --git a/src/psygnal/_dataclass_utils.py b/src/psygnal/_dataclass_utils.py
index 56c49544..ed8a9ab3 100644
--- a/src/psygnal/_dataclass_utils.py
+++ b/src/psygnal/_dataclass_utils.py
@@ -168,8 +168,7 @@ def iter_fields(
     """
     # generally opting for speed here over public API
 
-    dclass_fields = getattr(cls, "__dataclass_fields__", None)
-    if dclass_fields is not None:
+    if (dclass_fields := getattr(cls, "__dataclass_fields__", None)) is not None:
         for d_field in dclass_fields.values():
             if d_field._field_type is dataclasses._FIELD:  # type: ignore [attr-defined]
                 yield d_field.name, d_field.type
@@ -186,8 +185,7 @@ def iter_fields(
                     yield p_field.name, p_field.outer_type_  # type: ignore
         return
 
-    attrs_fields = getattr(cls, "__attrs_attrs__", None)
-    if attrs_fields is not None:
+    if (attrs_fields := getattr(cls, "__attrs_attrs__", None)) is not None:
         for a_field in attrs_fields:
             yield a_field.name, a_field.type
         return
diff --git a/src/psygnal/_group.py b/src/psygnal/_group.py
index cd07a2e0..bed9b8f0 100644
--- a/src/psygnal/_group.py
+++ b/src/psygnal/_group.py
@@ -130,8 +130,7 @@ def is_uniform(cls) -> bool:
         return cls._uniform
 
     def _slot_relay(self, *args: Any) -> None:
-        emitter = Signal.current_emitter()
-        if emitter:
+        if emitter := Signal.current_emitter():
             info = EmissionInfo(emitter, args)
             self._run_emit_loop((info,))
 
diff --git a/src/psygnal/_group_descriptor.py b/src/psygnal/_group_descriptor.py
index 46535585..682ea057 100644
--- a/src/psygnal/_group_descriptor.py
+++ b/src/psygnal/_group_descriptor.py
@@ -440,11 +440,8 @@ def __get__(
                     setattr(instance, self._name, self._instance_map[obj_id])
 
             # clean up the cache when the instance is deleted
-            with contextlib.suppress(TypeError):
-                # on 3.7 this is type error, above it's not... but mypy yells about
-                # type ignore on 3.8+, so we do this funny business instead.
-                args = (instance, self._instance_map.pop, obj_id, None)
-                weakref.finalize(*args)  # type: ignore
+            with contextlib.suppress(TypeError):  # if it's not weakref-able
+                weakref.finalize(instance, self._instance_map.pop, obj_id, None)
 
         return self._instance_map[obj_id]
 
diff --git a/src/psygnal/_signal.py b/src/psygnal/_signal.py
index 489fafde..d5460455 100644
--- a/src/psygnal/_signal.py
+++ b/src/psygnal/_signal.py
@@ -493,9 +493,7 @@ def _wrapper(
                         extra = f"- Slot types {slot_sig} do not match types in signal."
                         self._raise_connection_error(slot, extra)
 
-                # this type ignore is only needed to build mypyc on pythong 3.7
-                # can be removed when we drop support for 3.7
-                cb = weak_callback(  # type: ignore
+                cb = weak_callback(
                     slot,
                     max_args=max_args,
                     finalize=self._try_discard,
@@ -774,9 +772,8 @@ def _check_nargs(
                 ) from e
             raise
 
-        n_spec_params = len(spec.parameters)
         # if `slot` requires more arguments than we will provide, raise.
-        if minargs > n_spec_params:
+        if minargs > (n_spec_params := len(spec.parameters)):
             extra = (
                 f"- Slot requires at least {minargs} positional "
                 f"arguments, but spec only provides {n_spec_params}"
diff --git a/src/psygnal/_weak_callback.py b/src/psygnal/_weak_callback.py
index 87ebf89c..58767803 100644
--- a/src/psygnal/_weak_callback.py
+++ b/src/psygnal/_weak_callback.py
@@ -281,10 +281,12 @@ def object_repr(obj: Any) -> str:
             return f"{module}.{obj.__qualname__}"
         elif getattr(type(obj), "__qualname__", ""):
             return f"{module}.{type(obj).__qualname__}"
-        return repr(obj)
+        # this line was hit in py3.7, but not afterwards.
+        # retained as a fallback, but not covered by tests.
+        return repr(obj)  # pragma: no cover
 
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
-        return f"<{self.__class__.__name__} on {self._object_repr}>"
+        return f"<{self.__class__.__name__} on {self._object_repr}>"  # pragma: no cover
 
 
 def _kill_and_finalize(
diff --git a/src/psygnal/containers/_evented_proxy.py b/src/psygnal/containers/_evented_proxy.py
index 5a051350..46342c76 100644
--- a/src/psygnal/containers/_evented_proxy.py
+++ b/src/psygnal/containers/_evented_proxy.py
@@ -82,8 +82,7 @@ def events(self) -> ProxyEvents:  # pragma: no cover # unclear why
     def __setattr__(self, name: str, value: None) -> None:
         before = getattr(self, name, _UNSET)
         super().__setattr__(name, value)
-        after = getattr(self, name, _UNSET)
-        if before is not after:
+        if before is not (after := getattr(self, name, _UNSET)):
             self.events.attribute_set(name, after)
 
     def __delattr__(self, name: str) -> None:
@@ -93,8 +92,7 @@ def __delattr__(self, name: str) -> None:
     def __setitem__(self, key: Any, value: Any) -> None:
         before = self[key]
         super().__setitem__(key, value)
-        after = self[key]
-        if before is not after:
+        if before is not (after := self[key]):
             self.events.item_set(key, after)
 
     def __delitem__(self, key: Any) -> None:
diff --git a/src/psygnal/qt.py b/src/psygnal/qt.py
index ee53ecc3..61730a10 100644
--- a/src/psygnal/qt.py
+++ b/src/psygnal/qt.py
@@ -71,6 +71,5 @@ def stop_emitting_from_queue(thread: Thread | None = None) -> None:
         in the thread from which this function is called.
     """
     _thread = current_thread() if thread is None else thread
-    timer = _TIMERS.get(_thread)
-    if timer is not None:
+    if (timer := _TIMERS.get(_thread)) is not None:
         timer.stop()
diff --git a/tests/test_evented_model.py b/tests/test_evented_model.py
index cfa6f4eb..774206d5 100644
--- a/tests/test_evented_model.py
+++ b/tests/test_evented_model.py
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ class User(EventedModel):
     name_mock.assert_not_called()
 
 
-@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.version_info < (3, 8), reason="requires python3.8 or higher")
 def test_evented_model_array_updates():
     """Test updating an evented pydantic model with an array."""
 
diff --git a/tests/test_psygnal.py b/tests/test_psygnal.py
index 5fd51b36..05536d1f 100644
--- a/tests/test_psygnal.py
+++ b/tests/test_psygnal.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import gc
-import sys
 import time
 from contextlib import suppress
 from functools import partial, wraps
@@ -846,12 +845,7 @@ def test_emit_loop_exceptions():
         "f_any_assigned",
         "partial",
         "partial_kwargs",
-        pytest.param(
-            "partial",
-            marks=pytest.mark.xfail(
-                sys.version_info < (3, 8), reason="no idea why this fails on 3.7"
-            ),
-        ),
+        "partial",
     ],
 )
 def test_weakref_disconnect(slot):