Windows Server end-of-support dates
Recent Windows Server versions get about five years of mainstream support and five more of extended support. This page lists every version from 2003 to 2025, its dates and where it stands today.
Support dates by version
Status as of 3 October 2026. Dates come from the Microsoft product lifecycle; check there before relying on them for a decision.
| Version | Released | Mainstream support ended | Security fixes end | Paid extension ends | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2003 | 24 April 2003 | 13 July 2010 | 14 July 2015 | – | Support ended |
| Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 | 27 February 2008 | 13 January 2015 | 14 January 2020 | 10 January 2023 | Support ended |
| Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 | 30 October 2012 | 9 October 2018 | 10 October 2023 | 13 October 2026 | Support ended |
| Windows Server 2016 | 15 October 2016 | 11 January 2022 | 12 January 2027 | 12 January 2030 | Ending within a year |
| Windows Server 2019 | 13 November 2018 | 9 January 2024 | 9 January 2029 | – | Supported |
| Windows Server 2022 | 18 August 2021 | 13 October 2026 | 14 October 2031 | – | Supported |
| Windows Server 2025 | 1 November 2024 | 13 November 2029 | 14 November 2034 | – | Supported |
How Windows Server support works
Windows Server versions are supported in two phases. Mainstream support, about five years for recent versions, includes fixes and improvements as well as security updates. Extended support then provides security updates only, for about five more years. When extended support ends, the free security updates stop.
For some versions Microsoft then sells Extended Security Updates (ESU): a paid, time-limited programme that supplies security fixes for up to three years, to cover the time needed to finish a migration.
For a server hosting a business application, out of support means that newly discovered vulnerabilities in the operating system are never fixed. The application keeps running, so the problem is easy to put off. Meanwhile, newer versions of SQL Server, .NET, backup agents and security software stop supporting the old operating system.
What to do if you are out of support
- On Windows Server 2008 or earlier: no security fixes of any kind are available. Move the application to a new server as a priority.
- On Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2: extended support ended on 10 October 2023, and the ESU programme ends on 13 October 2026. Treat it the same way.
- On Windows Server 2016: extended support ends on 12 January 2027. Plan the move now.
- On Windows Server 2019 or later: you are supported. Windows Server 2022 leaves mainstream support on 13 October 2026 and receives security fixes until 14 October 2031.
An in-place upgrade installs the new version over the old and keeps the applications and settings. It is quicker, but it carries forward years of accumulated configuration and is hard to undo. Building a new server and migrating the application to it takes longer, leaves the old server untouched as a fallback and lets you test before switching. For a server the business depends on, we usually recommend the second.
If a move to the cloud is on the cards, this is the moment. A new server has to be built either way, so building it in the cloud avoids migrating twice. See cloud migration.
Things that are easy to miss
- .NET Framework version. An application built for .NET Framework 3.5 or an early 4.x version needs the right runtime enabled on the new server. See the .NET dates.
- IIS features. Classic ASP, Windows authentication and other IIS features are optional and are not switched on by default.
- COM components. Older applications often rely on COM components registered by hand years ago, sometimes 32-bit, with no installer and no source code.
- Everything else on the server. Scheduled tasks, Windows services, certificates, file shares and service accounts are rarely documented.
Questions we are asked
When does Windows Server 2016 support end?
Extended support for Windows Server 2016 ends on 12 January 2027. Mainstream support ended on 11 January 2022, so it already receives security fixes only. Paid Extended Security Updates run until 12 January 2030.
Is Windows Server 2012 R2 still supported?
No. Extended support for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 ended on 10 October 2023. The paid Extended Security Updates programme ends on 13 October 2026, after which there are no security fixes of any kind.
When does Windows Server 2019 support end?
Mainstream support for Windows Server 2019 ended on 9 January 2024. Extended support, which means security fixes only, ends on 9 January 2029.
What does the end of mainstream support for Windows Server 2022 mean?
Mainstream support for Windows Server 2022 ends on 13 October 2026. After that it receives security fixes only, until 14 October 2031. It remains a supported version to run a business application on.
Should we upgrade in place or build a new server?
For a server hosting a business application we usually recommend building a new server on a current version and migrating the application to it. The old server stays untouched as a fallback, and the new one can be tested before anyone depends on it. An in-place upgrade is quicker but carries over years of accumulated configuration and is harder to undo.
Running a version that is out of support?
Tell us which version, what depends on it and how it is hosted. We will set out the upgrade route and what it is likely to involve.