Microsoft End of Support 2026: Windows, Office, Server and SQL Deadlines

Several widely used Microsoft products and servicing releases reach the end of support in 2026. The most important deadlines include SQL Server 2016 and selected Visual Studio 2022 LTSC releases in July, Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro and Office 2021 in October, and Windows 11 version 23H2 Enterprise and Education in November.

End of support does not normally stop software from opening or running. It means Microsoft no longer provides the affected product or release with security updates, bug fixes, quality improvements, or standard technical support. As new vulnerabilities and compatibility problems emerge, continuing to use unsupported software can increase security, compliance, and operational risk.

This guide explains the key Microsoft end-of-support dates in 2026, what has already ended, which deadlines are still approaching, and the upgrade options available to home users, businesses, developers, and IT teams.

Microsoft End of Support 2026: Quick Answer

The following Microsoft products and releases have important support deadlines in 2026:

What Does Microsoft End of Support Mean?

When a Microsoft product reaches the end of support, the software may continue to function, but Microsoft stops maintaining the affected version under its normal lifecycle. Depending on the product, this can mean:

• No new security updates or vulnerability fixes
• No new bug, reliability, or compatibility fixes
• No standard technical support from Microsoft
• Increasing difficulty meeting internal security and compliance requirements
• Greater risk of incompatibility with newer hardware, operating systems, applications, and services

Antivirus software, firewalls, and other security tools remain important, but they do not replace patches for vulnerabilities in the unsupported product itself. This is why end-of-support dates should be treated as migration deadlines rather than simple calendar reminders.

SQL Server 2016 End of Support: July 14, 2026

Status: Extended support has ended.

SQL Server 2016 reached the end of extended support on July 14, 2026. Installations that remain on the standard lifecycle no longer receive regular security updates, non-security fixes, or Microsoft support.

This deadline deserves immediate attention because databases often contain customer records, financial information, credentials, operational data, and other sensitive assets. An unsupported database platform can also create problems for applications that depend on older drivers, reporting tools, or integrations.

What should SQL Server 2016 users do now?

1. Inventory every SQL Server 2016 instance, edition, database, and dependent application.
2. Confirm operating system, hardware, driver, and application compatibility with the target SQL Server release.
3. Back up databases and test restore procedures before migration.
4. Run a trial migration in a non-production environment.
5. Use Extended Security Updates only as a temporary bridge when an immediate migration is not possible.

For a modern on-premises replacement, review Microsoft SQL Server 2025 Standard. For a deeper migration checklist, read our guide to SQL Server 2016 end of support.

Which Visual Studio 2022 Versions Ended Support in 2026?

Visual Studio 2022 as a product did not reach its overall end of support in 2026. The deadlines apply to specific Long-Term Servicing Channel releases:

• Visual Studio 2022 version 17.10 LTSC: support ended January 13, 2026.
• Visual Studio 2022 version 17.12 LTSC: support ended July 14, 2026.

Teams using an affected LTSC release should update through Visual Studio Installer to a supported channel that is compatible with their workloads, extensions, build tools, and deployment pipelines. Visual Studio 2022 installations on a supported channel can continue to receive updates.

Organisations evaluating a newer development environment can explore Microsoft Visual Studio 2026 Enterprise. You can also review the main capabilities and business use cases in our Visual Studio 2026 Enterprise overview.

Windows 10 ESU Year 1 Ends on October 13, 2026

Windows 10 reached its standard end of support on October 14, 2025. Extended Security Updates provide eligible devices with additional security coverage, but ESU is a temporary transition programme rather than a full extension of the Windows 10 lifecycle.

Windows 10 ESU Year 1 ends on October 13, 2026. The consumer ESU programme also ends on that date. Eligible commercial and education organisations may continue into later ESU years, but the annual price increases and ESU does not add new features or general product improvements.

Should you remain on Windows 10 ESU?

ESU may be useful when a device cannot yet be replaced or a business application still requires Windows 10. However, devices that meet Windows 11 requirements should normally be moved to a supported Windows 11 release rather than kept on an increasingly expensive temporary support path.

Check the available Windows 11 Pro product key and compare the two paths in our guide to Windows 11 versus Windows 10 ESU.

Windows 11 Version 24H2 End of Support: October 13, 2026

Windows 11 version 24H2 Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations reach the end of updates on October 13, 2026. After that date, devices on these editions will no longer receive monthly security updates, quality fixes, time-zone updates, or standard support for version 24H2.

The October 2026 date does not apply to every 24H2 edition. Windows 11 version 24H2 Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise, and Enterprise multi-session remain supported until October 12, 2027.

How to check and update your Windows 11 version

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Enter winver and select OK.
3. Confirm the version and edition shown in the window.
4. Open Settings > Windows Update.
5. Select Check for updates and install the supported feature release offered to the device.

Installing a Windows 11 feature update does not normally require a new product key when the device is already activated with the same edition. Back up important files and confirm application compatibility before a managed business rollout.

Office 2021 End of Support: October 13, 2026

Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 reach the end of support on October 13, 2026. The applications may continue to open after the deadline, but Microsoft will no longer provide new security updates, bug fixes, or technical support for the affected releases.

The risk is especially important for users who regularly open external documents, receive email attachments in Outlook, run Excel macros, use third-party add-ins, or handle confidential business information.

What should replace Office 2021?

The right replacement depends on the required applications, licensing model, cloud needs, and deployment environment:

• Office LTSC 2024 Professional Plus suits organisations that need a comprehensive, fixed-feature desktop suite.
• Office LTSC 2024 Standard is an option for businesses that mainly require the core productivity applications.
• Microsoft 365 may be more suitable for users who want continuous feature updates, cloud storage, and real-time collaboration.

Read the complete Office 2021 end-of-support guide, or compare Office LTSC 2021 versus Office LTSC 2024 before choosing an upgrade path.

Windows 11 Version 23H2 Enterprise and Education End Support on November 10, 2026

Windows 11 version 23H2 Home and Pro have already left support, but Enterprise and Education editions have a longer servicing period. Their end-of-updates date is November 10, 2026.

IT administrators should verify the Windows edition as well as the version number. A device showing version 23H2 may have a different deadline depending on whether it runs Pro, Enterprise, or Education. Plan a staged feature-update deployment and test security software, management policies, drivers, and line-of-business applications before organisation-wide rollout.

When Does Windows Server 2016 Reach End of Support?

Windows Server 2016 reaches the end of extended support on January 12, 2027. It is not technically a 2026 end-of-support product, but 2026 is the final full year available for migration planning, application testing, procurement, and deployment.

Waiting until January 2027 can be risky for servers that host Active Directory, file services, Remote Desktop Services, databases, or business-critical applications. Server migrations often take longer than desktop upgrades because they involve dependencies, maintenance windows, backups, disaster-recovery plans, CAL requirements, and application-vendor support.

Windows Server 2016 migration priorities

• Identify every physical server, virtual machine, role, workload, and dependency.
• Confirm whether each application supports the target Windows Server version.
• Review processor-core licensing, Windows Server CALs, and RDS CAL requirements.
• Test backups, restores, failover procedures, and rollback plans.
• Complete migration before the January 12, 2027 deadline.

Review Windows Server 2025 Standard for lightly virtualised and physical server environments. For edition selection, see our comparison of Windows Server 2025 Standard and Datacenter.

Microsoft End-of-Support Upgrade Checklist

Use the following checklist to prepare for a Microsoft product or version reaching end of support:

1. Identify affected products and versions. Record the edition, version, servicing channel, architecture, and installation count.
2. Confirm the exact lifecycle date. Similar editions can have different support deadlines.
3. Map dependencies. Include applications, databases, drivers, add-ins, integrations, macros, and connected services.
4. Choose a supported replacement. Compare functionality, system requirements, licensing, CALs, and deployment options.
5. Back up important data. Test that backups can be restored before making production changes.
6. Run a pilot deployment. Test with representative users and workloads before a wider rollout.
7. Plan rollback and support. Document how to reverse the change and who will handle activation or compatibility issues.
8. Complete the move before the deadline. Leave time for unexpected technical or procurement delays.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft end-of-support dates in 2026 affect operating systems, productivity software, databases, and development tools. SQL Server 2016 and selected Visual Studio 2022 LTSC releases have already crossed their deadlines. Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro, Office 2021, Office LTSC 2021, and Windows 11 version 23H2 Enterprise and Education still have deadlines ahead.

Windows Server 2016 remains supported until January 12, 2027, but organisations should use the rest of 2026 to complete migration rather than begin planning at the last moment.

Unsupported software does not necessarily fail overnight. The quieter danger is that it keeps working while its security and compatibility gap grows. An accurate inventory, a tested migration plan, and an early upgrade are the safest ways to reduce that risk.