SQL Server 2022 End of Life: January 11, 2033 (End of Support)
SQL Server 2022 reaches end of life (EOL) on January 11, 2033. That is the end of extended support on Microsoft's product lifecycle page and the last day Microsoft ships a security fix for it. The release is in mainstream support today, the full phase: security updates, non-security updates, and requests to change product design and features are all available. Mainstream support ends on January 11, 2028; from then until the end of life date the release receives security fixes only. It shipped on November 16, 2022 and follows Microsoft's Fixed Lifecycle Policy. The dates apply to all editions, on Windows and on Linux.
The dates, in one table
| Milestone | Date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Release | November 16, 2022 | Start of the fixed lifecycle |
| End of mainstream support | January 11, 2028 | Non-security updates and design changes stop |
| End of extended support (end of life) | January 11, 2033 | Last security fix |
Editions on Microsoft's page: all editions on Windows and all editions on Linux, so one set of dates covers the whole version. Microsoft's page also notes that the Azure services used with the cloud-connected features of SQL Server 2022 are governed by their own lifecycle policies.
Mainstream and extended support: what changes, and when
Under Microsoft's Fixed Lifecycle Policy a SQL Server version gets two phases. SQL Server 2022 is in the first one. The second begins when mainstream support ends on January 11, 2028.
- Mainstream support, the current phase. Security updates and non-security updates are both available, and Microsoft accepts requests to change product design and features.
- Extended support, the next phase. Security updates continue until January 11, 2033. Non-security updates and design or feature changes are no longer available.
No Extended Security Updates are listed
Microsoft's lifecycle page for SQL Server 2022 lists no Extended Security Updates. It shows three dates: the start date, the mainstream end date and the extended end date. Treat January 11, 2033 as the deadline.
Which instances these dates cover
Any instance whose database engine is SQL Server 2022: engine version 16, a build number that starts with 16. The compatibility level of a database does not decide it. SQL Server 2022 is database compatibility level 160, and per Microsoft's compatibility level documentation it can also run databases at levels 150, 140, 130, 120, 110 and 100. A database left at level 150 on a SQL Server 2022 engine is covered by the dates on this page, not by the SQL Server 2019 dates. In the other direction, SQL Server 2025 can run a database at level 160, and that database then follows the 2025 dates. The lifecycle follows the engine, so check the build number, not the compatibility level.
SQL Server 2022 next to its neighbours
SQL Server 2022 and SQL Server 2025 are the two versions in mainstream support. SQL Server 2019 and SQL Server 2017 are in extended support, and SQL Server 2016 is past its end, as covered in our SQL Server 2016 guide. Every version's dates are in our guide to every SQL Server version.
| Version | Released | Mainstream support ends | Extended support ends | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SQL Server 2025 | November 18, 2025 | January 6, 2031 | January 6, 2036 | The newest release and the longest runway. |
| SQL Server 2022 | November 16, 2022 | January 11, 2028 | January 11, 2033 | This page. In mainstream support. |
| SQL Server 2019 | November 4, 2019 | February 28, 2025 | January 8, 2030 | Security fixes only. |
| SQL Server 2017 | September 29, 2017 | October 11, 2022 | October 12, 2027 | Security fixes only, and the next version to end. |
What to do with the time you have
- Inventory by build number. List every instance whose version starts with 16, and note the compatibility level of each database separately.
- Keep applying updates. Microsoft's Fixed Lifecycle Policy says customers may be required to deploy the latest service pack or update to be eligible for support.
- Put both dates in the plan. January 11, 2028 is when non-security fixes stop; January 11, 2033 is when everything stops.
- Deal with the nearer deadlines first. SQL Server 2017 ends on October 12, 2027 and SQL Server 2019 on January 8, 2030. SQL Server 2022 is a valid target for both.
- Check the operating system in the same pass. The Windows Server release under the database has its own dates; see our Windows Server 2022 guide. Our EOL Checker and API answer the rest of the stack.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is SQL Server 2022 end of life?
SQL Server 2022 reaches the end of extended support on January 11, 2033, per Microsoft's product lifecycle page. That is the last day Microsoft ships security fixes for it.
Is SQL Server 2022 still supported?
Yes, in mainstream support, the full phase of Microsoft's Fixed Lifecycle Policy. Mainstream support runs until January 11, 2028. Extended support, which is security fixes only, then runs until January 11, 2033.
When does SQL Server 2022 mainstream support end?
Mainstream support for SQL Server 2022 ends on January 11, 2028. The release shipped on November 16, 2022 and follows Microsoft's Fixed Lifecycle Policy.
Is there an ESU for SQL Server 2022?
Microsoft's lifecycle page for SQL Server 2022 lists no Extended Security Updates. It shows a start date, a mainstream end date and an extended end date. Plan on the extended support end date as the deadline.
What is the compatibility level of SQL Server 2022?
SQL Server 2022 is database compatibility level 160. Per Microsoft's documentation it can also run databases at levels 150, 140, 130, 120, 110 and 100, and SQL Server 2025 can run a database at level 160.
Related
- SQL Server 2022 — the live status page with its EOL Risk Score
- SQL Server · SQL Server End of Life — every version's dates
- SQL Server 2019 End of Life — the previous version, now security fixes only
- SQL Server 2016 End of Life — the version that has already ended
- How we verify our dates — the rules every number on this site is held to