Windows Server 2019 End of Life: January 9, 2029 (Extended Support)
Windows Server 2019 reaches end of life on January 9, 2029. That is the end of extended support on Microsoft's product lifecycle page and the last day Microsoft ships a security update for it. It is still supported today, with one large qualification: mainstream support ended on January 9, 2024, so the release receives security fixes and nothing else. No new features, no non-security fixes, no design changes. The release shipped on November 13, 2018; Microsoft's page notes that it and Windows Server, version 1809 were re-released on that day and the support dates adjusted to match.
The dates, in one table
| Milestone | Date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Release | November 13, 2018 | Start of the ten-year fixed lifecycle |
| End of mainstream support | January 9, 2024 | New features and non-security fixes stopped |
| End of extended support (end of life) | January 9, 2029 | Last security update |
Editions on Microsoft's page: Datacenter, Essentials and Standard. Containers released with Windows Server 2019 follow the same dates.
No Extended Security Updates have been announced
Microsoft's published ESU programs for Windows Server cover 2012, 2012 R2 and, since an announcement in February 2026, 2016. Windows Server 2019 is not among them on the Microsoft pages we read for this guide. That can change closer to the date, as it did for 2016, but it is not something to plan on. Treat January 9, 2029 as the real deadline.
Where to move
Windows Server 2019 upgrades in place to 2022 or 2025. The supported paths and their conditions are in our guide to every Windows Server version.
| Target | Mainstream support ends | Extended support ends | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2025 | November 13, 2029 | November 14, 2034 | The only target still in mainstream support after this autumn. |
| Windows Server 2022 | October 13, 2026 | October 14, 2031 | Security updates to the extended date, but it joins 2019 in security-only status very soon. |
What to do with the time you have
- Do not build new on it. Anything deployed on 2019 today inherits a deadline already in sight.
- Find what pins each server to 2019. It is usually an application vendor's support matrix, not the operating system. Ask those vendors now which Windows Server versions they certify; that answer sets your target.
- Sequence it behind the nearer deadlines. Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 leave their final ESU year on October 13, 2026 and 2016 ends on January 12, 2027. Those come first. 2019 is the project for the two years after.
- Check the rest of the stack in the same pass. The database, the runtime and the agents on the server each have their own dates. Our EOL Checker and API answer those.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Windows Server 2019 end of life?
Windows Server 2019 reaches the end of extended support on January 9, 2029, per Microsoft's product lifecycle page. That is the last day Microsoft ships security updates for it.
Is Windows Server 2019 still supported?
Yes, in extended support. Mainstream support ended on January 9, 2024, which stopped new features and non-security fixes. Security updates continue until January 9, 2029.
Is there an ESU for Windows Server 2019?
Microsoft has not announced Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2019. Its published ESU programs cover Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2 and 2016. Plan on the extended support end date as the real deadline.
What should I upgrade Windows Server 2019 to?
Windows Server 2019 upgrades in place to Windows Server 2022 or 2025. Windows Server 2025 has mainstream support to November 13, 2029 and extended support to November 14, 2034. Windows Server 2022 leaves mainstream support on October 13, 2026 and ends on October 14, 2031.
Related
- Windows Server 2019 — the live status page with its EOL Risk Score
- Windows Server 2016 End of Life — the nearer deadline, and its ESU
- Windows Server End of Life — every version's dates and the supported in-place upgrade paths
- How we verify our dates — the rules every number on this site is held to