Windows Server End of Life (EOL) Dates & Support Timeline
Complete end-of-life dates, support windows, and security status for all Windows Server versions. Data sourced from endoflife.date and official vendor documentation. Updated at every deploy.
Running an EOL version? Get matched with support options — free ↓| Version | Latest Release | Release Date | EOL Date | Extended Support | Days | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 LTS | 5.0.2195 | Feb 17, 2000 | Jul 13, 2010 | — | 5871 days past EOL | EOL |
| 2003 LTS | 5.2.3790 | Apr 24, 2003 | Apr 10, 2007 | — | 7061 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 2003 SP1 | 5.2.3790 | Mar 30, 2005 | Apr 14, 2009 | — | 6326 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 2003 SP2 LTS | 5.2.3790 | Mar 13, 2007 | Jul 14, 2015 | — | 4044 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 2008 SP2 LTS | 6.0.6003 | Apr 29, 2009 | Jan 14, 2020 | Jan 10, 2023 Extended Security Updates (ESU) (ended) |
2399 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 LTS | 6.1.7601 | Feb 22, 2011 | Jan 14, 2020 | Jan 10, 2023 Extended Security Updates (ESU) (ended) |
2399 days past EOL | EOL |
| 2012 LTS | 6.2.9200 | Oct 30, 2012 | Oct 10, 2023 | Oct 13, 2026 Extended Security Updates (ESU) |
1034 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 LTS | 6.3.9600 | Nov 25, 2013 | Oct 10, 2023 | Oct 13, 2026 Extended Security Updates (ESU) |
1034 days past EOL | EOL |
| 2016 LTS | 10.0.14393 | Oct 15, 2016 | Jan 12, 2027 | Jan 12, 2030 Extended Security Updates (ESU) |
156 days remaining | Warning |
| Windows Server 1709 SAC | 10.0.16299 | Oct 17, 2017 | Apr 9, 2019 | — | 2679 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 1803 SAC | 10.0.17134 | Apr 30, 2018 | Nov 12, 2019 | — | 2462 days past EOL | EOL |
| 2019 LTS | 10.0.17763 | Nov 13, 2018 | Jan 9, 2029 | — | 884 days remaining | Active |
| Windows Server 1809 SAC | 10.0.17763 | Nov 13, 2018 | Nov 10, 2020 | — | 2098 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 1903 SAC | 10.0.18362 | May 21, 2019 | Dec 8, 2020 | — | 2070 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 1909 SAC | 10.0.18363 | Nov 12, 2019 | May 11, 2021 | — | 1916 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 2004 SAC | 10.0.19041 | May 27, 2020 | Dec 14, 2021 | — | 1699 days past EOL | EOL |
| Windows Server 20H2 SAC | 10.0.19042 | Oct 20, 2020 | Aug 9, 2022 | — | 1461 days past EOL | EOL |
| 2022 LTS | 10.0.20348 | Aug 18, 2021 | Oct 14, 2031 | — | 1892 days remaining | Active |
| Windows Server 23H2 AC | 10.0.25398 | Oct 24, 2023 | Oct 24, 2025 | — | 289 days past EOL | EOL |
| 2025 LTS | 10.0.26100 | Nov 1, 2024 | Nov 14, 2034 | — | 3019 days remaining | Active |
Live EOL badge for your README — updates automatically at every build.
[](https://endoflife.ai/windows-server)
Microsoft Extended Security Updates (ESU) Timeline
Microsoft's official lifecycle data lists the following Extended Security Update windows. ESU is a paid program that delivers critical security patches only, after a version's mainstream and extended support have already ended — it does not include new features, non-security fixes, or technical support.
| Product | ESU Phase | ESU End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2008 R2 | Extended Security Update Year 4 (Azure only) | Jan 10, 2024 |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 | Extended Security Update Year 3 | Jan 11, 2023 |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 | Extended Security Update Year 2 | Jan 12, 2022 |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 | Extended Security Update Year 1 | Jan 13, 2021 |
| Windows Server 2012 | Extended Security Update Year 3 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Windows Server 2012 | Extended Security Update Year 2 | Oct 15, 2025 |
| Windows Server 2012 | Extended Security Update Year 1 | Oct 9, 2024 |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | Extended Security Update Year 3 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | Extended Security Update Year 2 | Oct 15, 2025 |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | Extended Security Update Year 1 | Oct 9, 2024 |
Source: Microsoft Lifecycle — official Microsoft data, supplementary to endoflife.date.
What does Windows Server end of life mean for your organization?
When a version of Windows Server reaches end of life, the maintainers stop issuing security patches. Vulnerabilities discovered after this date are publicly disclosed on the National Vulnerability Database, exploit code appears on GitHub, and your systems remain permanently exposed.
The CVE blind spot: Most vulnerability scanners check for known CVEs but do not flag the accumulation of unpatched vulnerabilities in EOL software. With a zero-day, nobody knows about the vulnerability. With EOL software, the vulnerability is public — listed, rated, and often weaponized — but no patch will ever exist. This is the most dangerous gap in enterprise security posture.
Organizations running EOL Windows Server should treat it as a vulnerability class in their risk register, apply compensating controls (network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, access restriction), and prioritize migration to a supported version.
Your options when Windows Server reaches end of life
There are four realistic paths. Which one is right depends far more on how long the system needs to keep running than on the version you are on today.
| Option | Best when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Move to a supported version | The system will outlive the current version's support window and you can schedule the work | Budget for compatibility testing, not just the upgrade itself — that is where the real cost sits |
| Replace the component | The project is unmaintained, or a better-supported alternative exists | The replacement has its own lifecycle and its own end-of-life date — you are changing vendors, not escaping the problem |
| Buy extended support | Migration is genuinely underway but cannot finish before the deadline, or the workload is frozen by certification or a third-party application | A bridge, not a destination — every year purchased is a year the migration still has to happen |
| Document accepted risk | The system is isolated, short-lived, or scheduled for retirement | Only defensible with real compensating controls and a written decision — auditors treat undocumented end-of-life software as a finding |
How to choose, in one question: how many more years does this system need to run? Under a year, extended support (where it exists) is usually cheaper than an emergency migration. One to three years, migrate — support purchased repeatedly costs more than doing the project once, and the project only gets harder as the version ages. Indefinitely, migrate now and plan the next migration before it surprises you.
Worth saying plainly, because vendors selling extended support rarely will: extended support is often the more expensive choice over a multi-year horizon. It is the right answer when a deadline is genuinely unreachable, not as a default. Compare the annual fee against the one-time cost of migrating before committing to either.
For the full decision flow on this product, see our detailed guide: Windows Server 2012: migrate, ESU, or move to cloud?
Extended Support Options
If you cannot migrate immediately, extended support vendors provide continued security patches for EOL Windows Server versions. This is a bridge, not a permanent solution — plan your migration in parallel.
Windows Server has 16 versions past end of life — security patches have stopped, but CVE disclosures haven't. The good news: extended support for Windows Server exists — vetted vendors ship security patches for years past the official date. Tell us where to reach you and we'll reply with matched options and pricing guidance.