End Of Support
The latest End Of Support coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Microsoft Ends SQL Server 2016 Support: Your Options from ESUs to SQL Server 2025 Migration
Microsoft is pulling the plug on SQL Server 2016’s extended support today, July 14, 2026, closing a 10-year lifecycle that began with its June 2016 release. The database engine won’t suddenly...
Windows 10's final year: how to keep your PC secure without creating e-waste
{ "title": "Windows 10's final year: how to keep your PC secure without creating e-waste", "content": "On a Wednesday in July, consumer advocates in Denver staged a mock graveside service for...
Dual Retirement: Windows 11 24H2 and Office 2021 Both Exit Support on October 13, 2026 — What You Must Do Now
Microsoft has marked October 13, 2026, as the day when two of its most widely used products — Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro editions, and Office LTSC 2021 — will simultaneously reach the...
Forget the Media Creation Tool: How to Grab an Official Windows 10 ISO Directly From Microsoft in 2026
For millions of PC users, the end of Windows 10 support in October 2025 was the final nudge toward Windows 11. But not everyone made the jump. Whether held back by hardware requirements, software...
Windows 11 24H2 Support Dies October 13, 2026 — Upgrade Now to Avoid Zero-Day Attacks
Windows 11 24H2 will officially reach its end of servicing on October 13, 2026. After that date, Microsoft will halt all monthly security updates, leaving PCs running the Home or Pro edition of this...
Windows 10’s Stay of Execution: Microsoft Extends Consumer Security Patches to October 2027
Microsoft has quietly updated its consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) policy for Windows 10, extending the deadline for critical security patches by an extra year and a half. Enrolled PCs will...
Windows XP End-of-Support: Microsoft's Security Essentials Mess Left Millions at Risk
When the clock struck midnight on April 8, 2014, Microsoft officially ended support for Windows XP. But the operating system’s quiet death was only the beginning of a messy, year-long security saga...
Windows 7 End of Support: Why Its Risky Afterlife Exposed Critical Migration Gaps
When Microsoft ended free support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, millions of users faced a stark choice: upgrade, pay up, or risk a growing array of security threats. The operating system’s...
Windows 11 24H2 Home and Office 2021 both expire October 13, 2026
Microsoft has pinned October 13, 2026, as the day security updates stop for Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro, while Windows 11 version 23H2 Enterprise and Education will breathe their last on...
Windows Server 2016 End of Support: January 12, 2027 Deadline Demands Immediate Action
Microsoft's Windows Server 2016 will reach its end of support on January 12, 2027, creating a hard operational deadline that IT teams cannot afford to ignore. After this date, Microsoft will no...
Vista's 2017 end-of-life forced Microsoft to overhaul retirement roadmaps for Windows 10
Microsoft's formal support for Windows Vista ended on April 11, 2017, marking the official conclusion of a decade-long lifecycle that began with the operating system's troubled launch in January...
ASP.NET Core 2.3 Support Ends April 7, 2027: Three-Year Migration Window Opens
Microsoft has set April 7, 2027 as the definitive end-of-support date for ASP.NET Core 2.3, marking the final chapter for a framework version that has served enterprise applications since its 2018...