Microsoft reminds administrators that mainstream support for Windows Server 2022 will end on October 13, 2026. The security update released that month will be the last in that phase. This will be followed by extended support, with free monthly security updates through October 14, 2031.
Microsoft has published a 60-day warning for Windows Server 2022. Starting October 13, 2026, the release will transition to extended support. This means no new features or non-security fixes will be released, but monthly security updates will continue at no additional cost. According to Microsoft’s lifecycle page, this second phase will continue until October 14, 2031.
This is explicitly not end-of-life. Users who keep the server running will continue to receive patches. However, according to Microsoft, those who want full mainstream support must upgrade to Windows Server 2025. That LTSC release has mainstream support through November 13, 2029, and extended support through November 14, 2034.
The latest LTSC version includes TLS 1.3, standard LDAP encryption, improved SSD and NVMe performance, and an optional subscription model. The most notable new feature is hotpatching: installing security updates without restarting the server.
That benefit is no longer free as of last year. On July 1, 2025, Microsoft switched hotpatching to a paid model for on-premises environments: $1.50 per CPU core per month, with management via Azure Arc required. For a server with sixteen cores, that amounts to approximately $288 per year. In the Azure Edition, hotpatching remains free.
There are also some changes on the feature front
Windows Server 2025 is also the last release to include WINS. Microsoft is removing the protocol from future versions, with support continuing through November 2034.
Microsoft advises organizations to evaluate upgrade options and begin deployment testing early. A free 180-day evaluation version is available through the Microsoft Evaluation Center.