Is Microsoft Silverlight Still Supported? (2026)
Short answer
Microsoft Silverlight is no longer supported: vendor support ended on 12 Oct 2021 (5 years ago). CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog lists 3 vulnerabilities in Microsoft Silverlight.
Microsoft ended Silverlight 5 support on 12 October 2021 and lists no paid extension; the browser plug-in no longer runs in Chrome or Firefox, so the realistic paths are a rewrite or recompiling to WebAssembly.
Legacy Technology Tracker · Status as of 16 Oct 2026. Data checked 7 Oct 2026; refreshed monthly, with quarterly snapshots kept unchanged.
Risk rating
High: support ended 12 Oct 2021; 3 vulnerabilities on CISA's KEV list. How ratings work
Key facts
Every value links to its source and shows when we last checked or retrieved it. Data checked 7 Oct 2026; status as of 16 Oct 2026.
| Fact | Value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support status | UnsupportedSilverlight 5, the final release. | ||
| End of standard support (security updates) | |||
| Known exploited vulnerabilities (CISA KEV) | 3 CVEs all time; 0 added in the last 24 monthsNewest added 25 May 2022Matched by vendor and product name in the KEV catalog. | ||
| Job postings and salaries | Not published: the job-posting source is on hold pending a data licence. | — | — |
Versions in scope
Silverlight 5, the final release. Dates per version, each with its source.
| Version | Status | Standard support ends | Extended support ends | Latest release | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silverlight 5 | Unsupported | — | — |
If you still run Microsoft Silverlight
Microsoft's deadline passed on 12 October 2021. Silverlight 5 gets no security updates, and Microsoft's notice names Internet Explorer as the only supported browser, so the application cannot move forward with the rest of the desktop estate.
The realistic options:
- Rebuild on the web. Move the interface to a modern front end and keep the services behind it. If the team works in C#, Blazor is the closest .NET route. Silverlight to Blazor migration covers WebAssembly versus server hosting, scoping and cost ranges.
- Recompile with OpenSilver. This open-source project reimplements Silverlight on WebAssembly and aims to extend the life of an existing C# and XAML code base by recompiling it rather than rewriting it. Test controls and third-party libraries, since not every Silverlight dependency has an equivalent.
- Retire. Check whether anyone still uses the application before spending on it.
Check the server side too. The back-end services a Silverlight client calls may need their own upgrade, so ask suppliers to scope them.
Frontend modernization companies lists suppliers. See modernization costs for budget context.
Frequently asked questions
Is Silverlight still supported?
No. Microsoft's lifecycle page lists Silverlight 5, the final release, with support ending on 12 October 2021 and no later extended period.
Can Silverlight apps still run in a browser?
Not in current mainstream browsers. Microsoft's end-of-support notice says Silverlight was supported only on Internet Explorer, and not on Chrome, Firefox or any browser on macOS.
What can replace Silverlight?
Common routes are a rebuild on web technology, or C# and Blazor if you want to stay in .NET (see our Silverlight to Blazor guide). OpenSilver is an open-source reimplementation that runs recompiled Silverlight code on WebAssembly.