Is Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 Still Supported? (2026)
Short answer
Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 is no longer supported: vendor support ended on 13 Oct 2026 (less than a month ago). CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog lists 208 vulnerabilities that affect Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2, matched to its versions through NVD data.
Microsoft's standard support for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 ended in October 2023, and the paid Extended Security Updates that replaced it are capped at three years, so they stop on 13 October 2026.
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 13 Oct 2026; 208 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 | UnsupportedWindows Server 2012 and 2012 R2. | ||
| End of mainstream support | |||
| End of standard support (security updates) | |||
| End of paid extended support | |||
| Extended support offer | Microsoft Extended Security Updates (ESU), Year 3 (vendor), until 13 Oct 2026Pricing basis: On premises and in hosted environments, each ESU year costs 100% of the full Windows Server licence price (the licence-only price, not the licence portion of a licence plus Software Assurance contract) | ||
| Extended support offer | Microsoft ESU for servers hosted in Azure (Azure VMs, Azure VMware Solution and similar) (vendor), until 13 Oct 2026Pricing basis: No additional charge above the cost of running the virtual machine; Software Assurance is not required for the free ESUs | ||
| Known exploited vulnerabilities (CISA KEV) | 208 CVEs all time; 36 added in the last 24 monthsNewest added 8 Sep 2026Scoped to these versions through NVD product (CPE) data. Scoped to Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 via NVD CPE; KEV itself lists 'Microsoft Windows' without versions. | ||
| Job postings and salaries | Not tracked for this entry | — | — |
Versions in scope
Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2. Dates per version, each with its source.
| Version | Status | Standard support ends | Extended support ends | Latest release | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Unsupported | 6.2.9200 | ||||
| 2012-r2 | Unsupported | 6.3.9600 |
If you still run Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2
The date that matters is 13 October 2026, the last day of Microsoft's third and final Extended Security Updates (ESU) year. After it, Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 receive no security updates from Microsoft.
The realistic options:
- Upgrade or rebuild on a current release. Windows Server 2022 and 2025 have extended support to 2031 and 2034. Windows Server 2016 is a poor target because its extended support ends on 12 January 2027.
- Move the virtual machines to Azure as-is. The ESUs are free for VMs hosted in Azure, but they end on the same day. This buys time to migrate, not extra years.
- Buy ESU for on-premises servers. Each year is priced at 100% of the full licence, and late buyers must also pay for the earlier periods, so buying now costs more than the days remaining suggest.
- Leave the servers running unpatched. Network isolation, restricted administration and monitoring reduce exposure for servers that cannot move in time. They do not replace patches.
Related pages: on-premise to hybrid cloud migration, suppliers in cloud modernization companies, and cost ranges.
Frequently asked questions
Is Windows Server 2012 still supported?
Not under standard support. Microsoft's lifecycle page lists the extended end date as 10 October 2023. Security updates since then have come only from the paid Extended Security Updates programme, which ends on 13 October 2026.
When does Windows Server 2012 R2 reach end of support?
Extended support ended on 10 October 2023. The last ESU year, Year 3, ends on 13 October 2026, according to Microsoft's lifecycle page. Microsoft limits ESU to three years and lists no later date.
Can I get extended support for Windows Server 2012?
Yes, until 13 October 2026. ESUs are free for virtual machines hosted in Azure. For on-premises servers Microsoft prices each ESU year at 100% of the full licence price, and customers who enrol late must also buy the earlier periods (Microsoft ESU FAQ). ESUs cover Critical and Important security updates only.
Is it safe to keep running Windows Server 2012?
After 13 October 2026 Microsoft lists no further security updates for it, so newly found vulnerabilities stay unpatched. Servers that must stay need compensating controls such as network isolation and restricted administration, which reduce exposure but do not replace patches.