Is Windows Server 2016 Still Supported? End-of-Life Dates (2026)
Short answer
Windows Server 2016 is supported until 12 Jan 2027 (in 2 months). CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog lists 187 vulnerabilities that affect Windows Server 2016, matched to its versions through NVD data.
Windows Server 2016 is in extended support until 12 January 2027, and Microsoft has announced paid Extended Security Updates through Azure Arc that run to January 2030.
Legacy Technology Tracker · Status as of 16 Oct 2026. Data checked 7 Oct 2026; refreshed monthly, with quarterly snapshots kept unchanged.
Risk rating
Elevated: support ends 12 Jan 2027. 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 | SupportedWindows Server 2016 (LTSC). | ||
| End of mainstream support | |||
| End of standard support (security updates) | |||
| End of paid extended support | |||
| Extended support offer | Microsoft Extended Security Updates (ESU) enabled by Azure Arc (vendor), until 31 Jan 2030Pricing basis: Monthly pay-as-you-go subscription billed through Azure Arc, with billing starting on 13 January 2027; the page quotes no price | ||
| Known exploited vulnerabilities (CISA KEV) | 187 CVEs all time; 39 added in the last 24 monthsNewest added 8 Sep 2026Scoped to these versions through NVD product (CPE) data. Scoped via NVD CPE; KEV itself lists 'Microsoft Windows' without versions. | ||
| Job postings and salaries | Not tracked for this entry | — | — |
Versions in scope
Windows Server 2016 (LTSC). Dates per version, each with its source.
| Version | Status | Standard support ends | Extended support ends | Latest release | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2016 | Supported | 10.0.14393 |
If you still run Windows Server 2016
The deadline is 12 January 2027, when Windows Server 2016 extended support ends and security updates stop for anyone not enrolled in ESU.
The realistic options:
- Upgrade or rebuild on a current release. Windows Server 2022 and 2025 are supported to 2031 and 2034. This is the only option that restores a full support relationship, including technical support cases.
- Enrol in ESU through Azure Arc. It is a paid bridge for Critical and Important security updates until January 2030. Microsoft states it adds no features or non-security fixes. Use it for servers whose applications cannot move before January 2027, not as a destination.
- Move the workload to Azure or another cloud. This changes who runs the operating system, but the version must still be replaced or covered by ESU.
- Do nothing. Servers keep running, but each new vulnerability stays open.
Start with an inventory of what depends on 2016: domain controllers, SQL Server and Exchange hosts, and vendor software certified only for this release. Each of those has its own lifecycle and may force the order of work.
Related pages: on-premise to hybrid cloud migration, suppliers in cloud modernization companies, and cost ranges.
Frequently asked questions
Is Windows Server 2016 still supported?
Yes, for now. Mainstream support ended on 11 January 2022 and extended support, which includes security updates, ends on 12 January 2027 (Microsoft lifecycle page).
When does Windows Server 2016 reach end of support?
On 12 January 2027, when extended support ends. After that date only customers who buy Extended Security Updates keep receiving security updates.
Can I get extended support for Windows Server 2016?
Yes. Microsoft announced on 6 August 2026 that ESUs enabled by Azure Arc are generally available. They cover Critical and Important security updates from 12 January 2027 through January 2030. Machines must be connected to Azure Arc, and on-premises servers generally need Software Assurance through a volume licensing programme.
What can replace Windows Server 2016?
Windows Server 2022 (extended support to October 2031) or Windows Server 2025 (to November 2034), either as an upgrade or as a new build with the workload moved across, or an Azure-hosted equivalent.