Guide · Servers
Windows Server 2016 end of life: 12 January 2027.
Microsoft stops free security updates for Windows Server 2016 on 12 January 2027. After that, every new vulnerability stays open unless you pay for Extended Security Updates or replace the server. If you still run 2016, this is what to do in the weeks that are left.
By the PC1 support team · Updated November 2026
The dates
Windows Server 2016 end of support, in three dates.
| Milestone | Date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Mainstream support ended | 11 January 2022 | No new features; security fixes only |
| Extended support ends (end of life) | 12 January 2027 | No more free security updates |
| Extended Security Updates (paid) | Up to three years, to January 2030 | Critical and important security fixes only, for a fee |
Dates from Microsoft’s product lifecycle. Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 reaches end of support at the same time.
What EOL means
What happens when Windows Server 2016 reaches end of life.
- The server keeps running, but Microsoft stops releasing security fixes for it.
- Newly found vulnerabilities stay open, and attackers target unsupported systems because they know they will not be patched.
- Unsupported operating systems fail Cyber Essentials, so certification, and contracts that require it, are at risk.
- Software vendors drop support too, so line-of-business applications may stop being updated on 2016.
- Cyber insurers increasingly ask about unsupported systems at renewal.
See Cyber Essentials certification for what the scheme requires.
Extended Security Updates
Windows Server 2016 Extended Security Updates: a paid stopgap.
Microsoft is offering Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows Server 2016 for up to three years after 12 January 2027. They are bought a year at a time, enrolled through Azure Arc, and need Software Assurance or a subscription licence. Servers running on Azure Local or Azure VMware Solution get them at no extra cost.
ESU is billed monthly, per core, through Azure. Every physical server is charged for at least 16 cores and every virtual machine for at least 8, so a typical small-business server on Standard edition costs around £63 a month, or about £760 a year, every year it stays on 2016. For most small businesses that money is better spent on the replacement. ESU makes sense for a server that genuinely cannot be moved before January, as long as there is a plan to move it.
| Edition | Per core, per month | 8-core virtual machine | 16-core server |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2016 Standard | £3.94 | £31.52 a month (£378 a year) | £63.04 a month (£756 a year) |
| Windows Server 2016 Datacenter | £22.63 | £181.04 a month (£2,172 a year) | £362.08 a month (£4,345 a year) |
UK prices excluding VAT, from Microsoft’s Azure pay-as-you-go list (Azure Arc ESU meters, effective 1 August 2026), as at November 2026. Prices can change with Microsoft’s list and your licensing agreement; we will confirm the cost for your servers.
Your options
Four ways to replace Windows Server 2016.
| Option | What it means | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Move to Microsoft 365 | Files to SharePoint and OneDrive, email to Exchange Online, sign-in to Entra ID | Servers that mainly hold files and email |
| Upgrade to Windows Server 2025 | The current version, supported to November 2034, usually on new hardware | Software that must run on a server on site |
| Move to the cloud | Run the server in Azure, where Extended Security Updates can be included | Applications you need to keep but not the hardware |
| Buy ESU and plan the move | Pay for up to three years of security updates while you replace it | Servers that cannot be replaced before January |
Skip Windows Server 2019 as a target: its support ends on 9 January 2029. See our Windows Server 2019 end of life guide.
How we help
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Windows Server 2016 questions
What people ask before switching.
When is Windows Server 2016 end of life?
Is there Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2016?
How much do Windows Server 2016 Extended Security Updates cost?
Can I keep using Windows Server 2016 after January 2027?
Should I upgrade Windows Server 2016 to 2019, 2022 or 2025?
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