- Microsoft has ended all support for the Vista/Server 2008 code base
- Standard support, ESU and even PA timelines are all passed
- Windows Server 2012 is next, ESU ends October 2026
Microsoft has officially ended all remaining support for the Windows Vista code base as of January 13, 2026 after about 18 years of support since Windows Vista launched, which means Windows Server 2008 is also over.
Most customers lost support in January 2020, with Extended Security Updates (ESU) available for an additional three years until January 2023 (or four for Azure customers until January 2024).
However, some organizations with Premium Assurance (PA) were given until January 2026. Although PA was phased out long ago, existing contracts were honored, but the time has come for even those to end.
Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista will finally be allowed to rest in peace
Windows Vista was never very popular, accounting for about one in four Windows installations at its peak, and at a time when its predecessor Windows XP still accounted for more or less the other three out of four.
XP remained more popular than Vista right up until the bitter end, when both fell below 1% market share during the Windows 10 era.
Microsoft explained in a previous support article that free on-site security updates, non-security updates, free support options, and online technical content updates would no longer be available. At that time, they were told to migrate to Azure for three more years of critical and important security updates.
While it is entirely plausible that companies may still want to continue using Windows Server 2008, most will have already migrated to remain protected from bugs and vulnerabilities. More importantly, the news that the 2008 version has been completely retired comes just months before the same thing happens with Windows Server 2012.
Another support article confirms the ESU end date for both Azure-hosted and non-Azure versions – October 13, 2026.
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