TL;DR
Microsoft has a packed 2026 calendar of end-of-support and service retirements, affecting on-premises servers, desktop apps and several Azure services. Administrators should review deadlines now — some blocks start as early as January and multiple major products reach end of support in October.
What happened
Microsoft set numerous end-of-support and retirement dates across 2026 that will affect cloud and on-premises deployments. Early in the year, legacy client authentication is blocked by default for SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business from January 31, with an option to lift the block for a limited period before it becomes permanent on May 1. Azure will retire services through the spring and summer: Speech to Text API v3.0 is scheduled to go away in March, Windows Server 2016 and 2019 on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) are slated for retirement, and Application Gateway v1 — which stopped accepting new deployments in 2024 — will be forcibly stopped on April 28, 2026. On the product side, Office LTSC 2021, Windows 11 Home and Pro 24H2, Microsoft Publisher and final Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 all reach end of support on October 13. SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019, plus Project Server 2016 and 2019, are set to end support on July 14; InfoPath 2013 will also be retired as a consequence.
Why it matters
- End-of-support means no more regular security updates, increasing risk for unpatched systems.
- Azure service retirements can break integrations and workloads that rely on specific APIs or managed services.
- Blocking legacy authentication affects clients and scripts that haven’t migrated to modern auth, potentially disrupting access.
- Multiple high-profile dates cluster in mid-year and October, requiring coordinated migration and testing efforts.
Key facts
- Legacy client authentication will be blocked by default for SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business from January 31, 2026; the block can be temporarily lifted but becomes permanent on May 1, 2026.
- Speech to Text API v3.0 is due to be retired in March 2026.
- Application Gateway v1 will be forcibly stopped on April 28, 2026; it had already stopped accepting new deployments in 2024.
- Windows Server 2016 on AKS hybrid and Windows Server 2019 on AKS are scheduled for retirement in 2026 (timing noted in source as following March retirements).
- SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019, and Project Server 2016 and 2019, reach end of support on July 14, 2026.
- Office LTSC 2021, Windows 11 Home and Pro 24H2, Microsoft Publisher, and the final Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 all hit end-of-support on October 13, 2026.
- SQL Server 2016 will move onto Extended Security Updates in 2026 rather than standard support.
- The retirement of SharePoint Server 2016 paves the way for retiring InfoPath 2013, which had been retained for compatibility purposes.
What to watch next
- Jan 31, 2026 — default block of legacy authentication for SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business; temporary relief available until May 1.
- April 28, 2026 — Application Gateway v1 will be forcibly stopped (no new deployments accepted since 2024).
- March 2026 — scheduled retirements in Azure, starting with the Speech to Text API v3.0; related AKS host retirements follow.
- Oct 13, 2026 — clustered end-of-support deadlines for Office LTSC 2021, Windows 11 24H2, Microsoft Publisher and final ESUs for Windows Server 2012/2012 R2.
Quick glossary
- End of Support: The date after which a vendor no longer provides routine updates, fixes or technical support for a product.
- Extended Security Updates (ESU): A paid program or arrangement that supplies critical security fixes for products after regular support ends.
- Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS): A managed Kubernetes container orchestration service in Microsoft Azure for deploying and managing containerized applications.
- Legacy authentication: Older authentication protocols and methods that do not support modern security features like multitenant-aware OAuth and conditional access.
- Application Gateway: An Azure service that provides load balancing and application-level routing for web traffic.
Reader FAQ
Which Microsoft products reach end of support in 2026?
Several products and services hit end of support in 2026, including Office LTSC 2021, Windows 11 Home and Pro 24H2, Microsoft Publisher, final ESUs for Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 (Oct 13), SharePoint Server 2016/2019 and Project Server 2016/2019 (July 14). See the key facts list for details.
Will administrators be able to keep using legacy authentication?
From January 31, legacy client authentication will be blocked by default for SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business; the block may be temporarily lifted for a few months but is set to be permanent from May 1, 2026.
Is there a direct replacement for Microsoft Publisher?
The source states there is 'no real replacement in sight' for users who rely on Publisher for simple tasks.
Does Microsoft plan to provide Extended Security Updates for SQL Server 2016?
The source says SQL Server 2016 transitions to Extended Security Updates in 2026.
SOFTWARE 2026 brings a bumper crop of Microsoft tech funerals A busy year of end-of-support dates awaits unwary admins Richard Speed Mon 12 Jan 2026 // 09:30 UTC 2026 has begun with the familiar…
Sources
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