Everything you need to know about the current versions, end-of-life dates, and support timelines for Windows 10, Office 365, Windows 10 Server, and ConfigMgr (SCCM). We recommend you bookmark this page, as we will update it frequently with the latest releases. (Last update: Dec. 2020)
Trying to keep track of all the different release dates, support timelines, and new features added in Microsoft's growing X-as-a-Service product portfolio can be exhausting, if not aggravating. To save you the headache and the time, we have collated all the available information in a handy, one-page document that we will update on a frequent basis. We will walk you through:
Each section will have a short introduction followed by tabs. The introduction will include the must-know facts, current support schedules, and more. The tabs will begin with an outline of the currently supported versions and their end-of-life dates (first tab), and subsequent tabs will give additional details for each version.
Since Windows 10 debuted in July of 2015, Microsoft has made several changes to their Windows-as-a-Service support model, including changes to:
The current release schedule sees Microsoft issuing two feature updates a year — one in the spring and one in the fall. With this fast cadence of releases, enterprise customers requested and received an extended support timeline for most versions of Windows 10.
For a complete list of new features, click here.
For a complete list of new features, click here.
In a July 2019 post from Microsoft, John Cable, director of program management, Windows servicing and delivery, talked about how the fall update will scale back on new features and instead focus on delivering the new update with less disruption of day-to-day business.
This change seems to be in response to enterprises that have been slower to migrate, as now the fall update should be a more stable version than the previous version, 1809, which had its share of issues. Plus, it has a longer 30-month support window.
According to Microsoft, "Windows 10, version 1909 is a scoped set of features for select performance improvements, enterprise features and quality enhancements." Below are some of the key changes in this limited release.
For a complete list of new features, click here.
For a complete list of new features, click here.
For a complete list of new features, click here.
In a July 2019 post from Microsoft, John Cable, director of program management, Windows servicing and delivery, talked about how the fall update will scale back on new features and instead focus on delivering the new update with less disruption of day-to-day business.
This change seems to be in response to enterprises that have been slower to migrate, as now the fall update should be a more stable version than the previous version, 1809, which had its share of issues. Plus, it has a longer 30-month support window.
According to Microsoft, "Windows 10, version 1909 is a scoped set of features for select performance improvements, enterprise features and quality enhancements." Below are some of the key changes in this limited release.
For a complete list of new features, click here.
Office 365 ProPlus has been handled differently than Windows 10 upgrades, and recently Microsoft changed the update channels' nomenclature and added/modified the channels. Below is a summary of each channel. Please click on the following links for the reasons behind the name change (and here) and the full details of each channel.
Current Channel - (Formerly Monthly Channel) - This channel provides users with the newest features as soon as they are ready. There are usually multiple updates per month (feature updates, security, non-security) and they are supported until the next version is released, which is usually a month away. We will not list the monthly versions, as most enterprises are not able to utilize this path. Here is a list of all monthly releases and builds. It is also important to note that this is the default channel for Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, formerly Office 365 ProPlus.
Monthly Enterprise Channel - (New Channel) - This channel provides users with feature, security, and non-security updates on a predictable schedule once a month (on Patch Tuesday). The updates in this channel are from the Current Channel that meet Microsoft's criteria. The Monthly Enterprise Channel is supported for two (2) months, with two (2) versions supported at one time. This channel is appropriate for a select group of users that don't have line-of-business critical apps, or for testing new features. Here is a list of all monthly releases and builds.
Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) - (Formerly Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted)) - The Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) is lined up with the release of Windows 10 feature upgrades, generally in March and September, although late releases are common. This channel is good for pilot and test users, and those who are not running LOB critical applications, add-ins, or macros. The support window for each version is approximately six (6) months, which starts from the release into the (Preview) Channel, and ends when the next version is released into the (Preview) Channel, so only one (1) version is supported by Microsoft at a time.
Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel - (Formerly Semi-Annual Channel) - Approximately four (4) months after a version is released in the Semi-Annual Channel (Preview), it gets released into the Semi-Annual Channel, similar to the CB and CBB Windows model that existed. Support for this version ends 18 months from when it is released into the (Preview) Channel, effectively giving users on the Semi-Annual Channel 14 months of support. This is the most common path for users in an enterprise environment, since the version has spent about four months being tested by IT and pilot users, as well as the greater consumer community. Microsoft supports two (2) versions of this channel at a time. Please note, as stated earlier, the Current Channel is the default channel, not Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel as it had been prior to the name change.
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Microsoft announced in February 2018 that Windows Server would also join the Modern Lifecycle Policy. Currently, it is broken down into the following two delivery channels:
Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC)
Semi-Annual Channel
The Semi-Annual Channel option operates in a similar fashion to Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Apps, with feature updates that are scheduled to be released twice a year (in the spring and fall), and with 18 months of servicing for each from date of release.
Important Support Dates You Should Know
| Version | Released | Mainstream Support EOL | Extended Support EOL |
| Windows Server 2012 & Windows Server 2012 R2 | 04 Sep 2012 | 09 Oct 2018 | 10 Oct 2023 |
| Windows Server 2016 Version 1607 | 15 Oct 2016 | 11 Jan 2022 | 12 Jan 2027 |
| Windows Server 2019 Version 1809 | 13 Nov 2018 | 09 Jan 2024 | 09 Jan 2029 |
Note: Microsoft has combined the "What's New" for versions 2004 and 20H2, as 20H2 focused on reliability, performance, and other general improvements, but no new features.
Microsoft has reduced the overall size of Server Core container images for improved download speeds and performance.Note: Microsoft has combined the "What's New" for versions 1903 and 1909, as 1909 focused on reliability, performance, and other general improvements, but no new features.
Note: Microsoft has combined the "What's New" for versions 2004 and 20H2, as 20H2 focused on reliability, performance, and other general improvements, but no new features.
Microsoft has reduced the overall size of Server Core container images for improved download speeds and performance.Note: Microsoft has combined the "What's New" for versions 1903 and 1909, as 1909 focused on reliability, performance, and other general improvements, but no new features.
The release of Windows 10 also changed how Configuration Manager versions are supported and managed. Previously, new versions were released every 3-5 years and coincided with either a new iteration of Windows or had major feature updates. The last such version is System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, or SCCM 2012, which had significant changes to application deployment capabilities. Mainstream support for SCCM 2012, either Service Pack 1 or 2, ended on 11 Jul 2017, with extended support ending on 12 Jul 2022.
The new SCCM-as-a-Service versions started in 2015 to support the Windows-as-a-Service OS. In this new model, new SCCM versions are released several times a year, with the launch version 1511. Initially, each version was supported for 12 months, with Microsoft aiming to release three (3) updates a year — targeting the months February, June, and October. However, actual release dates are usually a month late. To see the full list of changes from System Center 2012 Configuration Manager to the Current Branch model, click here.
Starting with version 1710, released 20 Nov 2017, the support schedule changed to 18 months, with 1710 going EOL on 20 May 2019. The 18-month support window is comprised of 2 sections:
This schedule is designed to have a new version every four (4) months, with only the most current version receiving both security and critical updates. The previous versions, up to n-4, receive only security updates.
Starting with version 1910, Configuration Manager is now part of Microsoft Endpoint Manager, along with Desktop Analytics, Intune, Autopilot, and other features. Please see the Microsoft FAQ for more info.
There is also a Long-Term Servicing Channel for SCCM, which is based on version 1606, available from October 2016, and will have 10 years of support for critical security updates only. For a full list of the limitations and benefits of the LTSC for SCCM, click here.
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