Windows Server release information
Windows Server is moving to the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) as our primary release channel. The Windows Server Semi-Annual Channel (SAC) was retired on August 9, 2022. There will be no future SAC releases of Windows Server.
The focus on container and microservice innovation previously released in the Semi-Annual Channel will now continue with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), AKS on Azure Stack HCI, and other platform improvements made in collaboration with the Kubernetes community. A major new version of Windows Server will continue to be released every 2-3 years, so you can expect both container host and container images to align with that cadence.
Windows Server current versions by servicing option
(All dates are listed in ISO 8601 format: YYYY-MM-DD)
| Windows Server release | Servicing option | Editions | Availability | Build | Mainstream support end date | Extended support end date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2022 | Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) | Datacenter, Standard | 2021-08-18 | 20348.169 | 2026-10-13 | 2031-10-14 |
| Windows Server, version 20H2 | Semi-Annual Channel | Datacenter Core, Standard Core | 2020-10-20 | 19042.508 | End of servicing | Not applicable |
| Windows Server 2019 (version 1809) | Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) | Datacenter, Essentials, Standard | 2018-11-13 | 17763.107 | 2024-01-09 | 2029-01-09 |
| Windows Server 2016 (version 1607) | Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) | Datacenter, Essentials, Standard | 2016-10-15 | 14393.0 | End of servicing | 2027-01-11 |
Note
Windows Server, version 1803 and later are governed by the Modern Lifecycle Policy. See the Windows Lifecycle FAQ and Comparison of servicing channels for details regarding servicing requirements and other important information.