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Visual Studio End of Life Dates: Quick Reference
The table below covers every version still in active use. Mainstream support means new features and bug fixes. Extended support means security patches only. End of life means no updates of any kind.
| Version | Released | Mainstream Ended | Extended Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Studio 2015 | July 2015 | Oct 13, 2020 | Oct 14, 2025 | ⛔ End of Life |
| Visual Studio 2017 | March 2017 | Apr 12, 2022 | Apr 13, 2027 | ⚠ Extended Only |
| Visual Studio 2019 (16.11) | April 2019 | Apr 9, 2024 | Apr 9, 2029 | ⚠ Extended Only |
| Visual Studio 2022 | November 2021 | Jan 2027 | Jan 2032 | ✓ Mainstream |
| Visual Studio 2026 | November 2025 | Modern Lifecycle — see below | ★ Current | |
VS 2019 point release note: Extended support applies only to the final release, version 16.11. Earlier point releases such as 16.7 and 16.9 have already passed their individual support windows. If you are on anything other than 16.11, you are already running an unsupported build.
What Mainstream and Extended Support Actually Mean
For Visual Studio 2022 and earlier, Microsoft follows the Fixed Lifecycle Policy: ten years of total support split into two phases. Visual Studio 2026 moves to a different model — covered separately below.
Mainstream Support
New features, performance improvements, bug fixes, security updates, and platform updates including .NET and Windows compatibility. The version keeps pace with modern development.
Extended Support
Security patches only. No new features, no bug fixes, no new .NET or platform support. The IDE is frozen in time while the ecosystem around it continues to move forward.
The practical consequence of extended support is often underestimated. A version in extended support will not gain compatibility with newer .NET releases. Visual Studio 2017 and 2019 in extended support today do not support .NET 9 or .NET 10, C# 13, or any of the AI-assisted development tooling introduced in recent releases.
Version-by-Version Breakdown
Visual Studio 2015 reached full end of life on 14 October 2025. It no longer receives updates of any kind — no security patches, no hotfixes. Running VS 2015 today means working with an unpatched IDE on a platform Microsoft no longer monitors for vulnerabilities.
If you are still on VS 2015, upgrading is not optional. The only question is which version to move to.
Visual Studio 2017 left mainstream support in April 2022 and is in its extended support window, receiving security patches only until 13 April 2027. After that date it becomes fully unsupported.
Extended support gives a false sense of security here. VS 2017 receives no new features, no .NET compatibility updates beyond what it shipped with, and no performance improvements. It does not support .NET 8 or later, C# 12 or later, or any of the AI and Copilot workflow tooling in modern Visual Studio. For active development work it is effectively a legacy tool today, irrespective of its formal support status.
Visual Studio 2019 left mainstream support on 9 April 2024. The final release, version 16.11, retains extended support until 9 April 2029 — security patches only.
VS 2019 does not support .NET 9, .NET 10, or C# 13. The Copilot and AI workflow features introduced from VS 2022 onward are not available. Developers still on VS 2019 increasingly report friction with modern package tooling and newer SDK project templates. Functionally, the version has reached its ceiling.
Visual Studio 2022 is still in mainstream support. Microsoft has confirmed version 17.14 as the final long-term baseline for the 2022 generation, with mainstream support running to January 2027 and total lifecycle support to January 2032.
VS 2022 is a capable, 64-bit IDE with strong .NET 8 and .NET 9 support. However, with mainstream support ending in under a year, teams making platform decisions now should weigh a planned upgrade to VS 2026 over a second migration cycle in 12–18 months. See our Visual Studio 2022 vs 2026 comparison for a detailed feature-by-feature breakdown.
Visual Studio 2026 is the current release. It is also the first version to follow Microsoft’s Modern Lifecycle Policy rather than the Fixed Lifecycle Policy used by all previous versions. This is an important distinction.
Under the Modern Lifecycle, Microsoft ships annual releases and supports each release for two years. Year one provides full support including new features, bug fixes, security updates, and platform updates. Year two provides security updates only via the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC). There is no fixed 10-year window as with earlier versions.
In practice, staying current means keeping up with annual releases rather than waiting for a major version cycle. Developers who prefer a more stable update cadence should target LTSC releases, which are even-numbered minor versions (e.g. 18.2, 18.4) supported for 18 months each with bug fixes and security updates included in the first year.
What Happens If You Stay on an Unsupported Version?
For personal projects on a private dev machine, running an older version of Visual Studio is inconvenient but low risk. For professional or commercial development the picture changes:
No security patches. Vulnerabilities discovered in the IDE after end of life are not fixed. This matters most for team environments where Visual Studio is installed on shared build machines, CI agents, or remote development servers.
Platform drift. Microsoft no longer validates new Windows updates, .NET releases, or Azure SDK changes against EOL versions. Problems that appear after an OS or framework update will not be investigated or fixed.
Extension and package compatibility. Extension vendors drop support for older Visual Studio versions over time. NuGet packages targeting newer SDK features will not install cleanly, and extensions that worked previously may break after their own updates.
Compliance exposure. Organisations subject to Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, or similar frameworks have obligations around running unsupported software. Running an EOL IDE in a development pipeline is a finding waiting to appear in an audit.
Upgrade to Visual Studio 2026 Professional
For individual developers and small teams, Visual Studio 2026 Professional is the direct upgrade path from any previous version. It is a perpetual licence — buy it once, own it permanently, with no ongoing subscription fees.
Microsoft Visual Studio 2026 Professional
Perpetual Licence vs Annual Subscription — 5-Year Cumulative Cost
VS Professional subscription approximately £420/year. Perpetual licence: one-time £280, no renewal required.
Not sure which edition you need? Visual Studio 2026 is available in Community (free with restrictions), Professional, and Enterprise editions. Our Visual Studio 2026 editions guide covers what each tier includes and when Professional is the right choice over Community for commercial work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Visual Studio 2019 end of life? ▼
Visual Studio 2019 is not fully end of life yet, but it has left mainstream support. Mainstream support ended on 9 April 2024. The final release, version 16.11, remains in extended support until 9 April 2029, receiving security patches only with no new features, bug fixes, or .NET compatibility updates. Earlier point releases such as 16.7 and 16.9 are already fully unsupported.
Is Visual Studio 2017 end of life? ▼
Visual Studio 2017 is in extended support, not yet fully end of life. Mainstream support ended on 12 April 2022. Extended support runs until 13 April 2027, after which VS 2017 will receive no further updates of any kind. Teams still using VS 2017 should plan their upgrade now rather than face a forced migration under deadline pressure.
Is Visual Studio 2015 end of life? ▼
Yes. Visual Studio 2015 reached full end of life on 14 October 2025. It no longer receives any updates — not security patches, not hotfixes. Running VS 2015 today means operating an unpatched, unsupported IDE. Upgrading is strongly recommended.
What is the lifecycle of Visual Studio? ▼
Visual Studio 2022 and earlier follow the Fixed Lifecycle Policy: 10 years total support per version, split into 5 years of mainstream support and 5 years of extended (security-only) support. Visual Studio 2026 onwards follows the Modern Lifecycle Policy: annual releases supported for 2 years each, with year one providing full support and year two providing security updates only via the Long-Term Servicing Channel.
Can I still use Visual Studio 2019 after it reaches end of life? ▼
Technically yes — the software does not stop working. But you will be running an IDE with no security updates, no new .NET support, and no bug fixes. For personal or hobby projects the risk is lower. For commercial or team development, running unsupported software creates security exposure and can conflict with compliance frameworks such as Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001.
When does Visual Studio 2022 reach end of life? ▼
Visual Studio 2022 is in mainstream support until January 2027, after which it moves to extended support. Total end of life for VS 2022 is January 2032. Microsoft has confirmed version 17.14 as the final long-term baseline for the 2022 generation.
Is Visual Studio 2026 a perpetual licence or a subscription? ▼
Visual Studio 2026 Professional is available as a perpetual licence — you pay once and own it permanently, with no annual renewal. This is separate from Visual Studio subscriptions, which charge annually and include additional benefits such as cloud credits. For most individual developers and small teams, the perpetual licence at £280 is significantly more cost-effective than subscription pricing over a 3–5 year window.
What is the difference between Visual Studio Community and Professional? ▼
Visual Studio Community is free but restricted to individual developers, open-source projects, and non-commercial academic use. Commercial use by teams or organisations requires Professional or Enterprise. Professional adds commercial use rights, enhanced testing tools, and broader deployment support. See our Visual Studio 2026 editions guide for the full breakdown.
Gary Walsh is the Head of Tech Support at Software Supplies, with more than 20 years in the IT industry. Fully Microsoft-certified and experienced across the full business software stack — from Windows and Office to cloud infrastructure and device management — Gary delivers practical, no-nonsense advice that helps users and businesses get the most from their technology.
