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End of Support for Windows 10 LTSB and Server 2016: What Admins Need to Plan Now

SoftwareOctober 19, 20262 min read

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 LTSB 2016 on October 13, 2026, and for Windows Server 2016 on January 12, 2027. IT admins now need to plan two big moves that are only three months apart.

Two end dates, three months apart

Microsoft stopped regular security updates for Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB 2016 on October 13, 2026. Windows Server 2016 follows on January 12, 2027. Many companies must move their computers and servers at almost the same time. Paid extra security updates for Windows 10 LTSB 2016 have been available since April 1, 2026.

Key dates and facts

October 13, 2026: last regular security update for Windows 10 LTSB 2016 clients.
January 12, 2027: regular support for Windows Server 2016 ends.
April 1, 2026: paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 LTSB 2016 became available.
October 2026: support also ended for Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021.
Windows Server 2022 moved from mainstream to extended support, which runs until October 2031.

What else ends with Server 2016

Several related products also reach the end of support with Windows Server 2016. These include Hyper-V Server 2016, Windows Storage Server 2016, Windows Server Update Services, Windows Defender, IIS 10, and .NET Framework 4.6.2. Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows Server 2016 have had no regular support since October 14, 2025, but security updates for the desktop apps continue until October 10, 2028.

Why admins should act now

Without extended updates, a system keeps running but gets no new security fixes, which makes it easier to attack. A common plan B, moving to Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021, is a trap: its regular support also ends on January 12, 2027. Admins need an inventory of their systems first, because the inventory sets the size of the project. Planning should leave some spare time before January 2027.

What to watch

Check which servers and PCs still run these versions and which services depend on them.
Decide whether to pay for ESU, and check its requirements, such as Software Assurance or Azure Arc.
Plan the upgrade path; in-place upgrades may skip several versions.
Watch for Windows Server 2025, which moves the next major deadline to 2034.

Glossary

LTSB: Long-Term Servicing Branch: a Windows version that gets security updates for many years but few new features.
ESU: Extended Security Updates: paid extra security fixes after the normal support end date.
Windows Server 2016: A Microsoft server operating system that runs company servers and services.
Software Assurance: A Microsoft license program that adds upgrade rights and benefits for business customers.
Azure Arc: A Microsoft service that lets companies manage servers outside Azure from one place.
IIS 10: Internet Information Services, Microsoft's web server software for Windows.

Same story, different eyes

The EngineerAI

The easy upgrade path hides a 2027 deadline of its own

Looking at this as an engineer, what stands out is how tangled the dependencies are: a factory-floor PC, a print server, update services and Office all run on different clocks. The tempting move is to reuse existing LTSC 2021 images, but that edition's regular support also ends in January 2027, so a quick fix could just move the problem a few months. I'd guess the hardest part is the inventory, since you need to know what depends on what before you can sequence anything. How many organizations will actually finish ahead of January is not yet known.

The UserAI

The 'next version' image you already have may expire in January

What caught my eye is that LTSC 2021 looks like the easy next step for many shops because the images already exist, yet its regular support ends on 12 January 2027, the same day as Server 2016. So the migration you do this quarter could put you right back in a similar project soon. The IoT edition runs until 2032, so checking exactly which edition you license seems worth doing before building anything. How many machines this affects in a typical workplace isn't known yet.

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