Windows Server 2008 is finally gone, after Microsoft pulls support at last

• Microsoft has ended all support for the Vista/Server 2008 codebase
• Standard support, ESU, and even PA timelines have all passed
• Windows Server 2012 is next, ESU ends October 2026

Microsoft has officially ended all remaining support for the Windows Vista codebase as of January 13, 2026, after around 18 years of support since Windows Vista's launch, which means Windows Server 2008 has also come to an end.

Most customers lost support in January 2020, with Extended Security Updates (ESU) available for three more years until January 2023 (or four for Azure customers, until January 2024).

However, some organizations with Premium Assurance (PA) were given until January 2026. Although PA was phased out long ago, existing contracts were honored, but the time has come for even those to have ended.

Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista are finally left to rest in peace

Windows Vista was never particularly popular, accounting for around one in four Windows installs at its peak, and at a time where its predecessor Windows XP, was still accounting for more or less the other three in four.

XP remained more popular than Vista right until the bitter end, with both dipping below a 1% market share during Windows 10's era.

Microsoft explained in a previous support article that free security updates on-premises, non-security updates, free support options, and online technical content updates would no longer be available. At that time, they were told to migrate to Azure for three more years of Critical and Important security updates.

While it's entirely plausible that companies may still want to keep using Windows Server 2008, most will have already migrated to stay protected from bugs and vulnerabilities. More importantly, news that the 2008 version has been fully retired comes just months before the same happens to Windows Server 2012.

Another support article confirms the ESU end date for both Azure-hosted and non-Azure versions – October 13, 2026.

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