AzureRetirement
Azure Kubernetes Service: Ubuntu 20.04 node pools retirement
Retirement date for Ubuntu 20.04 on Azure Kubernetes Service: 17 Mar 2027. From that date, AKS creates no new Ubuntu 20.04 node images, provides no security updates, and deletes existing node images.
Retires , 17 Mar 2027
What breaks
From the retirement date, AKS no longer creates new node images for Ubuntu 20.04 or provides security updates. Existing node images are deleted. Node pools on Ubuntu 20.04 are unsupported and can no longer scale.
Who is affected
Affected versions
20.04
What to do
- Move node pools to a supported Ubuntu version by 17 Mar 2027. Microsoft lists the newer supported versions, including Ubuntu 22.04 and Ubuntu 24.04, and encourages a transition to Ubuntu 22.04 or later.
- For Ubuntu 20.04 with a Confidential VM (CVM): upgrade the Kubernetes version to 1.33 or later, where Ubuntu 24.04 is the default Ubuntu version for CVM workloads.
- For Ubuntu 20.04 with Federal Information Process Standard (FIPS): upgrade the Kubernetes version to 1.34 or later, where Ubuntu 22.04 is the default Ubuntu version for FIPS workloads.
- Microsoft's general instruction: upgrade the Kubernetes version to 1.34 or later by 17 Mar 2027 to avoid service disruptions and scaling restrictions and to remain supported. More detail: AKS GitHub.
Replacement
Ubuntu 22.04 or Ubuntu 24.04
Sources
- Official sourceazure.microsoft.comOfficial
- Additional sourceaka.msOfficial
- Additional sourcelearn.microsoft.comOfficial
- Additional sourcelearn.microsoft.comOfficial
- Additional sourcelearn.microsoft.comOfficial
- Additional sourceaka.msOfficial
- Additional sourceaka.msOfficial
Last checked against the first source in this list on .
Related
- , 30 Sep 2026Azure Kubernetes Service: Network Policy Manager on Windows nodes end of supportSource
- The vendor gives a month, not a day., Nov 2026Azure Kubernetes Service: Kubernetes 1.31 LTS end of lifeSource
- The vendor gives a month, not a day., Nov 2026Azure Kubernetes Service: Kubernetes 1.34 end of lifeSource
- The vendor gives a month, not a day., Nov 2026Azure Kubernetes Service: managed NGINX ingress (Application Routing) retirementSource
- , 10 Dec 2026Azure Kubernetes Service: Azure Linux with OS Guard retirementSource
- The vendor gives a month, not a day., Mar 2027Azure Kubernetes Service: Kubernetes 1.32 LTS end of lifeSource
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