---
slug: "azure-aks-ubuntu-20-04-node-pools-retirement"
title: "Azure Kubernetes Service: Ubuntu 20.04 node pools retirement"
summary: "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."
cloud: "azure"
service: "Azure Kubernetes Service"
service_slug: "aks"
category: "os_image"
type: "retirement"
announced_date: "2025-03-28"
effective_date: "2027-03-17"
effective_precision: "day"
replacement: "Ubuntu 22.04 or Ubuntu 24.04"
affected_versions: ["20.04"]
source_url: "https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=485795"
extra_source_urls: ["https://aka.ms/aks/supported-ubuntu-versions","https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/use-cvm","https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/upgrade-aks-cluster?tabs=azure-cli","https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/enable-fips-nodes","https://aka.ms/aks/ubuntu2004-retirement","https://aka.ms/aks/ubuntu-version-retirement"]
vendor_ref: "485795"
last_checked_at: "2026-11-12T09:55:19.345Z"
created_at: "2026-11-13T13:36:44.208Z"
updated_at: "2026-11-13T13:36:44.208Z"
url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-ubuntu-20-04-node-pools-retirement"
short_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/i/4y"
markdown_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-ubuntu-20-04-node-pools-retirement.md"
json_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-ubuntu-20-04-node-pools-retirement.json"
---

# 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.

- Effective date: 17 Mar 2027
- Cloud: [Azure](https://eolwatch.dev/cloud/azure.md)
- Service: [Azure Kubernetes Service](https://eolwatch.dev/services/azure/aks.md)
- Type: Retirement
- Category: [OS image](https://eolwatch.dev/categories/os-images.md)
- Affected versions: 20.04
- Replacement: Ubuntu 22.04 or Ubuntu 24.04
- Announced: 28 Mar 2025
- Official source: [azure.microsoft.com](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=485795)
- Last checked: 12 Nov 2026

## 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

1. Move node pools to a supported Ubuntu version by 17 Mar 2027. Microsoft lists the [newer supported versions](https://aka.ms/aks/supported-ubuntu-versions), including Ubuntu 22.04 and Ubuntu 24.04, and encourages a transition to Ubuntu 22.04 or later.
2. For Ubuntu 20.04 with a [Confidential VM (CVM)](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/use-cvm): [upgrade](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/upgrade-aks-cluster?tabs=azure-cli) the Kubernetes version to 1.33 or later, where Ubuntu 24.04 is the default Ubuntu version for CVM workloads.
3. For Ubuntu 20.04 with [Federal Information Process Standard (FIPS)](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/enable-fips-nodes): [upgrade](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/upgrade-aks-cluster?tabs=azure-cli) the Kubernetes version to 1.34 or later, where Ubuntu 22.04 is the default Ubuntu version for FIPS workloads.
4. 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](https://aka.ms/aks/ubuntu2004-retirement).

## Replacement

Ubuntu 22.04 or Ubuntu 24.04

## Sources

- [Official source](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=485795) (azure.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://aka.ms/aks/supported-ubuntu-versions) (aka.ms, Official)
- [Additional source](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/use-cvm) (learn.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/upgrade-aks-cluster?tabs=azure-cli) (learn.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/enable-fips-nodes) (learn.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://aka.ms/aks/ubuntu2004-retirement) (aka.ms, Official)
- [Additional source](https://aka.ms/aks/ubuntu-version-retirement) (aka.ms, Official)

Last checked against the first source in this list on 12 Nov 2026.

Page: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-ubuntu-20-04-node-pools-retirement | JSON: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-ubuntu-20-04-node-pools-retirement.json

The text on this page is drafted with AI assistance from the vendor's text, checked against the official source and approved by a person before it is published.