---
slug: "azure-aks-ubuntu-22-04-retirement"
title: "Azure Kubernetes Service: Ubuntu 22.04 retirement"
summary: "AKS retires Ubuntu 22.04 on 30 Jun 2027. After that date, new Ubuntu 22.04 node pools cannot be created, AKS produces no new Ubuntu 22.04 node images, and existing Ubuntu 22.04 node pools receive no security patches."
cloud: "azure"
service: "Azure Kubernetes Service"
service_slug: "aks"
category: "os_image"
type: "retirement"
announced_date: "2026-04-16"
effective_date: "2027-06-30"
effective_precision: "day"
replacement: "Ubuntu 24.04 or later"
affected_versions: ["22.04"]
source_url: "https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=557928"
extra_source_urls: ["https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/upgrade-os-version","https://aka.ms/aks/supported-ubuntu-versions","https://aka.ms/aks/ubuntu2204-retirement-github","https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-portal/supportability/how-to-create-azure-support-request#open-a-support-request-from-the-global-header","https://aka.ms/ServicesRetirementWorkbook"]
vendor_ref: "557928"
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-22-04-retirement"
short_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/i/6u"
markdown_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-ubuntu-22-04-retirement.md"
json_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-ubuntu-22-04-retirement.json"
source_note: null
---

# Azure Kubernetes Service: Ubuntu 22.04 retirement

AKS retires Ubuntu 22.04 on 30 Jun 2027. After that date, new Ubuntu 22.04 node pools cannot be created, AKS produces no new Ubuntu 22.04 node images, and existing Ubuntu 22.04 node pools receive no security patches.

- Effective date: 30 Jun 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: 22.04
- Replacement: Ubuntu 24.04 or later
- Announced: 16 Apr 2026
- Official source: [azure.microsoft.com](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=557928)
- Last checked: 12 Nov 2026

## What breaks

After the retirement date, new Ubuntu 22.04 node pools cannot be created, AKS produces no new node images, and existing node pools receive no security patches. On April 30, 2028, AKS removes Ubuntu 22.04 node images and existing code, which causes scaling and remediation operations to fail. Enabling long-term support with Kubernetes version 1.33 or later requires updating node pools to Ubuntu 24.04 first.

## Who is affected

### Affected versions

- `22.04`

### Matching resource types

- `microsoft.containerservice/managedclusters/agentpools`
- `azurerm_kubernetes_cluster_node_pool`
- `azurerm_kubernetes_cluster`

### Fields the check reads

- `properties.ossku`
- `os_sku`
- `default_node_pool.os_sku`

### Detected by the estate check from

- Terraform state or plan (JSON)
- ARM template

## What to do

1. Follow the [OS version upgrade guide](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/upgrade-os-version) to transition to Ubuntu 24.04 or later by the retirement date.
2. If the OS SKU is 'Ubuntu', upgrade the Kubernetes version to 1.35 or later. The migration to Ubuntu 24.04 is then automatic.
3. If the OS SKU is 'Ubuntu2204', update it to 'Ubuntu' for Kubernetes 1.35 or later, or to 'Ubuntu2404' for Kubernetes 1.32 or later.

## Replacement

Ubuntu 24.04 or later

## Sources

- [Official source](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=557928) (azure.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/aks/upgrade-os-version) (learn.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://aka.ms/aks/supported-ubuntu-versions) (aka.ms, Official)
- [Additional source](https://aka.ms/aks/ubuntu2204-retirement-github) (aka.ms, Official)
- [Additional source](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-portal/supportability/how-to-create-azure-support-request#open-a-support-request-from-the-global-header) (learn.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://aka.ms/ServicesRetirementWorkbook) (aka.ms, Official)

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

Page: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-ubuntu-22-04-retirement | JSON: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-ubuntu-22-04-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.