---
slug: "azure-aks-windows-server-2022-retirement"
title: "Azure Kubernetes Service: Windows Server 2022 retirement"
summary: "Retirement date for Windows Server 2022 on AKS: Mar 2027, when Kubernetes 1.34 reaches the end of platform support. Windows Server 2022 node pools cannot be created on Kubernetes 1.35 and above."
cloud: "azure"
service: "Azure Kubernetes Service"
service_slug: "aks"
category: "os_image"
type: "retirement"
announced_date: "2024-03-29"
effective_date: "2027-03-01"
effective_precision: "month"
replacement: "Windows Server 2025 or Windows Server Annual Channel"
affected_versions: ["2022"]
source_url: "https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=ws2022-retirement-aks"
extra_source_urls: ["https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-news-and-best/introducing-windows-server-2025/ba-p/4026374","https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-news-and-best/windows-server-annual-channel-for-containers/ba-p/3866248","https://github.com/Azure/AKS/projects/1","https://aka.ms/aks/ws2019-migration"]
vendor_ref: "ws2022-retirement-aks"
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-windows-server-2022-retirement"
short_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/i/4c"
markdown_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-windows-server-2022-retirement.md"
json_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-windows-server-2022-retirement.json"
source_note: null
---

# Azure Kubernetes Service: Windows Server 2022 retirement

Retirement date for Windows Server 2022 on AKS: Mar 2027, when Kubernetes 1.34 reaches the end of platform support. Windows Server 2022 node pools cannot be created on Kubernetes 1.35 and above.

- Effective date: Mar 2027 (month precision: the vendor gives no day)
- 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: 2022
- Replacement: Windows Server 2025 or Windows Server Annual Channel
- Announced: 29 Mar 2024
- Official source: [azure.microsoft.com](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=ws2022-retirement-aks)
- Last checked: 12 Nov 2026

## What breaks

Windows Server 2022 is retired on AKS when Kubernetes 1.34 reaches the end of platform support. After the retirement date, Windows Server 2022 is not supported. Windows Server 2022 node pools cannot be created on Kubernetes 1.35 and above. Until the retirement date, Windows Server 2022 can still be used on Kubernetes version 1.34 and below.

## Who is affected

### Affected versions

- `2022`

### Matching resource types

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

### Fields the check reads

- `properties.ossku`
- `os_sku`

### Detected by the estate check from

- Terraform state or plan (JSON)
- ARM template

## What to do

1. Choose a supported Windows Server version: Windows Server 2025 or Windows Server Annual Channel.
2. Follow the steps in the [AKS documentation](https://aka.ms/aks/ws2019-migration) to upgrade to that version before the retirement date.

## Replacement

Windows Server 2025 or Windows Server Annual Channel

## Sources

- [Official source](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=ws2022-retirement-aks) (azure.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-news-and-best/introducing-windows-server-2025/ba-p/4026374) (techcommunity.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-news-and-best/windows-server-annual-channel-for-containers/ba-p/3866248) (techcommunity.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://github.com/Azure/AKS/projects/1) (github.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://aka.ms/aks/ws2019-migration) (aka.ms, Official)

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

Page: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-windows-server-2022-retirement | JSON: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-aks-windows-server-2022-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.