---
slug: "azure-virtual-machines-disk-encryption-retirement"
title: "Azure Virtual Machines: Azure Disk Encryption retirement"
summary: "Azure Disk Encryption is retired on 15 Sep 2028. From that date, workloads that use it keep running but fail to unlock after a reboot. Microsoft recommends Encryption at Host."
cloud: "azure"
service: "Azure Virtual Machines"
service_slug: "virtual-machines"
category: "feature"
type: "retirement"
announced_date: "2025-09-24"
effective_date: "2028-09-15"
effective_precision: "day"
replacement: "Encryption at Host"
affected_versions: []
source_url: "https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=493779"
extra_source_urls: ["https://aka.ms/ademigrate"]
vendor_ref: "493779"
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-virtual-machines-disk-encryption-retirement"
short_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/i/ah"
markdown_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-virtual-machines-disk-encryption-retirement.md"
json_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-virtual-machines-disk-encryption-retirement.json"
---

# Azure Virtual Machines: Azure Disk Encryption retirement

Azure Disk Encryption is retired on 15 Sep 2028. From that date, workloads that use it keep running but fail to unlock after a reboot. Microsoft recommends Encryption at Host.

- Effective date: 15 Sep 2028
- Cloud: [Azure](https://eolwatch.dev/cloud/azure.md)
- Service: [Azure Virtual Machines](https://eolwatch.dev/services/azure/virtual-machines.md)
- Type: Retirement
- Category: [Feature](https://eolwatch.dev/categories/features.md)
- Replacement: Encryption at Host
- Announced: 24 Sep 2025
- Official source: [azure.microsoft.com](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=493779)
- Last checked: 12 Nov 2026

## What breaks

Azure Disk Encryption is retired on the retirement date. Until that date, Azure Disk Encryption can be used without disruption. From the retirement date, workloads running Azure Disk Encryption continue to run but fail to unlock after reboots.

## What to do

1. Move to Encryption at Host, the option Microsoft recommends.
2. Alternatively, consider Confidential Virtual Machine sizes with OS disk encryption.
3. Follow Microsoft's [instructions to migrate](https://aka.ms/ademigrate) before the retirement date.

## Replacement

Encryption at Host

## Sources

- [Official source](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=493779) (azure.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://aka.ms/ademigrate) (aka.ms, Official)

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

Page: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-virtual-machines-disk-encryption-retirement | JSON: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-virtual-machines-disk-encryption-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.