What are extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 2012 (R2)?
Microsoft maintains a Fixed Lifecycle Policy for many products, including Windows
For Windows 2012 (R2), the Extended Support phase ended on 10 October 2023. So now the Extended Security Updates phase begins.
If you cannot yet upgrade to a newer version of Windows, you can still use Extended Security Updates (ESU) for up to three years as a ‘last resort’. That phase lasts until October 2026. Microsoft only provides security updates during that period, which are delivered just like regular Windows Updates. ESU for years two and three are only available if the previous years have also been purchased.
Version | Start | End |
Extended Security Update Year 1 | Oct 11, 2023 | Oct 8, 2024 |
Extended Security Update Year 2 | Oct 9, 2024 | Oct 14, 2025 |
Extended Security Update Year 3 | Oct 15, 2025 | Oct 13, 2026 |