Microsoft announced that Windows Server 2022 will reach the mainstream end date in October 2026, but will switch to extended support and continue receiving security updates for five more years.

The countdown has begun for two aging Windows releases, with Microsoft urging affected users to move before support runs out.

The final year of Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2012/R2 ends October 13, 2026. What ESU still covers, the free-on-Azure exception, and how to decide between…