What is the Umbraco 13 end of life date?

Umbraco 13 reaches end of life on December 14, 2026. After that date, it will no longer receive standard security updates or official support from Umbraco HQ.

What happens if I stay on Umbraco 13 after end of life?

Your website may continue to run, but staying on an unsupported version can increase security, compatibility, maintenance, and compliance risks over time.

What version should I upgrade Umbraco 13 to?

Umbraco recommends moving to Umbraco 17 LTS or above. The right upgrade path depends on your current site, custom code, integrations, packages, and business requirements.

Can I upgrade directly from Umbraco 13?

That depends on how your site is built. Some projects may follow a relatively straightforward upgrade path, while others may require custom development, package replacements, or a partial rebuild.

What if I cannot upgrade before December 2026?

Umbraco offers Extended Long-Term Support for organizations that need more time. This can provide continued critical security coverage while you plan your upgrade or rebuild.

Umbraco 13 End-of-Life Is Almost Here: Are You Ready?

December is getting closer, and if your website is still running on Umbraco 13, now is the time to decide what comes next.

Umbraco 13 officially reaches End of Life on December 14, 2026. It has already been in its security-only phase since December 2025, and after the End of Life date, Umbraco HQ will no longer provide security patches, updates, or official support.

Another deadline is coming up soon. Umbraco 13 runs on .NET 8, which reaches the end of Microsoft support in November 2026.

In other words, the window to plan your move is getting smaller.

What Happens When Umbraco 13 Reaches End of Life?

Your website will not suddenly stop working on December 14.

The bigger concern is what happens afterward.

Once Umbraco 13 reaches End of Life, it will no longer receive critical security patches or technical support from Umbraco HQ. Over time, running an unsupported version can increase your exposure to security vulnerabilities, compatibility problems, operational issues, and compliance concerns.

That is why we don't recommend waiting until something breaks to decide your next move.

You Have Three Clear Paths

The good news is that you still have options.

Organizations moving before December generally have three clear paths: a standard upgrade, a custom upgrade, or a rebuild.

We think this is a useful way to look at the decision.

1. Standard Umbraco Upgrade

If your Umbraco 13 website is relatively straightforward, upgrading the existing site may be the most practical route.

The goal is to preserve what is already working while moving the website onto a currently supported version of Umbraco.

Umbraco recommends Umbraco 17 LTS or above as the supported upgrade destination. Umbraco 17 is the current LTS release and is supported through November 2028.

Umbricians can help evaluate your current installation, identify upgrade requirements, and plan the path forward.

2. Custom Umbraco Upgrade

Not every Umbraco website is a simple upgrade.

Your site may have years of custom development, third-party packages, APIs, integrations, custom functionality, or business-critical features that need individual evaluation.

That is where knowing Umbraco inside and out matters.

We can review the existing architecture, identify potential roadblocks, determine what needs to be replaced or rebuilt, and develop a phased upgrade plan that reduces surprises along the way.

The more complex the website, the more important it is to start before the deadline rather than trying to rush an upgrade afterward.

3. Rebuild on a Supported Version

Sometimes an approaching End of Life deadline is also an opportunity.

If your website has accumulated significant technical debt, no longer meets your business needs, or would require substantial work to upgrade, rebuilding on a supported version of Umbraco may make more sense.

Instead of carrying forward every limitation of the old website, a rebuild gives you an opportunity to reconsider the architecture, functionality, integrations, editing experience, performance, and design.

Umbraco also recommends rebuilding on Umbraco 17 LTS or above as one of its recommended paths for Umbraco 13 projects approaching End of Life.

What If You Cannot Upgrade Before December?

There is a fourth option, but it is designed to buy time, not avoid the upgrade indefinitely.

Umbraco offers Extended Long Term Support, or XLTS, for organizations that cannot upgrade before December 14. XLTS continues access to critical security patches and compliance support beyond End of Life and is available in 6, 12, or 24-month coverage periods.

This can make sense for complex projects, organizations with budget constraints, teams with limited development resources, or websites where an upgrade simply cannot be completed responsibly before December.

It gives you breathing room to plan the right move instead of rushing into the wrong one.

Not Sure Which Route Your Umbraco Site Needs?

That is where we can help.

As an Umbraco Gold Partner, Umbricians can look at what you are running today and help determine whether your best path is:

A standard upgrade
A more complex custom upgrade
A rebuild on a supported version
XLTS while you prepare for the move

You do not need to know the answer before talking to us.

We will start by understanding your existing Umbraco 13 website, its custom functionality and integrations, what is working, what is causing problems, and what your business needs from it going forward.

December 14 Is Closer Than It Looks

Umbraco 13 has been a solid LTS release, but its supported life is coming to an end.

December 14, 2026 is the deadline. The time between now and then is your planning window.

Starting now gives you more time to evaluate the website, choose the right route, budget for the work, test properly, and make the transition without turning an approaching End of Life deadline into an emergency.