Windows Life Cycle Policy
The Microsoft life cycle policy is designed to standardize availability and support guidelines across product lines. This consistent and predictable policy covers most products currently available via retail, pre-installed on a new PC, volume licensing, as well as future-release products.
The life cycle policy provides advanced notification of planned changes in product availability and support. This information helps customers and partners with their product planning and information technology decisions.
The links on this page provide access to information specific to Windows products.
Product Life Cycle Information for:
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Windows Desktop License Availability
The following table describes the life cycle polices for Windows desktop licenses across each major distribution channel:
| End-of-Sale | Policy Rule | |
OEM (both direct OEM and System Builder) | When Microsoft launches a new version of Windows, we will continue to allow OEMs to sell PCs with the previous version pre-loaded for up to two years after the launch date of the new version. | Certain OEM versions of Windows products include end user downgrade rights (as outlined within the software license terms). Such end user rights allow the end user to use a previous version of Windows (as specified in the terms) instead of the licensed product pre-installed on a new PC. See the Downgrade Rights brief for additional details. |
FPP\Retail | We will continue to allow Retailers to sell the boxed version of the previous version of Windows for up to a year after the launch date of the new version. |
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Volume Licensing | General availability of licenses of the previous version of Windows will cease as soon as the new version is available. We will make media available for the current version as well as the previous two versions. | Licenses will continue to be available through downgrade rights available in Volume Licensing programs after the end of general availability. |
Windows Support
The following table describes the support policy for Windows and its associated Service Packs:
| End-of-Support | Policy Rule | Notes |
Mainstream Support | Microsoft will offer Mainstream Support for either a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product's general availability, or for 2 years after the successor product is released, whichever is longer. |
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Extended Support | Microsoft will offer Extended Support for either a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product's general availability, or for 2 years after the second successor product (two versions later) is released, whichever is longer. | Available for commercial customers only. |
Service Packs | Support ends 24 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support life cycle, whichever comes first. | For more information, please see the service pack policy at http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/#ServicePackSupport. |
For more details on the difference between mainstream and extended support, please refer to the Microsoft Support Life Cycle Policy FAQ.
Microsoft continually works to improve its software. As part of this effort, we develop updates and fixes to recognized issues and release them for customers. On a regular basis, we combine many of these fixes into a single package and make the package available for installation. These packages are called Service Packs. Based on feedback from customers and partners, Microsoft is committed to providing a 12-month roadmap of upcoming service packs and security rollup packages on the Windows Service Pack Roadmap Web page. Visit the Supported Service Pack list to find the support timelines for a particular product's service pack.
Windows Downgrade Rights
Downgrade rights grant the end user with the right to use prior versions of Microsoft software. Microsoft Volume Licensing programs include specific downgrade rights.
The chart below compares Volume Licensing downgrade rights with those provided under OEM and FPP licenses.
Downgrade Rights for Software Acquired through Select License, Open License, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), and Full Packaged Product (FPP), by Product Pool.
| Software License Agreement Type | Application Software | System Software | Server Software |
Select License and Open License | Downgrade rights are granted with all application software licenses acquired through the Select License and Open License programs. | Downgrade rights are granted with all system software licenses acquired through the Select License and Open License programs. | Downgrade rights are granted with all server software licenses acquired through the Select License and Open License programs. |
Licenses Enrolled in Software Assurance | Downgrade rights are granted in connection with all application software licenses acquired through Volume Licensing, FPP, and OEM and enrolled in Software Assurance coverage. Please refer to the Microsoft Volume Licensing Product List for current information about which retail and OEM applications qualify for enrollment in Software Assurance. | Downgrade rights are granted in connection with system software licenses acquired through Volume Licensing, FPP, and OEM and enrolled in Software Assurance coverage. | Downgrade rights are granted in connection with all server software licenses acquired through Volume Licensing, FPP, and OEM and enrolled in Software Assurance coverage. |
OEM End User License Agreement (LICENSE TERMS) | Rights to OEM versions of application software are granted in the OEM License Terms. The OEM License Terms for OEM versions of application software do not grant downgrade rights. | Rights to OEM versions of system software are granted in the OEM License Terms. The OEM License Terms for most OEM versions of system software do not grant downgrade rights. The exception is the OEM License Terms for Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate operating systems, which grant downgrade rights. See the full text of the OEM License Terms for the specific downgrade rights. | Rights to server software are granted in the OEM License Terms. The OEM License Terms for most OEM versions released with or after Windows Server 2003 R2 allow for the end user to downgrade to an earlier version. New products that do not have earlier versions do not allow an end user to downgrade. See the full text of the applicable OEM License Terms for the specific downgrade rights. |
FPP End User License Agreement | Downgrade rights are not granted under most FPP applications licenses. | Downgrade rights are not granted under FPP system licenses. | Some Server products offer downgrade rights. Please refer to the FPP license terms for complete details. |
Note: The information above contains the downgrade rights for the most commonly acquired systems License Terms. For downgrade provisions for other systems licenses, please consult the License Terms for the software in question.
For more details on downgrade rights, please refer to the Downgrade Rights brief.
License Availability Roadmap
| Desktop Operating Systems | Date of General Availability | Retail License Availability (end-of-sales date) | OEM License Availability (end-of-sales date) |
Windows Vista | January 30, 2007 | October 22, 2010 | October 22, 2011 |
Windows 7 | October 22, 2009 | TBD | TBD |