Release End-of-Life (EOL)
Support boundaries, quick dates, upgrade windows, and retirement guidance for Debian stable, oldstable, LTS, and EOL.
End dates for Debian 13 and 14 are estimates.
Date baseline
This page is based on official Debian release information as of 2026-07-03. Regular security support for Debian 12 (Bookworm) is scheduled until 2026-07-11, and LTS is scheduled until 2028-06-30. Treat Debian Releases and Debian LTS as the final sources.
EOL does not mean the system immediately stops running. It means the security maintenance and bug-fix responsibility boundary has changed. For internet-facing services, office desktops, development environments, and home servers, understanding the support lifecycle prevents systems from being left unmaintained.
Debian Support Phases
| Phase | Meaning | Appropriate state |
|---|---|---|
| stable | Current stable release, maintained by the Debian Security Team | New deployments, production, daily systems |
| oldstable | Previous stable release, still in the regular maintenance window | Transition period for existing systems |
| LTS | Long-Term Support after regular security support ends | Migration runway, not a reason to postpone indefinitely |
| ELTS | Extended LTS, usually provided by third-party commercial services | Special legacy systems |
| EOL | Public security support has ended | Upgrade, replace, isolate, or retire |
Quick Dates
| Codename | Release date | Regular security support ends | LTS ends | Current advice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 13 (Trixie) | 2025-08-09 | 2028-08-09 | 2030-06-30 | Preferred for new deployments |
| Debian 12 (Bookworm) | 2023-06-10 | 2026-07-11 | 2028-06-30 | Plan Debian 13 upgrade |
| Debian 11 (Bullseye) | 2021-08-14 | Ended | 2026-08-31 | Migrate soon |
| Debian 10 (Buster) | 2019-07-06 | Ended | 2024-06-30 | Should not remain internet-facing |
| Debian 9 (Stretch) | 2017-06-17 | Ended | 2022-06-30 | Retire or isolate |
| Debian 8 (Jessie) | 2015-04-25 | Ended | 2020-06-30 | Retire or isolate |
Debian 13 regular security support and LTS dates follow the current Debian Releases page and should be updated when Debian publishes changes.
What Changes During LTS
LTS provides more migration time, but it is not a full replacement for stable:
- LTS support may not cover every package in the Debian archive.
- Some desktop applications, developer tools, or niche services may be outside the support scope.
- LTS is best used to stay secure while migration completes, not to keep adding new workloads.
- For internet-facing systems, the start of LTS should be treated as an upgrade countdown.
90-Day EOL Checklist
| Check | Goal |
|---|---|
| Asset inventory | Find machines still running old releases |
| Service inventory | Flag public services, databases, CI, bastion hosts, and backup nodes |
| Package support scope | Confirm critical packages remain supported during LTS |
| Upgrade path | Upgrade Debian 11 to 12, then 13; avoid skipping multiple stable releases |
| Backup restore | Confirm backups can be restored, not only that backup files exist |
| Maintenance window | Prepare console or rescue access for servers and remote machines |
| Rollback plan | Prepare snapshots, images, configuration backups, or replacement hardware |
Actions By System Type
| System type | Before EOL |
|---|---|
| Internet-facing server | Upgrade or migrate early; do not wait until the last LTS month |
| Internal service | Evaluate network isolation, access limits, and upgrade timing |
| Desktop computer | Move to current stable so browsers and desktop apps do not lag for years |
| Lab / classroom machine | Reimaging is often faster than multi-step upgrades |
| Legacy device | If it cannot be upgraded, isolate it and restrict exposed services |
Pre-upgrade Commands
cat /etc/debian_version
apt update
apt list --upgradable
dpkg --audit
apt-mark showhold
systemctl --failed
df -hIf these checks already report errors, fix the current system before attempting a major release upgrade.