Right, we’ve covered March and April. Now for the big one – July 14th, 2026. If you’re running SharePoint on your own servers (not in the cloud), this is the deadline that should really worry you.
SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 reach end of support. That means no more security patches, no bug fixes, no technical support from Microsoft. Nothing. Your servers keep running, but they’re essentially abandoned.
Are You Affected?
If you’re using SharePoint Online (the cloud version), you’re fine – this doesn’t affect you. But if you’ve got SharePoint installed on servers in your office or data centre, you need to pay attention.
Many UK SMEs still run on-premise SharePoint because they started with it years ago, or they thought keeping data “on our own servers” was safer. That made sense once. It doesn’t anymore.
What Actually Happens on July 15th?
Your SharePoint doesn’t suddenly stop working. That’s the dangerous bit – everything appears normal. But when security vulnerabilities are discovered (and they will be), Microsoft won’t patch them. Ever.
Hackers know this. They specifically target unsupported software because businesses are exposed with no protection coming. I’ve seen ransomware attacks that specifically exploited old SharePoint servers, encrypting entire document libraries and demanding payment.
Then there’s compliance. If you handle customer data, financial information, or anything requiring regulatory compliance, running unsupported software creates serious audit problems. Your cyber insurance might not cover breaches on unsupported systems either.
Your Options
You’ve basically got three choices: migrate to SharePoint Online (the cloud version with Office 365), upgrade to SharePoint Server Subscription Edition (the newer on-premise version, still supported), or move to a different platform entirely.
For most SMEs, moving to SharePoint Online makes the most sense. Yes, it’s a subscription cost, but you get automatic updates, better security, and you stop worrying about server hardware and maintenance.
Time to Decide
You’ve got months, not years. A proper migration takes 3-6 months depending on how much data you have and how complex your setup is.
If you’re still running SharePoint on your own servers and haven’t started planning yet, contact be braver online now. We’ll assess your situation and help you understand your options.
July 14th is coming whether you’re ready or not. Let’s talk about your risk exposure today.
Key Sources:
- SharePoint Server lifecycle (endoflife.date)
- End-of-Life for SharePoint Server 2016 & 2019
- Navigate SharePoint Server 2016/2019 end of life
- SharePoint 2010 / 2013 / 2016 / 2019 End of Life: What Next?
