# Windows Image Deprecations and EOL for 2024

**URL:** <https://discuss.circleci.com/t/windows-image-deprecations-and-eol-for-2024/50179>\
**Category:** Notices\
**Tags:** machine-images, windows\
**Created:** [January 16, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://discuss.circleci.com/t/windows-image-deprecations-and-eol-for-2024/50179 "2024-01-16T15:04:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brentmmarks](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/circleci/user_avatar/discuss.circleci.com/brentmmarks/32/33353_2.png) [@brentmmarks](https://discuss.circleci.com/u/brentmmarks)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://discuss.circleci.com/t/windows-image-deprecations-and-eol-for-2024/50179/1 "2024-01-16T15:04:05Z")

</div>

Hello 👋

We are deprecating the following Windows images on CircleCI and will be removing them from our platform on Sept 30, 2024:

Tags:

- windows-server-2019:201908-06
- windows-server-2019:201908-08
- windows-server-2019-vs2019:201908-02
- windows-server-2019-vs2019:201908-06
- windows-server-2019-vs2019:201909-25
- windows-server-2019-vs2019:201911-06
- windows-server-2022-gui:2022.04.1
- windows-server-2022-gui:2022.07.1
- windows-server-2022-gui:2022.08.1
- windows-server-2022-gui:2022.09.1
- windows-server-2022-gui:2023.03.1
- windows-server-2022-gui:2023.04.1
- windows-server-2022-gui:2023.06.1
- windows-server-2022-gui:2023.07.1
- windows-server-2022-gui:2023.09.1
- windows-server-2022-gui:2023.11.1
- windows-server-2019-nvidia:201908-28
- windows-server-2019-nvidia:201909-25
- windows-server-2019-nvidia:201911-06

Once an image is removed, the CircleCI jobs that use that image will fail with an error message - _This job was rejected because the image is unavailable_ .

CircleCI will email impacted users with a list of projects that must be updated before the EOL date.

## Why are these images being deprecated?

To ensure pipelines on CircleCI run with the highest level of reliability & security.

## What do I need to do?

You will need to update your CircleCI config to use a valid Windows image as per the tagging conventions in our [Windows Image Policy](https://circleci.com/docs/windows-images-support-policy/).

The recommended tags to use are as follows:

- `default` - latest stable version and version if do not specify anything
- `previous` - Previous `default` version
- `edge` - Development image of latest image

A couple examples:

Before:

```auto
resource_class: 'windows.medium' 
machine:
      image: windows-server-2019:201908-06 // any of the deprecated image tags above

```

After:

```auto
resource_class: 'windows.medium' 
machine:
      image: default

```

```auto
resource_class: 'windows.medium' 
machine:
      image: windows-server-2022-gui:previous

```

```auto
resource_class: 'windows.medium' 
machine:
      image: windows-server-2022-gui:edge

```

### Updating the CircleCI Windows Orb

You may need to make additional changes to your config if you are using an Orb that selects a machine image for you. If you’re using an old and outdated version of the CircleCI Windows Orb that uses a deprecated image by default you’ll need to either:

1. Upgrade the `circleci/window` Orb to a more recent version (the most recent version of the Orb uses a non-deprecated image by default). This is the recommended course of action.
2. Ensure that you are explicitly passing in, via the `version` parameter to the `default` executor, a non deprecated image version to use (e.g. `current`).

## What will happen after the Sept 30 EOL Date?

If you do not currently specify an image, your job will keep the same behavior, and use the `default` tag automatically.

Calling any of the deprecated image tag versions directly will cause your job to fail.

## Brownout Schedule and EOL

We will be conducting brownouts for the above images on the following dates and times.

- **29 January 2024**
  - 07:00 UTC → 11:00 UTC
  - 13:00 UTC → 17:00 UTC
  - 20:00 UTC → 00:00 UTC

- **30 April 2024**
  - 01:00 UTC → 11:00 UTC
  - 13:00 UTC → 23:00 UTC

- **31 July 2024**
  - 00:00 UTC → 00:00 UTC (24 Hour)

- **18 September 2024**
  - 00:00 UTC → 00:00 UTC (24 Hour)

- **30 September 2024**
  - Deprecated tags are removed and will be unavailable

During these times, all jobs calling these images will fail. Please update your configs as soon as possible to prevent any disruption to your pipelines.

The `default` tag is available for you to transition to as of writing and we highly recommend updating your config to avoid job failure during these brownouts. If you have already updated your tags, please disregard this email.

## What’s Next?

Details on how we manage and maintain our Linux images can be found here: [Windows Image Policy](https://circleci.com/docs/windows-images-support-policy/).

## Feedback

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please post a reply in this thread and we will be happy to help!

Respectfully,  
CircleCI Images Team

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![truh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/circleci/user_avatar/discuss.circleci.com/truh/32/27915_2.png) [@truh](https://discuss.circleci.com/u/truh)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 12:31pm UTC](https://discuss.circleci.com/t/windows-image-deprecations-and-eol-for-2024/50179/2 "2024-02-09T12:31:11Z")

</div>

Hello is the image `windows-server-2019-vs2019:2022.08.1` deprecated?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brentmmarks](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/circleci/user_avatar/discuss.circleci.com/brentmmarks/32/33353_2.png) [@brentmmarks](https://discuss.circleci.com/u/brentmmarks)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://discuss.circleci.com/t/windows-image-deprecations-and-eol-for-2024/50179/3 "2024-02-09T14:08:57Z")

</div>

Hi @truh  
This image is not being deprecated. This is the windows-server-2019-vs2019 Q4 2022 release image which we will be keeping until next deprecation cycle per our policy.

Thanks,  
Brent