As part of the effort to continually improve Microsoft software, updates and fixes are created and released for recognized issues. Many of these fixes are regularly combined into a single package (called a service pack) that is made available for installation. Both the Mainstream Support and Extended Support phases for software require a product’s supported service pack be installed to continue to receive full support (including security and DST updates).
- When a new service pack is released, Microsoft provides either 12 or 24 months of support for the previous service pack, varying according to the product family (for example, Windows, Office, Servers, or Developer tools).
- When support for a service pack ends, Microsoft no longer provides new security updates, DST updates, or other nonsecurity updates for that service pack. Commercially reasonable support will continue to be available, as described in the following.
- When support for a product ends, support of all the service packs for that product also ends. The product’s lifecycle supersedes the service pack policy.
- Support timelines for service packs remains consistent within the product family.
- Microsoft publishes specific support timelines for a previous service pack when the new service pack is released.
| Product Family | Duration of Service Pack Support |
|---|---|
| Windows client and servers | 24 Months |
| Dynamics | 24 Months |
| Office | 12 Months |
| Servers | 12 Months |
| Developer tools | 12 Months |
| Consumer software, multimedia, and games | 12 Months |
This support policy permits customers to receive existing nonsecurity updates or to request new nonsecurity updates for the fully supported service packs during the Mainstream Support phase.
Service packs are not automatically modified to include nonsecurity updates developed after the service pack’s initial release date. An older service pack can be modified to include nonsecurity updates developed after the service pack has released. Contact Microsoft and request the modification.
Security updates released with bulletins from the Microsoft Security Response Center will be reviewed and built for the supported service packs only. Daylight saving time and time zone updates are built for fully supported service packs only.
It is strongly recommended that customers evaluate and install current service packs in a timely manner to make sure that systems are up to date with the most recent security software.
This revised policy became effective on April 13, 2010.