The SharePoint end of life deadline for Server 2016 and 2019 is approaching faster than most organizations realize. July 14, 2026 is the critical date when both versions will officially reach their end of support, leaving many businesses vulnerable if they haven't prepared properly. While SharePoint 2016 is already out of mainstream support with no new features or design changes, SharePoint 2019 is currently in extended support. Once these platforms reach their end of life, the consequences are serious. Organizations will face increased security risks as newly discovered vulnerabilities remain unpatched, compliance issues, compatibility problems, and higher maintenance costs. In fact, cybercriminals often specifically target outdated platforms, making your data increasingly susceptible to breaches. At Calanceus, we've seen many businesses underestimate both the timeline and complexity of migrating from on-premise SharePoint environments.

Is SharePoint going away? No—but understanding the Microsoft SharePoint end of life dates is crucial for planning your organization's digital future. Throughout this article, we'll examine what most organizations get wrong about this transition and provide a clear roadmap for navigating this significant change before it's too late.

What SharePoint End of Life Really Means

Understanding what SharePoint end of life actually means goes beyond just knowing the deadline. Many organizations misinterpret the implications, ultimately leading to rushed migrations and unnecessary risks.

No more security updates or bug fixes

When SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 reach their end of life on July 14, 2026, Microsoft will completely stop providing support, security patches, and updates for these products. This isn't just about losing access to new features—it's about your entire system becoming increasingly vulnerable over time.

I've seen firsthand how organizations underestimate the severity of running unsupported software. Without security updates, your SharePoint environment becomes an attractive target for cybercriminals. Following the EOL date, even if critical vulnerabilities are discovered, Microsoft won't release patches to fix them. This leaves your data increasingly exposed with each passing day.

Impact on compliance and legal risks

Beyond security concerns, compliance issues represent another critical dimension of Microsoft SharePoint end of life. Many industries operate under strict regulations that explicitly prohibit using unsupported software for storing sensitive information.

Continuing to use SharePoint after its SharePoint EOL date can result in:

• Potential regulatory fines and penalties
• Loss of key certifications like ISO
• Damaged reputation with clients and partners
• Increased legal liability in case of data breaches

Additionally, if your SharePoint environment experiences issues like data corruption or system crashes after support ends, your IT team will be forced to solve these problems without Microsoft's assistance.

Why many still misunderstand the EOL timeline

The confusion around SharePoint on-premise end of life stems partly from Microsoft's two-phase support approach. SharePoint 2019 entered its extended support phase on January 9, 2024. During this period, Microsoft still provides critical security updates but no new features, bug fixes, or design changes.

This transition often creates a false sense of security. Organizations mistakenly believe they still have years to plan when, in reality, the extended support represents the final countdown. Meanwhile, Calanceus has observed many companies delaying migration planning until it becomes an emergency project.

Furthermore, the technical complexity of migrating highly customized SharePoint environments makes procrastination particularly dangerous. Each customization, integration, and workflow needs careful assessment before migration can begin.

The Most Common Mistakes Organizations Make

Many organizations encounter costly setbacks when approaching their SharePoint migration journey. At Calanceus, we've identified several recurring patterns that can derail even the most well-intentioned transition plans.

Delaying migration planning until the last minute

Procrastination creates unnecessary risk exposure. Delaying your transition can leave your organization vulnerable to security vulnerabilities as the SharePoint EOL date approaches. Consequently, aiming to complete migration well before the deadline is essential rather than treating it as a last-minute emergency project.

Underestimating the complexity of customizations

Legacy customizations often cause significant migration headaches. Custom code, workflows (especially those created with SharePoint Designer or Nintex), and sandboxed solutions typically require substantial reengineering for SharePoint Online compatibility. Organizations frequently discover too late that their customizations won't function in the new environment without modification.

Ignoring user training and adoption

Without proper communication and training, users quickly become confused and frustrated with new systems. Despite Microsoft's efforts to make SharePoint more intuitive, training remains invaluable for any product migration. Identifying users with SharePoint experience early on can help – they can become site owners for their departments and assist with training others.

Assuming a lift-and-shift approach will work

The "lift-and-shift" method (moving existing content to a new environment with minimal changes) might seem expedient initially but creates long-term problems. This approach doesn't leverage new features and often runs into SharePoint's technical limits:

• Views have a hard limit of 5,000 documents
• After 100,000 items in a library, permissions cannot be changed
• Performance drastically slows with improperly structured content

Overlooking data governance and permissions

Permission mapping errors can have severe consequences, potentially giving users inappropriate access to sensitive content. Essentially, migration offers an opportunity to reassess your governance framework rather than simply replicating outdated permission structures that may no longer align with organizational needs.

How to Prepare for a Smooth Transition

Successful preparation for SharePoint end of life requires a methodical approach that starts long before the deadline. At Calanceus, we've developed a framework that helps organizations navigate this transition smoothly.

Start with a full environment assessment

Conducting a comprehensive scan of your current SharePoint environment provides critical insights for migration planning. The SharePoint Migration Assessment Tool (SMAT) is designed specifically for this purpose—it scans your SharePoint farm without impacting your production environment. This simple command-line tool identifies potential migration issues by examining your content, customizations, and configurations. Running SMAT typically takes one to two days to complete, afterward producing detailed log files that highlight migration-impacted scenarios.

Clean up outdated or unused content

Prior to migration, thoroughly evaluate what content truly needs to be transferred. According to migration experts, this "spring cleaning" phase:

• Reduces clutter and improves searchability
• Minimizes migration time and complexity
• Prevents transferring redundant, outdated, or trivial content

Consider setting a cut-off date for data migration—anything before this date should only be moved if absolutely necessary.

Map out dependencies and integrations

Service mapping provides essential data for understanding all dependencies between the systems your business relies upon. Identify connections between SharePoint and other applications, custom workflows, and third-party integrations. This mapping creates a holistic view that helps minimize risks when implementing changes.

Engage stakeholders early in the process

Involving department heads and end-users from the beginning ensures the new SharePoint system meets everyone's needs. Conduct workshops to gather feedback and incorporate it into your migration plan. This early engagement leads to smoother transitions and better adoption rates after migration.

Align migration goals with business needs

Establish clear, realistic goals using the SMART framework (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound). Review your existing policies and decide which ones need recreation in modern features. Moreover, use this opportunity to audit your retention schedule and identify any duplicate, outdated, or conflicting policies.

Choosing the Right Migration Path

With the SharePoint end of life deadline approaching, organizations face a crucial decision about their migration strategy. Each path offers distinct advantages depending on your specific business requirements.

Option 1: Move to SharePoint Online

Migrating to SharePoint Online offers the most future-proof solution. This cloud-based option eliminates infrastructure maintenance concerns subsequently providing seamless Microsoft 365 integration. The SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) specifically supports migrations from SharePoint Server 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019, alongside SharePoint Foundation environments.

Option 2: Upgrade to SharePoint Subscription Edition

For organizations requiring on-premises solutions, SharePoint Subscription Edition provides a viable alternative. This upgrade path uses the database-attach method where you first create a new SharePoint Subscription Edition farm, considering SharePoint Server 2019 and 2016 databases must be at version 16.0.4351.1000 or higher.

Option 3: Adopt a hybrid SharePoint environment

Hybrid configurations enable trusted communications between SharePoint in Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Server. This approach allows organizations to gradually transition workloads while maintaining certain on-premises components. Hybrid requires services including Managed Metadata, User Profile Service application, and My Sites.

How to evaluate which path fits your organization

Consider these factors when determining your migration approach:

• Security and compliance requirements
• Customization complexity
• Budget constraints
• Timeline limitations

How to evaluate which path fits your organization

Several migration tools exist, including Microsoft's free SharePoint Migration Tool and third-party solutions. Calanceus provides expert support across all SharePoint editions—from legacy systems to SharePoint Online—ensuring seamless, efficient, and tailored transitions. Their expertise helps navigate complex migrations involving customizations, permissions, and content restructuring.

Conclusion

With support ending on July 14, 2026, SharePoint 2016 and 2019 will soon become security risks without updates or official support. Delaying migration increases the chance of data breaches, compliance issues, and operational disruption. Migration isn’t a quick fix—it requires time for assessments, cleanup, stakeholder alignment, and strategic planning. Whether you choose SharePoint Online, Subscription Edition, or a hybrid model, the right path depends on your business needs.

Calanceus specializes in SharePoint migrations, offering tailored strategies that reduce risk and ensure long-term value. This is more than a technical shift—it’s a chance to modernize how your organization works. Start now—your digital future depends on it.