Microsoft will cease providing technical support or security patches for .NET 7 after May 14.

Announced on March 27, Microsoft’s open-source, cross-platform application framework, .NET 7, released in November 2022, is set to reach the end of its support cycle on May 14, 2024.

Once May 14 arrives, Microsoft will discontinue issuing servicing updates, including technical assistance or security patches. Developers must transition to .NET 8, which debuted in November 2023, to ensure ongoing support. .NET 7 falls under the category of Standard Term Support, granting it 18 months of backing. Microsoft extends its support across multiple operating systems, encompassing Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

While Microsoft assures that applications utilizing .NET 7 will remain operational beyond the support cutoff, users might encounter challenges accessing technical assistance for such applications. Microsoft advises .NET application users to communicate with the software developer or vendor to ascertain the availability of an updated version compatible with .NET 8. Upgrading applications to .NET 8 involves modifying the TargetFramework property in the project file to net8.0. Additionally, development and hosting environments necessitate updates. Detailed guidance on updating .NET can be accessed here.

Regarding Visual Studio, the .NET component within the IDE will transition to an unsupported and optional status, commencing with the June 2024 servicing update for Visual Studio 2022 versions 17.6 and 17.5. Developers must utilize the .NET 8 SDK for constructing .NET 6 or .NET 8 components to ensure continued support. Existing installations of Visual Studio can remove the unsupported component, .NET 7, via the “remove out of support” option.

In contrast to .NET 7, .NET 6, which debuted in November 2021, boasts Long Term Support (LTS) status, extending its support period until November of the current year. Similarly, .NET 8 also carries Long Term Support status.