If your website is running on Umbraco 15, an important milestone has just passed: version 15 has officially reached end-of-life (EOL).
For many organisations this raises the same question: what does EOL actually mean for my site – and what should I do next?
This blog explains what Umbraco EOL involves, why it matters, how to assess your upgrade options, and how to check whether your site is ready to move to Umbraco 17, the latest LTS (long term support) release.
What does Umbraco 15 EOL mean?
Every Umbraco release has a defined lifecycle. When a version reaches end-of-life, it no longer receives:
- Security patches
- Bug fixes
- Performance updates
- Official support
Your CMS will continue to run, but it is no longer protected or maintained.
Why this matters
- Security risks increase as vulnerabilities go unpatched
- Compliance issues may arise in regulated sectors
- Integrations can break as third-party packages move on
- Server upgrades become harder without CMS support
- Technical debt builds quickly, making future upgrades more complex and costly
If your organisation relies on your website for conversion, fundraising, user engagement, or service delivery, staying on an EOL version creates avoidable risk.
What should you do next?
The recommended path for anyone on Umbraco 15 is to plan your upgrade to Umbraco 17.
Why Umbraco 17?
Umbraco 17 is the latest LTS version, offering:
- Long-term support
- Improved performance and stability
- A cleaner future upgrade path
- A modern .NET architecture
- Better developer experience
Upgrading now puts your organisation on a secure and future-proof foundation.
Explore what an upgrade involves on our Umbraco upgrade services page.
Is your website ready for an Umbraco 17 upgrade?
Before upgrading, it’s important to understand your site’s technical foundations. Several elements influence how complex the upgrade may be.
Check the following areas:
1. Current Umbraco version
If you’re on Umbraco 13 or 14, the upgrade path is more direct.
If you’re on 15, you’ll be moving across key changes introduced in later versions.
2. Third-party packages
Some packages may not yet support Umbraco 17. Check compatibility for:
- Form builders
- Search solutions
- Caching tools
- SEO packages
- E-commerce tools
3. Custom code and integrations
Any bespoke elements may need reviewing, especially if they rely on outdated APIs.
4. Hosting environment
Ensure your infrastructure supports:
- .NET 8
- Updated security requirements
- Compatible database versions
5. Back-office customisations
Any custom dashboards, editors or workflows may require updates.
Not sure if you’re ready? Try our Umbraco readiness check
If you want a quick and simple way to understand your upgrade path, we offer a free Umbraco 17 upgrade readiness check.
It identifies:
- Package compatibility
- Custom code considerations
- Any potential blockers
- Likely upgrade complexity
- A clear roadmap from Umbraco 15 to 17
Try it here: Umbraco 17 upgrade readiness check
What happens during an Umbraco upgrade?
A typical upgrade process includes:
- A technical audit of your current site
- Dependency and package review
- Upgrade planning, including timelines and risks
- Codebase updates and refactoring
- Package updates or replacements
- Migration and comprehensive testing
- Deployment and handover
At Digital Wonderlab, we manage upgrades for charities, finance organisations, membership bodies and enterprise-level teams with complex, multi-site requirements.
Learn more about our approach on our Umbraco upgrade services page.
Why upgrading now is the smart move
Remaining on EOL software affects:
- Security
- Performance
- Compliance
- User experience
- Future upgrade cost and complexity
By upgrading to Umbraco 17 now, you avoid technical debt, stay protected, and position your organisation for Umbraco’s modern release cycle.
Final thoughts
Umbraco 15 reaching EOL isn’t something to panic about, but it is something to take seriously. The best next step is understanding your site’s readiness and planning the upgrade that will keep your website secure and performing at its best.
Schedule a free 30-minute chat
If you'd like tailored guidance on your upgrade path, you can book a free 30-minute conversation with our team. We’ll discuss your current setup, potential complexity, timelines and the most cost-effective route to a secure, future-proof Umbraco site.
Schedule your free 30-minute upgrade chat today.
