November has been a big month in the Umbraco world, from the release candidate of Umbraco 17 to major workflow improvements and new tools designed to support AI-driven content operations. Here’s your full roundup of what’s new, what’s coming next, and what it means for your digital platforms.
1. Umbraco 17 (LTS) is nearly here
The biggest headline this month is the release of the final Umbraco 17 Release Candidate, with the full Long-Term Support (LTS) version launching on 27 November 2025.
For the official announcement, you can read: Umbraco HQ – “Umbraco 17 Release Candidate”
To help clients understand what this means, we’ve created an in-depth guide: Umbraco 17: What You Need to Know About the Latest LTS Release
Why this matters:
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Umbraco 17 aligns with the latest .NET LTS release — giving you longer support windows and a more future-proof tech stack.
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Performance improvements and a modernised architecture will make sites faster and easier to scale.
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The upgrade path from legacy versions is cleaner than before — but still requires planning.
If you’re on an aging version of Umbraco (especially 7, 8, 9 or 10), the risks increase as support windows close.
👉 The Real Risks of Sticking With Outdated CMS Versions
Need help planning an upgrade or migration?
👉 Digital Wonderlab – Umbraco Agency
2. The new MCP Server: Umbraco enters the AI era
Another major development this month is the introduction of the MCP Server, a technology layer that connects Umbraco’s Management API with AI tools and automation engines.
Official details from Umbraco HQ: Umbraco – “Umbraco CMS Developer MCP for Umbraco 16”
What this unlocks:
- AI-assisted content creation and editing
- Automated multi-language generation
- Programmatic content updates
- Workflow automation for high-volume editorial teams
- Secure, permission-based access for AI systems
- Model-agnostic integration — no vendor lock-in
This addition marks one of the most significant steps in Umbraco’s evolution, enabling organisations to bring AI into their content operations without compromising governance.
3. Community news & events
This month has been full of activity across the Umbraco community:
Umbraco 17 Launch Party — 27 November 2025
Hosted in Amsterdam and Sydney, with hybrid access, demos, and deep-dives into the LTS release.
London Hackathon — 28 November 2025
A charity-driven hackathon focused on improving Umbraco 17 packages and developer workflows.
Online Community Hour — 26 November
Covering updates around Umbraco 17, MCP and editor experience improvements.
4. Workflow improvements: Umbraco workflow 17 RC
The new Umbraco Workflow release candidate brings multiple improvements ahead of the v17 launch:
- More granular user permissions
- Workflow settings moved to a more logical back-office location
- Date/time logic updated to UTC for better consistency
- Improved UX and clearer configuration options
These updates are especially beneficial for organisations with formal sign-off processes or large editorial teams.
5. Support timelines & End-of-Life reminders
Umbraco has published updated lifecycle information for all major versions.
Official support lifecycle documentation.
Key points:
- Umbraco 13 (current LTS)
- Support ends December 2025
- Security patch phase until December 2026
- Umbraco 17 (next LTS)
- Full support until November 2028
- Recommended for all new builds and major upgrades
If your organisation is still on a pre-13 version, now is the time to begin planning.
For help evaluating your upgrade needs, visit our Umbraco Upgrades page.
6. Looking ahead to December & early 2026
Expect to see:
- Full rollout of Umbraco 17 and package compatibility updates
- Early adoption of AI-assisted content workflows using MCP
- More investment in composable and headless architecture
- Continued improvements to performance, editor experience, and cloud-readiness
Final thoughts
November has been a milestone month for Umbraco. With the next LTS release, new AI-ready tooling, and a vibrant community driving innovation, there’s never been a better time to strengthen your CMS foundations.
If you’re considering an upgrade, rebuild, or strategic digital transformation, our team is here to help you map the right path forward. Explore our Umbraco capabilities
