Blog post updated 10.2.2026
Protect your brand from security threats, compliance gaps and poor user experience. If you’re still on Umbraco 7, 8 or 10, your CMS is out of support. This guide explains what EOL means, the risks of waiting, the safest upgrade paths and how Growcreate delivers upgrades with minimal disruption.
Plan your upgrade with Growcreate – Platinum Umbraco CMS experts.
Take the 2‑minute end‑of‑life assessment.
What end of life means for Umbraco
“End of life” is when Umbraco HQ stops fixing bugs and releasing security updates for a major version. Umbraco confirms the following dates and support windows:
- Umbraco 7 – EOL on 30 September 2023
- Umbraco 8 – EOL on 24 February 2025
- Umbraco 10 (LTS) – EOL on 16 June 2025
- Umbraco 13 (LTS) – supported until 14 December 2026
- Umbraco 17 (next LTS) – scheduled for 27 November 2025 with support to November 2028
These timelines come directly from Umbraco’s long‑term support and EOL schedule. (Source: Umbraco)
If you run Umbraco 7, 8 or 10 today, you are post‑EOL. Umbraco HQ states that no security patches or updates are available after 24 February 2025. (Source: Umbraco)
Quick reference
| Version | Support status | Key dates |
|---|---|---|
| Umbraco 7 | End of life | EOL 30 Sep 2023 |
| Umbraco 8 | End of life | EOL 24 Feb 2025 |
| Umbraco 10 (LTS) | End of life | EOL 16 Jun 2025 |
| Umbraco 13 (LTS) | Supported | Security phase ends 14 Dec 2026 |
| Umbraco 17 (LTS) | Releasing | Target 27 Nov 2025 |
LTS releases align with Microsoft .NET LTS cycles. Umbraco 13 runs on .NET 8 LTS. (Source: Umbraco)
Business takeaway: if you’re on 7, 8 or 10, you’re on borrowed time. Plan a structured move to an LTS release for predictable support and security.
How end of life affects security and GDPR
Unsupported software increases cyber risk. The UK ICO's accountability framework explicitly expects organisations not to run unsupported systems and to install vendor updates promptly.
Sector guidance echoes this: NHS England's Data Security Standard 8 requires no unsupported operating systems, software or browsers in the estate.
Regulators also emphasise patching and modern controls. In March 2025 the ICO fined a UK software provider £3.07m and warned organisations to keep systems up to date with security patches and to deploy controls like MFA.
The cost of waiting is material. IBM’s 2025 UK study reports an average breach cost of £3.78m for organisations not using AI and automation, with lower averages for those that do. (Source: IBM UK newsroom)
Business takeaway: continuing with an unsupported CMS weakens your security posture and creates GDPR exposure. Moving to a supported LTS version is a concrete risk‑reduction step.
Is Umbraco 8 end of life and what are the risks
Yes. Umbraco 8 reached end of life on 24 February 2025. From that date there are no security updates, bug fixes or official support. (Source: Umbraco)
Key risks when staying on EOL:
- Security vulnerabilities remain unpatched which increases the likelihood of compromise.
- Compatibility issues mount as browsers, .NET and packages advance, while EOL versions stand still.
- Compliance challenges rise as auditors and regulators expect supported software with timely updates.
Business takeaway: treat Umbraco 8 and 10 as a risk to be retired. Plan your upgrade now so you can manage the change on your terms.
Which version to move to
For most organisations today the pragmatic target is Umbraco 13 LTS on .NET 8, with support to 14 December 2026. (Source: Umbraco)
If you prefer to align with the very latest LTS cadence, Umbraco 17 LTS is scheduled for 27 November 2025 and will align with .NET 10 LTS. (Source: Umbraco)
Business takeaway: pick an LTS so you get 24 months of fixes followed by 12 months of security updates.
Automated vs manual migration for SMEs
Moving from Umbraco 8 to modern .NET involves both content and code. There is no direct in‑place upgrade from 8 to current versions because the underlying framework changed from ASP.NET to ASP.NET Core. The recommended approach is to bring your Umbraco 8 database forward into Umbraco 10, then upgrade to the latest major, reimplementing templates and custom code on .NET. (Source: Umbraco Docs)
You can automate parts of the process:
- Content and schema capture with packages like uSync/uSync.Complete for supported versions
- Environment‑to‑environment transfers with Umbraco Deploy
These tools help move content and configuration between environments and projects when used on compatible versions. (Source: uSync; Source: Umbraco Deploy docs)
Choosing your path
| Method | When it fits | Pros | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content database migration + rebuild of code | You want to keep content structure and media but modernise the build on .NET 8 | Clean foundation, modern architecture, faster long‑term delivery | Custom code and views are reimplemented; package parity must be checked |
| uSync‑led content/config moves between compatible versions | You have clear environments and package support | Repeatable moves, versioned configuration, team‑friendly | Tooling must match source/target Umbraco versions |
| Umbraco Deploy transfers | Multiple environments, need controlled promotions | Granular content moves, backoffice‑driven | Works within supported versions, not a 8→13 shortcut |
Business takeaway: for most Umbraco 8 sites, a structured rebuild on Umbraco 13 using your migrated content is the safest way to remove legacy debt and stabilise on .NET 8.
How to upgrade without losing SEO
A well‑planned migration protects organic visibility.
- Prepare a complete URL mapping and implement server‑side 301 or 308 redirects to one‑to‑one destinations. (Source: Google Search Central)
- Avoid redirect chains and mass redirects to the home page which can create soft‑404s. (Source: Google Search Central)
- Use permanent redirects; 301 and 308 are the best way to signal a move. (Source: Google Search Central)
- Keep redirects in place for at least a year and submit updated XML sitemaps in Search Console. (Source: Google Search Central)
Business takeaway: with accurate 301s, stable content and measured roll‑out, you should expect temporary fluctuations then recovery.
Zero downtime cutovers on Azure
Azure App Service deployment slots let you warm the upgraded site in a staging slot, then swap into production so users experience no interruption. If needed, you can swap back instantly. (Source: Microsoft Learn)
For higher availability targets, combine App Service with Azure SQL’s 99.99% availability tiers and proven recovery objectives. (Source: Microsoft Learn)
Business takeaway: blue‑green cutovers on Azure give you predictable releases and rapid rollback.
Timeline and cost to migrate from Umbraco 8 to 13
Every site is different, but these are realistic ranges we see in the UK market. All estimates assume a content database migration, rebuilt .NET 8 codebase, upgrade of forms/third‑party packages where available, and an Azure or equivalent modern hosting setup.
| Scenario | Typical size | Indicative timeline | Typical budget (ex VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials upgrade | ≤100 pages, standard components, few integrations | 4–6 weeks | £18k–£35k |
| Business site upgrade | 100–500 pages, forms, 1–2 integrations, modest design tweaks | 6–10 weeks | £35k–£70k |
| Enterprise upgrade | 500+ pages, complex navigation, multiple integrations, phased go‑live | 10–16 weeks | £70k–£140k+ |
What drives cost and time
- Integration complexity – CRM, ERP, payment and identity integrations need contract tests
- Design scope – like‑for‑like rebuild vs UX refresh
- Package parity – alternative packages or custom features if a v8 package lacks a .NET 8 equivalent
- Content clean‑up – retiring legacy sections reduces mapping and QA effort
If you plan to wait for Umbraco 17 LTS, we recommend stabilising on 13 LTS now, then performing a short, low‑risk LTS‑to‑LTS upgrade later to stay within supported windows. (Source: Umbraco)
What you get by moving to Umbraco 13 LTS
- Security – supported stack on .NET 8 with ongoing security fixes to December 2026. (Source: Umbraco)
- Performance and editor productivity – features such as Blocks in the Rich Text Editor, Dynamic Root and Webhooks improve day‑to‑day work. (Source: Umbraco)
- Better headless options – built‑in Content Delivery and Media Delivery APIs streamline omnichannel use. (Source: Umbraco)
Business takeaway: an LTS move is not just defensive. It gives your team faster tools and a platform that keeps pace with your roadmap.
How Growcreate delivers low‑risk upgrades
Growcreate is an Umbraco Platinum Partner with Azure‑native engineering and 24/7 support. (Source: Umbraco partner page)
What we do
- Version audit and upgrade plan – dependency checks, package parity, SEO inventory and risk register
- DevOps and CI/CD – build once, promote through environments with automated tests and approvals
- Blue‑green cutover on Azure – warm the new site, smoke‑test, swap, then monitor closely
- SEO continuity – 1:1 301 map, canonical checks, metadata parity and validated sitemaps
- Integration assurance – contract tests for CRM, ERP and marketing platforms in staging
- 24/7 operations – SLA‑backed monitoring and incident response after go‑live
Explore our Umbraco upgrade services.
Need managed infrastructure as well as code? See Umbraco hosting on Azure.
Ongoing support and SLAs.
Example upgrade path from Umbraco 8
- Discovery and planning – audit v8, confirm content inventory and integrations. Agree the LTS target and hosting model.
- Stand up Umbraco 13 on .NET 8 – provision Azure environments with App Service and SQL.
- Migrate content – bring forward the database via the 8→10→latest route, then rebuild templates and custom code on .NET 8. (Source: Umbraco Docs)
- Package parity – replace or upgrade packages to versions compatible with .NET 8. (Source: Umbraco Docs)
- SEO and analytics – implement 301s, parity‑check metadata, validate sitemaps in Search Console. (Source: Google Search Central)
- Content freeze window – short content freeze for the final delta if needed, or use editor cutover procedures to keep content in sync.
- Cutover – swap staging into production using Azure deployment slots, with instant rollback available. (Source: Microsoft Learn)
- Hypercare – monitor logs, fix redirect gaps, check search performance and error budgets.
Ready to move forward
If your CMS is at risk, we’ll help you transition safely and on schedule.
We’ll
- Review your current version and risk profile
- Recommend the safest path to LTS
- Map the upgrade, redirects and cutover plan
- Confirm timeline, budget and resourcing
See how we support upgrades in regulated sectors: Flagstone, Mortgage Advice Bureau and Quintet Private Bank.
