Visual Studio 2015 End of Life & Support Dates

Steven Jul 09, 2026

Visual Studio 2015, a powerful integrated development environment (IDE) by Microsoft, has been a staple for developers since its release. Understanding its support lifecycle is crucial for planning updates and maintenance. Let's delve into the support dates and phases of Visual Studio 2015.

Microsoft to End Support for Visual Studio 2015 This October
Microsoft to End Support for Visual Studio 2015 This October

Microsoft follows a well-defined support lifecycle for its products, including Visual Studio. This lifecycle helps ensure that users have access to the latest features, security updates, and performance improvements.

Installing Visual Studio 2022 Community
Installing Visual Studio 2022 Community

Visual Studio 2015 Support Phases

Visual Studio 2015, like its predecessors, went through several support phases. These phases determine the level of support and updates users can expect.

a woman standing in front of a camera on top of a white floor
a woman standing in front of a camera on top of a white floor

Initially, Visual Studio 2015 was released with Mainstream Support. During this phase, Microsoft provided new features, updates, and security patches.

Mainstream Support (January 2015 - January 2020)

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Happy Life, Vision Board Community, Vision Board Pics, Vision Board Ideas Party, Business Vision Board, Vision Board Activities, Vision Board, Community Activities, Theme Dress, Prayer Board

Mainstream Support for Visual Studio 2015 started with its release in January 2015 and lasted for five years. During this period, Microsoft focused on enhancing the IDE's functionality and addressing user feedback.

Some of the significant updates released during this phase include Visual Studio 2015 Update 3, which introduced improved debugging tools and support for .NET Core, and Visual Studio 2015 Update 4, which brought enhancements to the cloud development experience.

Extended Support (January 2020 - January 2025)

people standing around looking at pictures on display
people standing around looking at pictures on display

After Mainstream Support ended in January 2020, Visual Studio 2015 entered the Extended Support phase. During this period, Microsoft continued to provide security updates and bug fixes but did not release new features or updates.

However, it's essential to note that Extended Support for Visual Studio 2015 ended on January 14, 2025. After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or support for Visual Studio 2015.

Visual Studio 2015 End of Support and Migration Options

a group of people sitting around each other in front of a white room with chairs
a group of people sitting around each other in front of a white room with chairs

With the end of Extended Support for Visual Studio 2015 approaching, it's crucial for users to plan their migration to a supported version of Visual Studio.

Microsoft recommends migrating to a newer version of Visual Studio, such as Visual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2022, to ensure continued access to updates, security patches, and new features.

three people are sitting at a table working on some art work in an open space
three people are sitting at a table working on some art work in an open space
a photo studio with umbrellas and lighting equipment in front of a television screen on a table
a photo studio with umbrellas and lighting equipment in front of a television screen on a table
a man is filming in a large room
a man is filming in a large room
Samouczek: tworzenie prostej aplikacji konsolowej w języku C# - Visual Studio (Windows)
Samouczek: tworzenie prostej aplikacji konsolowej w języku C# - Visual Studio (Windows)
a poster with the dates and times for an upcoming event in red on white paper
a poster with the dates and times for an upcoming event in red on white paper
people are walking through an art gallery with many pictures on the walls and flooring
people are walking through an art gallery with many pictures on the walls and flooring
36 Artist Dates You Can Do At Home
36 Artist Dates You Can Do At Home
a woman standing in front of a camera next to an easel on a floor
a woman standing in front of a camera next to an easel on a floor
a group of people sitting around a table in a room with lots of papers on it
a group of people sitting around a table in a room with lots of papers on it
a group of people standing around a wooden table in a room with many other people
a group of people standing around a wooden table in a room with many other people
a group of people sitting around a table with papers and cell phones on it,
a group of people sitting around a table with papers and cell phones on it,
a camera set up on a tripod in front of a red curtain with chairs
a camera set up on a tripod in front of a red curtain with chairs
Пространство для ваших идеальных мероприятий 2
Пространство для ваших идеальных мероприятий 2
several people standing around a table covered in black and white pictures, with one person pointing at something on the table
several people standing around a table covered in black and white pictures, with one person pointing at something on the table
a woman sitting on the floor working on her laptop
a woman sitting on the floor working on her laptop
two women standing next to each other in front of a wall with pictures on it
two women standing next to each other in front of a wall with pictures on it
a group of people sitting at a long table in front of a window eating food
a group of people sitting at a long table in front of a window eating food
two women sitting next to each other in front of a white background with the words meet our artists
two women sitting next to each other in front of a white background with the words meet our artists
a man standing in front of a projection screen with colorful notes on the wall behind him
a man standing in front of a projection screen with colorful notes on the wall behind him

Migrating to Visual Studio 2019

Visual Studio 2019 is a popular choice for migration due to its extensive feature set and performance improvements. It supports the latest .NET Framework and .NET Core versions and offers enhanced debugging and development tools.

To migrate to Visual Studio 2019, users can follow Microsoft's official migration guide, which provides step-by-step instructions for transferring settings, projects, and extensions.

Migrating to Visual Studio 2022

Visual Studio 2022 is the latest version of the IDE, offering even more advanced features and improvements. It supports the latest .NET versions and introduces new tools for cloud, mobile, and game development.

Migrating to Visual Studio 2022 follows a similar process to migrating to Visual Studio 2019. Users can refer to Microsoft's official migration guide for detailed instructions.

As the end of support for Visual Studio 2015 approaches, it's essential for users to plan their migration to a supported version of the IDE. By doing so, they can ensure continued access to updates, security patches, and new features, ultimately enhancing their development experience.