Kubernetes releases a new minor version approximately every four months — and each version is supported for roughly 14 months after release. That means if you're not actively upgrading, you're falling behind faster than with almost any other infrastructure component in your stack.
Kubernetes 1.32 reached end of life on February 28, 2026. Kubernetes 1.33 reaches end of life on June 28, 2026 — six weeks from now.
Complete Kubernetes EOL Schedule
Kubernetes supports the three most recent minor versions at any given time. Each minor version receives patch releases for approximately 14 months — covering bug fixes and security patches. Once a version reaches end of life, no further patches are issued by the upstream Kubernetes project.
| Version | Release Date | End of Life | Status | EOL Risk Score™ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kubernetes 1.26 | Dec 9, 2022 | Feb 28, 2024 | EOL | 92 Critical |
| Kubernetes 1.27 | Apr 11, 2023 | Jun 28, 2024 | EOL | 90 Critical |
| Kubernetes 1.28 | Aug 15, 2023 | Oct 28, 2024 | EOL | 88 Critical |
| Kubernetes 1.29 | Dec 13, 2023 | Feb 28, 2025 | EOL | 85 Critical |
| Kubernetes 1.30 | Apr 17, 2024 | Jun 28, 2025 | EOL | 82 Critical |
| Kubernetes 1.31 | Aug 13, 2024 | Jan 13, 2026 | EOL | 78 Critical |
| Kubernetes 1.32 | Dec 11, 2024 | Feb 28, 2026 | EOL | 72 Critical |
| Kubernetes 1.33 | Apr 23, 2025 | Jun 28, 2026 | Maintenance | 55 High |
| Kubernetes 1.34 | Aug 27, 2025 | Oct 27, 2026 | ✅ Supported | 30 Medium |
| Kubernetes 1.35 | Dec 2025 | Feb 28, 2027 | ✅ Supported | 18 Low |
| Kubernetes 1.36 | Apr 2026 | Jun 28, 2027 | ✅ Latest | 12 Low |
Kubernetes 1.33 reaches EOL June 28, 2026 — six weeks away. Maintenance mode means only critical security patches — full feature development has stopped. After June 28, nothing.
Kubernetes 1.32 — EOL February 28, 2026
EOL Risk Score™: 72 Critical
Kubernetes 1.32 reached end of life on February 28, 2026. It is no longer receiving any patches from the upstream Kubernetes project. Any CVEs discovered in 1.32 after that date will not be fixed at the community level.
Running 1.32 today means you are accumulating unpatched vulnerabilities with no remediation path except upgrading.
Target version: Upgrade to 1.35 or 1.36. Skip 1.33 — it reaches EOL in six weeks.
Kubernetes 1.33 — EOL June 28, 2026
EOL Risk Score™: 55 High
Kubernetes 1.33 entered maintenance mode on April 28, 2026 and reaches full end of life on June 28, 2026. In maintenance mode, only critical security patches are backported — no new features, no bug fixes, no general security hardening. After June 28, nothing is backported at all.
Target version: Upgrade to Kubernetes 1.35 or 1.36. Both are actively supported through at least February 2027.
EKS, GKE, and AKS Support Windows
Managed Kubernetes services extend support beyond upstream EOL dates — but at a cost.
Amazon EKS provides 14 months of standard support per version, then 12 months of extended support (additional cost). K8s 1.31 standard support ended November 25, 2025; extended support ends November 25, 2026.
Google GKE offers maintenance windows and extended support beyond upstream EOL. GKE's release schedule trails upstream by weeks to months depending on release channel.
Azure AKS designates certain versions as Long-Term Support (LTS) with up to two years of support. Non-LTS versions follow standard upstream-aligned support windows.
Managed service support ≠ zero risk. Extended support from EKS, GKE, or AKS means your cloud provider continues patching known CVEs — but only the ones they prioritize. The upstream community's collective security research stops at EOL.
Understanding the Kubernetes Release Cadence
Three releases per year. Kubernetes releases a new minor version approximately every four months — roughly in April, August, and December.
Three versions supported at once. At any point, only the three most recent minor versions receive upstream patches. When 1.36 shipped, 1.32 dropped off support.
14-month support window. Each version is supported for approximately 14 months from its release date. The final two months are "maintenance mode" — only critical security fixes are backported.
The math: Miss two consecutive upgrade cycles (roughly 8 months of inaction) and your version falls off supported status.
How to Upgrade Safely
01 — Check your current version
Run kubectl version to confirm your control plane and node versions.
02 — Review API deprecations
Every Kubernetes minor release deprecates and removes APIs. Run kubectl deprecations or use Kubent to scan your cluster for deprecated API usage before upgrading.
03 — Upgrade one minor version at a time
Kubernetes does not support skipping minor versions. If you're on 1.31, you must go to 1.32, then 1.33, then 1.34, then 1.35.
04 — Upgrade control plane before nodes
Always upgrade the control plane first, then worker nodes.
05 — Test in staging first
Pay particular attention to admission webhooks, custom resource definitions, and any operators — these are most likely to have compatibility issues across minor versions.
06 — Set a recurring calendar reminder
Kubernetes releases on a four-month cadence. Put a recurring reminder in your calendar for every release — February, June, October — to review your current version against the support window.
Check your full stack for EOL exposure at endoflife.ai — free EOL checker, stack scanner, and EOL Risk Score™ for 455+ products. No signup required.
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