Umbraco 13 reaches end of life on 14 December 2026, after which it will no longer receive standard security patches or updates from Umbraco HQ. Umbraco 17, built on .NET 10 LTS, is the next Long-Term Support (LTS) release, with support scheduled until 27 November 2028. Moving between these versions requires a review of custom code, package compatibility, back-office extensions and database migrations. Businesses can upgrade their existing implementation or build a fresh Umbraco 17 solution, depending on the condition and requirements of their current website.
Umbraco 13 reaches end of life on 14 December 2026, leaving businesses little or no time to plan their next steps. There is also an earlier deadline to consider. Umbraco 13 runs on .NET 8, which reaches end of support on 10 November 2026, around five weeks before Umbraco 13. After these respective dates, the software will no longer receive standard security updates or support from Microsoft and Umbraco HQ.
A website running Umbraco 13 will not automatically stop working on its end-of-life date. However, continuing to run unsupported software can expose your organisation to security vulnerabilities and compatibility problems as its wider technology environment changes.
These approaching deadlines give businesses a reason to assess their current implementation and establish a migration plan. The work involved depends on the website's architecture, third-party packages, integrations and custom functionality. Identifying these dependencies early helps teams understand the scope before committing to a delivery schedule.
Umbraco 17 is the next LTS release, with support scheduled until 27 November 2028. It runs on .NET 10 LTS, providing a supported platform for businesses planning their next stage of CMS development.
Official lifecycle guidance: Umbraco 13 End of Life.
Moving from Umbraco 13 to 17 involves changes introduced across several major releases. Although Umbraco supports a direct LTS-to-LTS upgrade path, teams still need to review the changes that affect their implementation.
Umbraco 14 introduced a new back-office architecture, replacing the earlier AngularJS-based extension model with a modern web-based approach. This is particularly relevant to websites with custom dashboards, property editors or other back-office extensions.
Umbraco 15 introduced TipTap as the default Rich Text Editor alongside the existing TinyMCE editor. It also introduced Microsoft HybridCache, changing the content caching approach from loading all content into memory at startup to a lazy-loaded model that retrieves additional content as needed. Umbraco 17 introduced another significant capability: load balancing for the back office, allowing it to run across multiple servers rather than relying on a single server for content administration.
Other changes introduced along the way affect content editing and data handling.
|
Area |
Change to consider |
Implication for migration |
|
Back-office architecture |
Umbraco 14 introduced a new extension model |
Review custom back-office functionality and its compatibility with the target version |
|
Rich Text Editor |
TipTap became the default editor in Umbraco 15, while Umbraco 16 removed TinyMCE from the CMS core. |
Check existing rich text content, editor configurations and customisations. |
|
Database and content migrations |
Umbraco 17 includes migrations for changes introduced in earlier versions |
Review migration notes and plan database validation |
|
System dates |
Umbraco 17 migrates system dates to UTC |
Assess any code or reporting processes that depend on stored system dates |
|
.NET framework |
Umbraco 17 runs on .NET 10 LTS |
Check application dependencies, hosting requirements and build configuration |
If you want to continue using TinyMCE, a compatible third-party package is available. Installing this package before upgrading to Umbraco 17 prevents the automatic migration from TinyMCE to TipTap.
These changes do not mean every Umbraco 13 website requires a rebuild. Their relevance depends on how the current website uses the affected functionality. A dependency audit and code review should establish which changes apply before the team decides on an upgrade route.
The principal technical task is to establish which parts of the existing implementation remain compatible with the target version and which need modification.
Custom code may rely on APIs that have changed or been removed in later versions. Extensions built for the earlier back-office architecture need particular attention because Umbraco 14 introduced a different extension model. Developers should identify these components and determine whether they can be adapted or need to be replaced.
Packages extend Umbraco with functionality such as forms, search, integrations and content editing features. Their compatibility cannot be assumed simply because they work on Umbraco 13.
Check the target-version support stated by each package maintainer. Where a compatible release is available, assess its dependencies and configuration requirements. Where compatibility is unconfirmed, establish whether an alternative or custom development work is necessary.
Umbraco applies migrations to handle changes to its data structures between versions. Umbraco 17 includes a migration that updates system dates to UTC. Its documentation also notes database changes introduced in earlier releases.
Review the relevant migration notes before running an upgrade. Test the process against a copy of the production database and validate the results before scheduling the production migration.
The move to .NET 10 means the target environment must meet the requirements for the application and its dependencies. Review the hosting configuration, build pipeline, environment variables and deployment process. If the organisation uses Umbraco Cloud, assess the relevant Cloud and Deploy upgrade guidance as well.
The official Umbraco version comparison lists changes between releases. Use it alongside the version-specific upgrade documentation to identify the code and configuration changes relevant to your project.
When carrying out an Umbraco 13 to Umbraco 17 migration, businesses have two options: upgrade their existing website or build a fresh solution on Umbraco 17. The right approach depends on the condition of the current website, its custom functionality and future requirements. The table below compares the two approaches to help businesses understand when each may be suitable.
|
Consideration |
Upgrade the existing website |
Build a fresh Umbraco 17 website |
|
When is it suitable? |
When the existing website meets business needs and its code and dependencies can be updated. |
When the existing website requires major changes to its architecture, design or functionality. |
|
What happens to the existing website? |
The existing implementation is retained and updated to work with Umbraco 17. |
A new implementation is created, with required content and functionality migrated or rebuilt. |
|
What happens to custom features? |
Existing features are checked and modified where required. |
Required features must be recreated, adapted or replaced. |
|
What is the main advantage? |
Retains the existing implementation and may reduce the amount of redevelopment required. |
Provides an opportunity to address technical debt and reconsider how the website is built. |
|
What is the main challenge? |
Compatibility problems with older code, packages and extensions. |
The work required to rebuild features, migrate content and validate the new implementation. |
|
What about cost and time? |
Depends on the complexity of the existing implementation and required changes. |
Depends on the scope of redevelopment, migration and testing. |
The decision should begin with a technical assessment of the existing website. If the current implementation is stable, meets business requirements and has compatible dependencies, upgrading may be the more practical option. However, if substantial redevelopment is already required, a fresh build may be worth considering.
Both approaches require careful planning and testing. Before making a decision, businesses should compare the development effort, migration risks, costs and long-term maintenance requirements of each option. This helps ensure the chosen approach supports both immediate migration needs and future website requirements.
A structured assessment helps the development team establish the work involved before choosing a route. The following Umbraco 17 migration checklist outlines the key steps to prepare for the upgrade.
Record the Umbraco version, .NET dependencies, custom code, installed packages, integrations and hosting arrangement. Include custom back-office extensions and any functionality that depends on older APIs.
Confirm which packages support Umbraco 17. Identify unsupported or unverified dependencies and document the options for each, including an update, replacement or custom implementation.
Read the relevant version-specific notes and breaking changes for the releases between Umbraco 13 and 17. Pay particular attention to back-office extensions, the Rich Text Editor, database migrations and system date handling.
Use the audit findings to compare an in-place upgrade with a fresh implementation. Document the reason for the selected route, the work required and the dependencies that need to be resolved.
Establish a test environment and take verified backups before performing migration work. Agree on source control, deployment procedures, database handling and a rollback approach for production.
Run the migration in a controlled environment, record any errors and confirm that the resulting application works as expected. Use the results to refine the production plan and release criteria.
A successful application build does not, on its own, establish that the website is ready for production. Testing should cover the functionality used by the organisation and its visitors.
|
Test area |
What to validate |
|
Content and media |
Pages, media references, content types, rich text content, editor access and editor configuration following the migration to TipTap. |
|
Back-office functionality |
Custom extensions, property editors, dashboards and publishing workflows |
|
Website functionality |
Navigation, forms, search and key user journeys |
|
Integrations |
Connections to external services, APIs and business systems |
|
Data and dates |
Database migration results, system dates and any date-dependent processes |
|
SEO and URLs |
Page URLs, redirects, metadata and indexability |
|
Infrastructure |
Application startup, logging, deployment and environment configuration |
Testing requirements will vary by project. Establish acceptance criteria based on the current website's functionality and any changes introduced during migration. Where possible, involve content editors and relevant business users in user acceptance testing before the production release.
There is no reliable universal duration for an Umbraco 13 to 17 migration. The effort depends on the existing codebase, the number of dependencies requiring changes, the condition of custom extensions, the chosen migration route and the testing required.
An assessment should establish the scope before a delivery estimate is agreed. The plan should account for development and migration work, testing, defect resolution, stakeholder review and production release.
A fresh implementation also requires time to recreate the required functionality and transfer content and schema. An in-place upgrade may retain more of the existing implementation, but its actual effort depends on compatibility findings.
Organisations should use the assessment results to establish milestones and identify dependencies that could affect the schedule. This is more reliable than committing to a fixed duration before the technical work is understood.
If the migration cannot be completed before 14 December 2026, Umbraco offers Extended Long-Term Support (XLTS) for Umbraco 13. This provides an option for obtaining support beyond the standard end-of-life date, subject to the applicable terms and coverage.
XLTS can provide additional time to plan and complete a migration. It should be treated as an interim arrangement rather than a reason to leave the upgrade unplanned.
Organisations considering this route should confirm the available coverage, duration and conditions directly with Umbraco. The official Umbraco 13 end-of-life guidance describes XLTS options of six, twelve or twenty-four months.
Read the official Umbraco 13 EOL and XLTS guidance to review the current terms.
An Umbraco migration requires an understanding of the existing implementation as well as the target version. A technical assessment can help establish the current state, identify compatibility issues and compare the available migration routes.
For businesses planning an Umbraco 13 to Umbraco 17 upgrade, Vajra Global offers Umbraco migration services that begin with assessing the website's dependencies, custom functionality and deployment requirements. The findings can then inform the migration plan, testing scope and release schedule.
With Umbraco 13 reaching end of life on 14 December 2026, now is the time to assess your options. Whether you need to upgrade your existing website or build a fresh Umbraco 17 solution, a technical assessment can help you determine the right approach and plan the work involved.
Contact Vajra Global to discuss your Umbraco migration requirements.