Microsoft ended support for .NET 7 on May 15, 2024, so it is no longer a supported target. If you are upgrading now, check Microsoft’s current lifecycle dates before choosing a replacement: as of October 4, 2026, .NET 8 LTS is listed through November 2026, while .NET 10 is listed through November 2028.
When did .NET 7 support end?
Microsoft’s English .NET lifecycle page lists May 15, 2024 as .NET 7’s end-of-support date. Microsoft notes that lifecycle dates are shown in Pacific Time; some localized versions of the page display May 14. This is a past deadline, not an upcoming May cutoff.
What does end of support mean for a .NET 7 app?
The end-of-support date means .NET 7 is no longer covered as a supported release under Microsoft’s lifecycle. It does not, by itself, mean an existing application stops running on that date. The practical concern is that continuing to target an unsupported framework leaves the application on a release outside its supported lifecycle.
Current SDKs can also signal the outdated target: Microsoft documents warning NETSDK1138 for projects targeting net7.0. The warning identifies an out-of-support target; it is not evidence that the application has stopped working. Microsoft recommends upgrading the target framework.
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Which .NET version should you upgrade to?
Compare current support dates before choosing, and then verify that your dependencies, operating systems, hosting environment, SDK, IDE, and CI pipeline can support the target. The lifecycle table, as accessed October 4, 2026, lists these dates:
| Release | Lifecycle classification | Listed end of support |
|---|---|---|
| .NET 8 | LTS | November 2026 |
| .NET 10 | Not stated in the cited lifecycle summary | November 2028 |
These dates are from Microsoft’s lifecycle table and are month-level for .NET 8 and .NET 10 here; check the live table for the exact date and current status when planning a migration. In particular, .NET 8 is near the end of support as of October 4, 2026, so do not assume it is the best destination simply because it is a familiar LTS release. The lifecycle dates alone do not establish that every application can move directly to a particular target without testing.
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How to plan the upgrade
Microsoft’s upgrade guidance identifies five areas to review: the development environment, source code, version pinning, CI, and hosting.
- Check the development environment. Confirm the SDK and IDE support the framework you plan to target. For example, Microsoft says targeting
net8.0requires Visual Studio 17.8 or later; consult the .NET 8 SDK version requirements for the applicable SDK band’s details. - Update the project target. Change the project file’s
TargetFrameworkproperty fromnet7.0to the version you selected. Microsoft Learn says, “The only required change to upgrade an app is updating theTargetFrameworkproperty in a project file to the newer .NET version.” That is the minimal project-file change, not a guarantee that the full application will build or behave correctly without further work. - Review version pinning. Check any configuration that pins the SDK so local development and automated builds use a compatible version.
- Update CI. Ensure build and test jobs install and use the intended SDK, then run the project’s checks in that environment.
- Check hosting and workloads. Verify the deployment environment supports the chosen release and restore workloads where needed.
- Build and resolve issues. Build with the new SDK, then address resulting warnings and errors. Test application behavior and deployment before treating the migration as complete.
What if NETSDK1138 appears?
NETSDK1138 is a warning that a project targets an out-of-support framework such as net7.0. Microsoft’s .NET 9 SDK compatibility note documents the warning in specified November 2024 releases and recommends moving to net8.0. Because .NET 8’s listed support ends in November 2026, check the current lifecycle table rather than applying that historical recommendation without considering today’s support horizon.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesMicrosoft documents CheckEolTargetFramework=false as a way to suppress the warning. Suppression only hides the diagnostic; it does not restore .NET 7 support or change the target framework’s lifecycle status. Prefer updating the target and validating the application.
Quick Recap
Official documentation
- Microsoft .NET and .NET Core lifecycle
- Upgrade to a new .NET version
- Warning emitted when targeting net7.0
- Version requirements for .NET 8 SDK
- What’s new in .NET 8
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