--- title: 'Beyond the 10-year mark: Extending Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS security coverage' description: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS has officially reached its end of support. Learn what this means for your cloud VMs and explore upgrade paths. url: https://canonical.com/blog/extending-ubuntu-pro-16-04-coverage?format=md --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [Carlos Bravo](https://canonical.com/blog/author/carlos-bravo "More about Carlos Bravo") 17 September 2026 # Beyond the 10-year mark: Extending Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS security coverage [AWS](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/aws) [AWS EC2](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/aws-ec2) [Ubuntu Pro](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/ubuntu-pro) --- Share the article A decade ago, Canonical launched Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (codenamed “Xenial Xerus”). As a Long-Term Support (LTS) release, it comes with 5 years of standard security coverage, which is doubled to a total of 10 years through Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) for users with an Ubuntu Pro subscription. As of **April 30, 2026**, the 10-year ESM coverage for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, under Ubuntu Pro, has officially reached its end of support. While Ubuntu 16.04 LTS images can still be launched on the public clouds, they are now marked as deprecated and will no longer receive any security patches, bug fixes, or maintenance updates. There are two paths you can follow to keep your Ubuntu estate security maintained. ### **Path 1: Upgrade to a newer supported Ubuntu LTS** Canonical strongly recommends migrating workloads to a newer, supported LTS version (such as 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS or 26.04 LTS) to benefit from modern security frameworks, updated software stacks, and performance improvements. There are two options when upgrading: * **Fresh installation:** Redeploying your workloads on a brand-new instance of a modern Ubuntu LTS ensures a clean slate and optimal configuration. * **In-place migration:** If redeployment isn’t immediately feasible, you can perform an upgrade on your existing instances. Learn how to perform an in-place migration by reading our [Ubuntu LTS Upgrade Guide](https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/how-to/software/upgrade-your-release/). ### **Path 2: Get 5 additional years of maintenance with the Legacy add-on** We understand that complex enterprise architectures, legacy applications, and regulatory dependencies can make immediate migration impossible. If you cannot redeploy your workloads right away, Canonical offers a further five years of security maintenance and support with the Legacy add-on on top of an active Ubuntu Pro subscription. The **Ubuntu Pro Legacy add-on** brings the total lifecycle of the release to 15 years. This add-on ensures your Ubuntu 16.04 LTS environments continue to receive critical security patches until 2031 – giving you time to safely plan and execute your migration strategy. * **How to get it:** If you need to keep running Ubuntu 16.04 LTS securely, contact the Canonical team directly via the [Canonical Support Form](https://ubuntu.com/support) to get the Legacy add-on. ### **Next steps** Leaving your infrastructure on an unsupported operating system can expose you to security threats. Take control of your migration timeline today: 1. **Assess your inventory:** Identify any remaining Ubuntu 16.04 LTS machines or images in your environment. 2. **Choose your path:** Begin scheduling upgrades to a newer LTS, or bridge the gap securely with Ubuntu Pro and a Legacy add-on. 3. **Read the full announcement:** Learn more about how Canonical is expanding total coverage for legacy releases [in our official announcement](https://canonical.com/blog/canonical-expands-total-coverage-for-ubuntu-lts-releases-to-15-years-with-legacy-add-on). [Get in touch Interested in running Ubuntu in your organization?](https://ubuntu.com/about/contact-us/form) ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. By submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/dataprivacy). 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