Lifecycle policies and end of support for Cloud PC operating systems
Lifecycle policies govern operating system (OS) servicing and support (including end of support). The lifecycle is the time period during which Microsoft supports the OS and releases monthly security updates for it. For more information about lifecycles, see Lifecycle FAQ - General and Lifecycle FAQ - Windows.
A Windows 365 Cloud PC runs on the Windows OS and follows the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy. After the OS on a Cloud PC reaches the end of support, it stops receiving:
- Security updates
- Non-security updates
- Assisted support
Image status
Windows 365 tracks end of support information in Microsoft Intune on the Provisioning policies page under Image status. This column lets you know if the OS on the image used by each provisioning policy is supported or not.
| Image status | Gallery image | Custom image |
|---|---|---|
| Supported | Cloud PCs created using this policy have a Windows OS that is supported by Microsoft and can receive updates. | Same as gallery image. |
| Warning | OS Support expired less than six months ago. Cloud PCs created using this policy have an OS that isn’t supported. Such Cloud PCs are vulnerable and not receiving security updates. | Cloud PCs created using this policy have an OS that isn’t supported. Such Cloud PCs are vulnerable and not receiving security updates. |
| Unsupported | Cloud PCs created using this policy have a Windows OS that hasn’t been supported for over six months. This policy can no longer be assigned to users. To resolve this issue, update the OS image in the provisioning policy to an image with a supported OS. Existing Cloud PCs previously created with this policy: - Are vulnerable and not receiving security updates. - Can’t be provisioned or reprovisioned. Attempts to provision a Cloud PC from this policy will fail with a Windows Image out of Support message. |
Not applicable |
These status values for custom images also appear under the OS support status column on the Device images page.
Provisioning policies
Starting on the end of support date, gallery images that use the expired OS won’t be selectable for newly created provisioning policies. The images also won’t be available for use when editing existing provisioning policies.
Device action limitations for unsupported images
Cloud PCs associated with provisioning policies using images in the unsupported state can’t be reprovisioned or reset. Any device actions requiring provisioning, like reprovisioning, can’t be performed on such Cloud PCs. The resize device action isn’t impacted by unsupported state.
Removed images
Gallery images might rarely be removed prior to the End of Support date. Such removed images go through the same Warning and Unsupported states as the OS.
While in the Warning state, you can use existing provisioning policies to deploy devices using the image, but you can’t create new provisioning policies using the image.
For images in the Unsupported state, no provisioning is possible.
Planned removals are always preceded by proactive message center communications.
Next steps
To change the device image for a provisioning policy, see Edit provisioning policies.