Executive Summary (TL;DR)
- SharePoint 2016 and 2019 officially reach end of support on July 14, 2026, ending all security updates and patches.
- Unsupported SharePoint servers introduce significant security, compliance, and operational risk for organizations still running on premises environments.
- Modern migration options include SharePoint Online or SharePoint Server Subscription Edition, which remains supported under Microsoft’s Modern Lifecycle Policy.
- Organizations should begin modernization planning immediately to avoid timeline compression, functionality loss, or unexpected downtime.
The Hidden Risk Lurking in Legacy SharePoint
For many organizations, SharePoint has quietly powered intranets, workflows, and document management for more than a decade. But the transition to modern cloud collaboration has left many on premises environments sitting on aging hardware, outdated farm configurations, and customizations that no longer align with Microsoft’s supported models.
That shift has now reached a critical point. SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 will both reach end of support on July 14, 2026,meaning they will no longer receive security updates, bug fixes, or any form of paid Microsoft support. Businesses running these versions past their retirement date inherit substantial security exposure, heightened compliance obligations, and rising operational overhead.
The risk compounds further when considering related retirements, including the SharePoint Add In model and Azure ACS authentication scheduled for retirement in April 2026. Many existing on premises customizations will simply stop working, creating sudden, unplanned disruption for IT teams.
Why This Matters to You
Legacy SharePoint is no longer a stable platform for long-term business operations. Without security patching or remediation support, threat actors can exploit known vulnerabilities that Microsoft will never fix. This is particularly risky for environments with direct internet exposure, outdated authentication dependencies, or older workflow engines.
Compliance and audit readiness are also at stake. Modern SharePoint Online logs every file action and permission change to the Microsoft Purview Unified Audit Log. Classic environments cannot meet the same standard, which limits your ability to demonstrate chain of custody, data movement tracking, or defensible deletion in regulated industries.
Finally, interoperability issues will grow. Modern Microsoft security controls, cloud policy enforcement, and AI driven capabilities are designed for Microsoft 365, not for classic SharePoint. Once your environment becomes unsupported, it will increasingly fail to integrate with other modern tools that business units are adopting.
The IncWorx Modernization Framework
This is IncWorx’s methodology for guiding clients through a SharePoint end of life transition. Our approach balances governance, risk mitigation, and modernization to provide a predictable migration experience.
Our framework begins with a technical and functional assessment of the environment. We document farm topology, customizations, InfoPath and workflow usage, ACS and Add In dependencies, and any custom authentication models that are affected by the upcoming retirements. This early discovery ensures nothing breaks during modernization.
From there, we define the right destination platform. Organizations with a cloud first strategy generally migrate directly to SharePoint Online. Others may choose SharePoint Server Subscription Edition, which remains in support under Microsoft’s Modern Lifecycle Policy with continuous updates and no fixed retirement date. Both paths reduce long term risk, but choosing correctly is critical.
The migration phase includes content remediation, custom code modernization, and security alignment. We ensure that legacy workflows, InfoPath forms, and custom solutions are either replaced or re-engineered using supported frameworks. Finally, we orchestrate cutover with minimal business disruption and validate permissions, auditing, and retention configurations post migration.
At a Glance
- Environment assessment and dependency mapping
- Platform selection and roadmap development
- Modern architecture design and governance alignment
- Migration execution and validation
- Post migration optimization and adoption support
Step-by-Step Actions You Can Take Today
- Identify your current SharePoint version and patch level.
Confirm whether you are running SharePoint 2016 or 2019, both of which reach end of support on July 14, 2026. This helps determine your urgency, technical debt, and available migration paths. - Audit all customizations and dependent integrations.
Catalog workflows, InfoPath forms, custom code, and Add Ins, especially those reliant on ACS authentication. These components will stop functioning when the associated services retire in April 2026. - Evaluate whether cloud or on premises is the right destination.
If you have a cloud first strategy, SharePoint Online is generally the best option. If you require local control or specific regulatory constraints, SharePoint Subscription Edition offers an on-premises platform with active support. - Build a modernization roadmap with a realistic timeline.
Migration efforts can take months to more than a year depending on content volume, custom solutions, and business process dependencies. Start early to prevent a last-minute scramble. - Address security and compliance gaps ahead of migration.
Update authentication methods, review permission models, and ensure legacy access paths are documented. Unsupported platforms cannot meet modern security expectations. - Pilot the migration with a controlled business unit.
A pilot validates your migration tooling, assesses data quality issues, and helps refine your communication and training plan before full rollout. - Engage stakeholders across departments.
Legal, compliance, records management, and department owners should be included early. They often own content that must be retained or restructured. - Plan for post migration adoption and optimization.
After cutover, reinforce governance, update operational runbooks, and align your tenant configuration with Microsoft best practices to prevent regression into shadow IT.
Modernization Best Practices
- Start planning at least 12 to 18 months before the end of support deadline.
- Prioritize security sensitive workloads for early migration.
- Eliminate InfoPath and classic workflows during modernization.
- Map metadata and permissions before content moves.
- Test custom code in modern environments early.
- Use Microsoft migration tooling when possible for consistency and auditability.
Real-World Example
A regional healthcare organization relied heavily on SharePoint 2016 for document management, patient documentation workflows, and legacy InfoPath forms. With the 2026 retirement approaching, the IT department faced rising operational overhead and growing concern about unsupported authentication models.
IncWorx conducted a full environment assessment and identified over 300 workflows dependent on the SharePoint Add In model, which is scheduled to retire in April 2026. We transitioned the organization to SharePoint Online, replacing workflows with Power Automate, redesigning content structures, and implementing Microsoft Purview retention labels. Post migration, the organization improved audit visibility, reduced patching overhead, and enabled modern collaboration across teams, all while achieving full compliance alignment.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Organizations often underestimate migration timelines, fail to document dependencies, or wait until after end of support to begin planning. This leads to accelerated timelines, elevated cost, and higher risk.
Key mistakes include:
- Assuming custom code will work in modern environments
- Delaying decisions until critical functionality breaks
- Underestimating security exposure on unsupported servers
- Migrating content without restructuring it for modern use
Key Takeaways
The SharePoint end of life deadline is approaching quickly and brings significant business, security, and compliance risk. Planning early reduces disruption, ensures modernization success, and unlocks the full value of Microsoft 365.
Key points:
- SharePoint 2016 and 2019 support ends July 14, 2026.
- Unsupported environments cannot meet modern security or compliance standards.
- Modernization paths include SharePoint Online or Subscription Edition.
- Start assessment and roadmap planning as early as possible.
It Is Time to Modernize Your SharePoint Environment
If your organization is still running classic or on premises SharePoint, now is the right time to assess your environment and begin planning your transition. IncWorx can support every step from assessment through migration and modernization, helping you move to a secure, fully supported platform without disruption. Contact us today to get started.
