TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Introduction
• The cycle
• Why we chose this approach
• What this means for you
• Version History
• Further Support
• Further Support

Introduction

Every January, we aim to ship a new major version of ManagementStudio - v2025, v2026, v2027 and so on. This schedule isn't a marketing choice, it follows Microsoft's .NET release calendar: Microsoft ships a new major .NET version every November, and our January release is built on it.

That dependency influences everything else about how we version and support ManagementStudio.

The cycle

Each major release also carries forward whatever Microsoft has changed upstream. Most commonly, that means a change to minimum requirements - typically the removal of support for an older SQL Server version, in step with Microsoft doing the same. If Microsoft has stopped supporting it, we won't ask you to keep running it either.

A point release only ever fixes bugs or adds features, it never changes the underlying .NET version or database requirements. Whether you're running 2025.1.x or 2025.99.x, it will sit on identical foundations; only the major version number changes them.

That gives the year a predictable cadence:

• January: a new major version ships, built on the previous November's .NET release, with minimum requirements reviewed and updated where needed.
• Through the year: point releases continue on that same major version, same foundations throughout.
• The following January: the next major version ships, and active development moves to that release line.
• Six months later: fix support for the previous major version ends.  For example, 2026.x is supported for fixes until the end of June 2027 - six months after 2027.0 ships.

Why we chose this approach

By using an annual cycle that's tied to Microsoft means our minimum requirements are never more than a few months behind theirs.  This ensures that our platform and the components that we depend on will benefit from security patches, bug fixes, and new features as they become available rather than operating in a future of uncertainty.

Fixing the major release to a set January date, rather than "whenever it's ready," also makes the timing predictable. You know when a requirement change is coming and roughly what shape it'll take, rather than finding a new SQL Server minimum buried in a changelog with no warning.

What this means for you

• You always know what's coming, and when. Major requirement changes land once a year, in January - not scattered unpredictably across point releases.
• Point releases are safe to apply without re-checking your environment. On a supported major version, every point release within it runs on the same .NET and database requirements you're already running.
• You get a runway, not a cliff edge. When a new major version ships, the previous one keeps receiving fixes for another six months - enough time to plan and test an upgrade rather than being forced into one overnight.
• Your infrastructure stays in step with what Microsoft still supports. Because our requirement changes track Microsoft's own removals, staying current with ManagementStudio also keeps you off components that have already run out of support elsewhere.

Version History

Please refer to the Change Log for notes on the latest release.

Further Support

If you require further support, please visit ManagementStudio's Service Desk to search the knowledge base or create a new support ticket.