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GitHub Actions · Forced move · Announced June 16, 2026 · Sources checked Oct 17

Time to bail on GitHub Actions jobs on ubuntu-22.04?

Time to Bail · Boarding pass

FromGitHub Actions jobs on ubuntu-22.04
ToYour pick

Act. You can stay.

Ubuntu-22.04 jobs end with an error after April 17, 2027. Change the runner label.[1]

Act means: change a setting or plan before the date. You can stay.

Gate closes
Fully unsupported
Time left
181days
Status
Act

GitHub Actions ubuntu-22.04 runners retire April 17, 2027

GitHub retires the ubuntu-22.04 and ubuntu-22.04-arm runner images on April 17, 2027. Jobs that still use them end with an error. Short planned outages make these jobs fail on some days before that. Azure Pipelines hosted agents lose the image on the same day.

Email me 7 days before Apr 17

One email with the first steps. Nothing else.

We email you one link to confirm (double opt-in). Nothing starts until you click it. Unsubscribe any time. How we use your email.

Or add the date to your calendar: Apple or Outlook (.ics) · Google Calendar

How it is winding down

  1. Jun 16, 2026AnnouncedDone
  2. Sep 17, 2026Deprecation beganDone
  3. Apr 17Fully unsupportedNext

What to do before April 17

Tick steps as you go. Your progress stays in this browser.

  1. Search your workflows

    Look for ubuntu-22.04 in runs-on and in matrix lists in .github/workflows.

  2. Check Azure Pipelines

    Look for vmImage: ubuntu-22.04 in your azure-pipelines.yml files.

  3. Change the label

    Use ubuntu-24.04, ubuntu-26.04 or ubuntu-latest. For Arm, use ubuntu-24.04-arm or ubuntu-26.04-arm.

  4. Fix packages and tools

    A newer image has newer packages. Run the job once and fix what breaks.

Email me 7 days before Apr 17

One email with the first steps. Nothing else.

We email you one link to confirm (double opt-in). Nothing starts until you click it. Unsubscribe any time. How we use your email.

Or add the date to your calendar: Apple or Outlook (.ics) · Google Calendar

Facts we checked

Facts and their sources
Fully unsupportedApril 17, 2027[1]
Deprecation beganSeptember 17, 2026[1]
Labelsubuntu-22.04 and ubuntu-22.04-arm[1]
If you do nothingWorkflows using these labels will be terminated with an error[1]
Planned outages (brownouts)March 23, March 30, April 6 and April 13, 14:00 to 00:00 UTC; jobs fail then[1]
Replace withubuntu-24.04, ubuntu-26.04 or ubuntu-latest; for Arm, ubuntu-24.04-arm or ubuntu-26.04-arm[1]
Azure Pipelines hosted agentsThe Ubuntu 22.04 image is deprecated and scheduled for removal on April 17, 2027[2]
AnnouncedJune 16, 2026[1]
Jobs on ubuntu-22.04Fail after April 17, 2027[1]

After April 17, 2027 you will see

Jobs that use ubuntu-22.04 or ubuntu-22.04-arm end with an error. Brownouts before that day fail these jobs too, from 14:00 to 00:00 UTC on set days.

Fix

  1. Search .github/workflows for ubuntu-22.04.
  2. Change ubuntu-22.04 to ubuntu-24.04, ubuntu-26.04 or ubuntu-latest.
  3. For Arm, change ubuntu-22.04-arm to ubuntu-24.04-arm or ubuntu-26.04-arm.

Source: [1] [Ubuntu] The Ubuntu 22 based runner images will begin deprecation on September 17th and will be fully unsupported by April 17th for GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps (GitHub)

Sources

Check it yourself. Every fact above links here.

  1. [Ubuntu] The Ubuntu 22 based runner images will begin deprecation on September 17th and will be fully unsupported by April 17th for GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps GitHub · primary · checked Oct 17
  2. Microsoft-hosted agents for Azure Pipelines Microsoft · primary · checked Oct 17
Read the published editorial report

What changed

Time to bail on GitHub Actions jobs on ubuntu-22.04? Act. You can stay. Ubuntu-22.04 jobs end with an error after April 17, 2027. Change the runner label.

On our scale this is Act: change a setting or plan before the date. You can stay.

GitHub retires the ubuntu-22.04 and ubuntu-22.04-arm runner images on April 17, 2027. Jobs that still use them end with an error. Short planned outages make these jobs fail on some days before that. Azure Pipelines hosted agents lose the image on the same day.

Here are the facts we checked:

  • Fully unsupported: April 17, 2027 (GitHub)
  • Deprecation began: September 17, 2026 (GitHub)
  • Labels: ubuntu-22.04 and ubuntu-22.04-arm (GitHub)
  • If you do nothing: Workflows using these labels will be terminated with an error (GitHub)
  • Planned outages (brownouts): March 23, March 30, April 6 and April 13, 14:00 to 00:00 UTC; jobs fail then (GitHub)
  • Replace with: ubuntu-24.04, ubuntu-26.04 or ubuntu-latest; for Arm, ubuntu-24.04-arm or ubuntu-26.04-arm (GitHub)
  • Azure Pipelines hosted agents: The Ubuntu 22.04 image is deprecated and scheduled for removal on April 17, 2027 (Microsoft)
  • Announced: June 16, 2026 (GitHub)
  • Jobs on ubuntu-22.04: Fail after April 17, 2027 (GitHub)

You can stay on GitHub Actions. You have to change a setting or plan before the date.

Leaving is a choice here, not a must.

GitHub is the main source for this page. GitHub Actions has not said more than what is listed here. If a fact is not on this page, we do not know it yet.

Who is affected

Jobs on ubuntu-22.04: Fail after April 17, 2027.

The date to remember is April 17, 2027. Make the change before then.

What to do before April 17

  1. Search your workflows. Look for ubuntu-22.04 in runs-on and in matrix lists in .github/workflows.
  2. Check Azure Pipelines. Look for vmImage: ubuntu-22.04 in your azure-pipelines.yml files.
  3. Change the label. Use ubuntu-24.04, ubuntu-26.04 or ubuntu-latest. For Arm, use ubuntu-24.04-arm or ubuntu-26.04-arm.
  4. Fix packages and tools. A newer image has newer packages. Run the job once and fix what breaks.

A few tips:

  • Make the change yourself before the date. Do not wait for the last reminder email.
  • Write down your current plan or settings first, so you can compare after the change.
  • After the change, open your settings again and check that it worked.

How to tell your users

If the change affects your members or team, send one short email. Say what changes for them and when. Put the most important line first.

If there is a date, send a short reminder a few days before it. Keep a copy of the list you sent it to.

Options people mention

Listed for convenience. Not ranked. Not paid. These names come up in threads and reviews; that does not show where people moved.

Before you pay, check the price page of each tool yourself. Prices change, and we only list what our sources say.

Questions people ask

No questions collected yet.

Sources

  • [[Ubuntu] The Ubuntu 22 based runner images will begin deprecation on September 17th and will be fully unsupported by April 17th for GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps](https://github.com/actions/runner-images/issues/14254) — GitHub (primary), checked 2026-10-17
  • Microsoft-hosted agents for Azure Pipelines — Microsoft (primary), checked 2026-10-17

Thanks.

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