When Does Support for Microsoft Dynamics NAV End? Everything You Need to Know

Microsoft Dynamics NAV, formerly known as Navision, has been the backbone of many companies’ finance and operations for decades. However, Microsoft is winding down support for this on‑premise software as it shifts investment toward its modern cloud ERP, Dynamics 365 Business Central. If your organisation still relies on NAV, understanding the support timelines and what comes next is essential.

Understanding Microsoft’s support lifecycle

Microsoft products follow two main lifecycle policies:

• Fixed Lifecycle Policy – used for Dynamics NAV, it provides five years of mainstream support followed by five years of extended support. Mainstream support includes new functionality, regulatory updates and bug fixes, while extended support only delivers security updates. Once extended support ends, Microsoft releases no further patches.

• Modern Lifecycle Policy – used for Dynamics 365 Business Central when hosted in the cloud. There are no set end dates; Microsoft provides continuous updates as long as you remain a subscriber.
  
  

Mainstream versus extended support

During mainstream support, organisations receive feature enhancements, regulatory changes and bug fixes. For example, Dynamics NAV 2018 launched on 1 December 2017 and its mainstream support ended on 10 January 2023.

After this date, NAV 2018 stopped receiving new features, but it entered extended support, which will continue to deliver security patches until 11 January 2028.

Extended support acts as a safety net, giving customers time to plan an upgrade. It lasts five years and only covers essential security updates. When extended support ends, the product reaches end of life and will receive no further updates.

Support end dates for Dynamics NAV

The table below summarises when mainstream and extended support end for popular versions of Dynamics NAV. The dates are based on Microsoft’s lifecycle documentation

These dates show that mainstream support has already ended for all NAV releases. Organisations using versions older than NAV 2015 are already out of extended support. NAV 2015 will lose extended support on 14 January 2025, NAV 2016 on 14 April 2026, NAV 2017 on 11 January 2027 and NAV 2018 on 11 January 2028.

Why is support ending?

Microsoft has been clear that Dynamics 365 Business Central is the future of its ERP ecosystem. The company invests heavily in Business Central and its surrounding cloud tools such as Power BI, Microsoft Teams and Office 365. Business Central is available as a cloud service with continuous updates or as an on‑premise deployment following a fixed lifecycle. By contrast, Dynamics NAV is governed by the older fixed policy and will not receive new functionality. The retirement of NAV versions encourages customers to adopt Business Central to benefit from new features and tighter integration across the Microsoft platform.

Risks of staying on unsupported software

Many organisations delay upgrades due to cost or fear of disruption. However, remaining on an unsupported version of NAV carries significant risks:

1. Security vulnerabilities – once extended support ends there are no more security updates, leaving your system exposed to cyber threats.

2. Compliance issues – industries such as financial services or healthcare require that software is kept up to date. Using unsupported software could breach regulations.

3. Compatibility problems – future versions of Windows and other integrated applications may not work with outdated NAV releases.

4. Shrinking support community – as more partners shift focus to Business Central, it becomes harder to find experts willing to support old NAV systems.

5. Lost opportunity – delaying a migration means missing out on modern features, automation and efficiency gains offered by cloud ERP.
   
   

What are your options?

Upgrade within NAV

If you are running a very old version, upgrading to a more recent NAV release can extend the support window. Fidesic advises that businesses on outdated versions should at least upgrade to NAV 2018 to benefit from security updates until 2028. This approach buys time but still requires another upgrade before 2028.

Migrate to Dynamics 365 Business Central

For most organisations, moving to Dynamics 365 Business Central is the most future‑proof solution. Business Central evolved from NAV and many experts view it as the next version of Navision. It provides:

• Modern user experience – improved navigation and user interface.

• Subscription licensing – pay per user per month rather than purchasing licences upfront.

• Continuous updates – cloud deployments receive automatic updates under the Modern Lifecycle Policy.

• Integration with Microsoft cloud – seamless connections to Power BI, Office 365 and the Power Platform.

Business Central can be deployed in the cloud or on‑premise. On‑premise versions still follow a fixed lifecycle (for example, Business Central version 13 and 14 have extended support until October 2025). Cloud deployments avoid future end‑of‑support dates because Microsoft manages updates.

Hybrid approaches

Some organisations adopt a phased approach. This might involve upgrading to NAV 2018 now while planning a migration to Business Central later, or running Business Central Online alongside certain on‑premise integrations. BC4 can help you evaluate the right strategy for your organisation.

What does a migration involve?

Every migration is unique, but a typical NAV to Business Central project follows these steps:

1. Assessment and planning – audit your current NAV system, identify customisations and integrations and define success criteria.

2. Data preparation – cleanse and standardise data to ensure it can be migrated cleanly.

3. Solution design – decide which customisations to re‑implement as extensions or replace with standard Business Central functionality.

4. Migration and testing – migrate data, test processes and train key users.

5. Training and change management – train staff on new workflows and support adoption.

6. Go‑live and post‑implementation support – transition to the new system and address any issues.

The complexity and duration of a migration depend on factors such as the amount of historical data, number of customisations and required integrations. Smaller projects may take a few months, while larger migrations can take six months or more.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between mainstream and extended support?

Mainstream support includes new features, bug fixes and regulatory updates. Extended support follows mainstream support for five years and only provides security updates.

When does extended support end for Dynamics NAV 2018?

Extended support for NAV 2018 ends on 11 January 2028.

Is NAV 2013 still supported?

No. Both mainstream and extended support for NAV 2013 and NAV 2013 R2 ended on 10 January 2023.

Do I have to move to the cloud?

Not necessarily. Business Central is available on‑premise, but on‑premise versions have fixed end dates. For instance, Business Central versions 13 and 14 will be supported until October 2025. Choosing a cloud deployment eliminates these deadlines because Microsoft manages updates.

How long does a NAV to Business Central migration take?

The timeline depends on system complexity. Simple migrations can take a few months, while complex environments may require six months or more. BC4’s assessment can provide a realistic schedule.

Can we migrate our customisations?

Many NAV customisations can be rebuilt in Business Central using extensions. During planning, BC4 will review your custom code and advise whether to replicate, refactor or retire each customisation.

Conclusion

Mainstream support for all versions of Dynamics NAV has already ended, and extended support for the last release (NAV 2018) ends on 11 January 2028. Continuing to run unsupported software exposes organisations to security, compliance and compatibility risks. Upgrading within NAV can extend support briefly, but migrating to Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a long‑term solution with continuous innovation and integration across the Microsoft ecosystem.

What to read next

The next article in this series explains why Microsoft is retiring Dynamics NAV and what it means for organisations like yours.

See your options — read Why Microsoft is Retiring Dynamics NAV and What It Means for Your Business to learn more about Microsoft’s strategy and your upgrade choices.