The last date for extended support for SharePoint Server 2013 is April 11, 2023.

Continuing to use SharePoint Server 2013 unsupported comes with many risks and is not the recommended approach. If your organization is still running SharePoint 2013, you have two great options:

1. Migrate to SharePoint Online in Microsoft 365
2. Upgrade to SharePoint 2019 or SharePoint Server Subscription Edition

While taking on an upgrade or migration project might not be at the top of your to-do list, you may want to reprioritize that list after hearing the risks associated with running unsupported.

Top 3 risks of running SharePoint Server 2013 unsupported

1. Security

When a product is still under support, patches are deployed routinely to keep up with the ever-changing tactics of hackers and cybercriminals.  When support ends it also means the end of those security patches that keep us protected. Without up-to-date patching capabilities, your organization will be left much more vulnerable to security breaches with no support from Microsoft available if one does occur.

2. No support

You are on your own when it comes to support. Yes, this sounds obvious, but we had to list it.  Microsoft’s technical support will no longer be offered for SharePoint 2013 after April 2023 without incurring additional charges for post-life support which can be pretty expensive.

3. Risk of business interruption

Over time components and solutions that may be critical to your business users, become less and less reliable and more prone to failure. Without the support of Microsoft to quickly get you up and running again should a failure occur, your team will experience extended downtime to coordinate an unsupported fix if a fix is possible at all. The prolonged efforts of either reaching out for post-life support in a panic or having to brainstorm internally to put out the fire means your system will be affected and possibly down for longer while those efforts are coordinated.

Running SharePoint Server 2013 unsupported is risky

If you are still utilizing the SharePoint 2013 framework, it’s time to start planning for your migration to SharePoint Online or upgrade to the latest SharePoint Server Edition.  Let the experts at Compass365 help with our migration planning and implementation services. Working with one of our Solutions Architects as part of a Migration Assessment and Planning Engagement will provide you with a plan to move forward.  Depending on the complexity of your environment, your migration from SharePoint 2013 may take anywhere from 8 weeks to 6+ months. Let’s get you ready for April 2023 and the end of support for 2013.  Contact us to get started.

Compass365, a Microsoft Gold Partner, delivers SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and Power Platform solutions that help IT and Business leaders improve the way their organizations operate and how their employees work.