On-prem SharePoint Server had a good run, but Microsoft is officially pulling the plug on July 14, 2026. Now this doesn't mean that the products will suddenly stop working, just that Microsoft is going to stop supporting them in any way.
But for businesses, this is practically the same thing.
Because this date is fast approaching, we recommend thinking about the migration now so that you're well prepared and have a plan in place when the time arrives. You should be thinking about what data you need to move, where it's going to be going, and how to get it there.
As for where to move the data, we have three recommendations for where you can move SharePoint Server files to cause the minimal amount of disruption to your team that we'll cover here: Moving to SharePoint Server Subscription Edition, migrating to SharePoint online, or using this as an opportunity to explore new platforms.
What does SharePoint Server End-of-life actually mean?
For Microsoft, end of life means that "there will be no new security updates, non-security updates, free or paid assisted support options or online technical content updates" for the product.
SharePoint Server is one of the products following Microsoft's Fixed Lifecycle Policy, meaning they had a predefined product support timeframe at launch. While in theory, this should mean that organizations had plenty of time to prepare for this date, the reality is that it can feel annoying, challenging, or difficult to change products, especially if everything is working well. But in cases like product EOLs, it's better to rip the band-aid off and just do it.
Since SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 won't be supported by Microsoft in any way, they won't consider themselves responsible if something goes wrong. After end-of-life, it will be basically dead to them, a zombie product that limps forward on its own.
And one with the potential to infect other products and services.
Now, recall that Microsoft never said they're shutting down these products, so technically, they won't stop working and it's an option to continue using them. But we're calling this Option 0 because it's so risky.
Option 0 - Continue using SharePoint Server after EOL
Organizations use outdated and unpatched software all the time. It also happens to be one of the leading causes of malware. In fact, Tech Monitor suggests that known vulnerabilities are worse than zero-day exploits since the attack vectors are already known and in some instances, can offer almost guaranteed success.
If the SharePoint Server is isolated to a local network and never exposed to the public internet, it's a lower risk. But the risk isn't eliminated. Should an internal system be compromised for whatever reason, it could still spread through the entire network. And remember, it's not just updates that are ending in July but also support, including paid support options. So if something goes wrong and SharePoint Server stops working as expected, your team is on their own.
For any business that's serious about security, continuing to use unsupported products isn't worth the risk. The more viable, safer choice is to find a new platform and run a migration, with the most similar option being SharePoint Server Subscription Edition.
Option 1: Move to SharePoint Server Subscription Edition
Many orgs still using SharePoint 2016/2019 require an on-prem server, and the closest platform with ongoing support is SharePoint Server Subscription Edition (SPSE).
This version of SharePoint Server already has more features than 2016/2019 like improved encryption and authentication support, and new features may be added during the bi-annual update, with security updates released about once a month.
Since this is the most similar option to the old SharePoint Servers, it should have the least amount of disruption to the organization. It shares practically the same limitations across the board--filename and character limits for instance--so the migration won't be particularly difficult either.
So what's actually different then? One of the main differences is the pricing model. The old SharePoint servers were a perpetual, one-off cost. You'd pay for the licenses for the product and access and be done.
SharePoint Server Subscription Edition is just like it sounds: an ongoing subscription to use the product, intended to go on indefinitely.The new pricing model is based on the number of server and access licenses needed and renewed annually.
This is great for Microsoft since they'll continue to bring in revenue, but it will also simplify support, troubleshooting, and updates for businesses. Since all of the focus will be on a single version of SharePoint Server, all of the effort for support will go here, which should make it simpler to maintain and manage for both sides.
Option 2: Move to SharePoint Online
If your organization doesn't have a strict on-premise mandate, another similar option you could explore is SharePoint Online.
Microsoft is touting SharePoint Online as the “definitive edition” they intend to support indefinitely. SharePoint Online will receive more and faster updates, has additional features, and integrates better with other Microsoft applications, especially the cloud-based offerings and Copilot AI. And because infrastructure is included in the SharePoint Online cost, it often comes out cheaper over time, along with not having to maintain infrastructure in-house.
Since it's a cloud service, updates and patches will be delivered across the board almost immediately, which means more features and greater protection, faster. Microsoft themselves are pushing for adoption of Microsoft 365 when possible due to real-time collaboration, enhanced security, and of course, Copilot. They even created the SPMT tool for this job, but while functional, it doesn't have a lot of the features of Movebot.
Movebot can help support you in this migration with direct platform integrations with legacy SharePoint servers and SharePoint Online, and since both platforms have similar conventions and limitations, the move is generally simple and straightforward.
But with Movebot, you also have the option to move to any of our other 30+ supported platforms, opening up a third option for your organization.
Option 3: Move anywhere else
It's no secret that Microsoft and SharePoint Online are the go-to platforms for large, established businesses and enterprises. But that doesn't mean that they're the best choice for all of these types of companies. Depending on your organization's use case, working style, access requirements, and collaboration needs, a different platform may be a better fit.
Of course, moving to a different ecosystem comes with challenges, growing pains, and potentially some changes to the files to accommodate the new platform, but over time, choosing the best platform offers many long-term advantages like more efficient workflows and operations.
If you're interested in reviewing different storage platforms to find the best fit for your organization, we recommend taking a look at The Cloud Storage Guide. The Cloud Storage Guide is an unbiased resource we developed to bring the differences between storage platforms in one place to quickly compare storage providers and learn how to optimize accounts.
Once you determine which platform to move to, whether it's SPSE, SharePoint Online, or anywhere else, the next step is to plan out the migration; something remarkably easy with Movebot.
Using Movebot to migrate from SharePoint Server 2016 or 2019
As the only data migration tool that supports over 30 platforms, Movebot is all about giving you full control over where your data ends up and how it looks when it gets there.
Movebot makes migrations simple, intuitive, and straightforward. As a SaaS data migration tool, there are no VMs, nothing to download, and no complex license structures to worry about. Simply sign up, connect your source, and you can start moving files in minutes.
Being the easiest way to migrate files means more than moving them from A to B. Movebot also offers a lot of QoL benefits along the way, such as automatic deduplication, filename sanitization, and more. You can also run transfers down to the folder level, and easily map and run transfers as needed. Movebot also requires no downtime, meaning users can continue working in the source even while the migration is running, and you can take advantage of unlimited delta migrations to only move changed and new files so everything arrives.
Ready to see if Movebot is a good fit? You can register and explore the tool for free with no credit card required and nothing to pay until you start moving data. We encourage you to run a test migration and see how it works, and if you have any questions about compatibility or configurations, you can get in touch with our team.
