Elasticsearch 8.16 End of Life
Support dates and upgrade guidance — rebuilt from live data.
End of Life
Elasticsearch 8.16 reached end of life on 15 Apr 2025. It no longer receives security fixes.
481 days without security patches
Recommended action: upgrade to Elasticsearch 9.4. Check your version$ES_HOME/bin/elasticsearch -v
Support timeline
Official dates from the Elasticsearch release process.
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Initial release | 12 Nov 2024 | — |
| End of life | 15 Apr 2025 | 1.3 years ago |
| Latest release | 8.16.6 · 25 Mar 2025 | final |
Where to go from 8.16
Recommended target: Elasticsearch 9.4.
The newest actively supported branch is Elasticsearch 9.4 (latest release 9.4.4).
Frequently asked questions
Is Elasticsearch 8.16 still safe to use?
Elasticsearch 8.16 reached end of life on 15 Apr 2025, 481 days ago, and is no longer covered by standard support. Running it means no guaranteed security fixes.
Can I still download Elasticsearch 8.16?
Yes — the final release (8.16.6) generally remains available from vendor archives and OS package mirrors, but installing it means running software with known, unpatched vulnerabilities.
What should I upgrade Elasticsearch 8.16 to?
Upgrade to Elasticsearch 9.4, the newest actively supported branch.