WordPress Versions Support Period

Data Sources

The raw data for this chart is based on release dates of all the major WordPress versions.

Support period is the difference (in days) between the release date until the version end-of-life, or when it was no longer receiving updates.

History

Supported versions receive regular updates fixing bugs and security vulnerabilities by releasing minor versions.

At the beginning, each major version was supported until the next major version was released.

The introduction of Automatic Updates in WordPress 3.7 was a game changer. It made it easier to support older versions by releasing new minor versions fixing security vulnerabilities automatically in the background. Since then, all major versions are actively supported. When new vulnerability discovered, core developers release a new minor version fox all major versions – back to WordPress 3.7.

Until WordPress 3.7 the support period was equal to version lifespan – the period between two major WordPress versions.
Since WordPress 3.7 the support period is larger than version lifespan – the period since the release date.

There were many discussions to stop supporting older WordPress versions. On September 7, 2022 WordPress Security Team dropped security updates for WordPress versions 3.7 through 4.0 as of December 1, 2022.

Historical Data