Support Period in Days
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, but they were not accepted.
Historical Data
| 5.8 | Support period of 2 weeks, 11 days. | -133 | -92% ▼ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7 | Support period of 5 months, 144 days. | -91 | -39% ▼ |
| 5.6 | Support period of 8 months, 235 days. | -119 | -34% ▼ |
| 5.5 | Support period of 12 months, 354 days. | -133 | -27% ▼ |
| 5.4 | Support period of 1 year, 487 days. | -140 | -22% ▼ |
| 5.3 | Support period of 2 years, 627 days. | -189 | -23% ▼ |
| 5.2 | Support period of 2 years, 816 days. | -75 | -8% ▼ |
| 5.1 | Support period of 2 years, 891 days. | -77 | -8% ▼ |
| 5.0 | Support period of 3 years, 968 days. | -385 | -28% ▼ |
| 4.9 | Support period of 4 years, 1,353 days. | -161 | -11% ▼ |
| 4.8 | Support period of 4 years, 1,514 days. | -184 | -11% ▼ |
| 4.7 | Support period of 5 years, 1,698 days. | -112 | -6% ▼ |
| 4.6 | Support period of 5 years, 1,810 days. | -126 | -7% ▼ |
| 4.5 | Support period of 5 years, 1,936 days. | -126 | -6% ▼ |
| 4.4 | Support period of 6 years, 2,062 days. | -112 | -5% ▼ |
| 4.3 | Support period of 6 years, 2,174 days. | -117 | -5% ▼ |
| 4.2 | Support period of 6 years, 2,291 days. | -127 | -5% ▼ |
| 4.1 | Support period of 7 years, 2,418 days. | -104 | -4% ▼ |
| 4.0 | Support period of 7 years, 2,522 days. | -141 | -5% ▼ |
| 3.9 | Support period of 7 years, 2,663 days. | -125 | -4% ▼ |
| 3.8 | Support period of 8 years, 2,788 days. | -49 | -2% ▼ |
| 3.7 | Support period of 8 years, 2,837 days. | +2,753 | 3,277% ▲ |
| 3.6 | Support period of 3 months, 84 days. | -149 | -64% ▼ |
| 3.5 | Support period of 8 months, 233 days. | +52 | 29% ▲ |
| 3.4 | Support period of 6 months, 181 days. | -3 | -2% ▼ |
| 3.3 | Support period of 6 months, 184 days. | +23 | 14% ▲ |
| 3.2 | Support period of 5 months, 161 days. | +30 | 23% ▲ |
| 3.1 | Support period of 4 months, 131 days. | -120 | -48% ▼ |
| 3.0 | Support period of 8 months, 251 days. | +70 | 39% ▲ |
| 2.9 | Support period of 6 months, 181 days. | -10 | -5% ▼ |
| 2.8 | Support period of 6 months, 191 days. | +9 | 5% ▲ |
| 2.7 | Support period of 6 months, 182 days. | +34 | 23% ▲ |
| 2.6 | Support period of 5 months, 148 days. | +40 | 37% ▲ |
| 2.5 | Support period of 4 months, 108 days. | -79 | -42% ▼ |
| 2.3 | Support period of 6 months, 187 days. | +56 | 43% ▲ |
| 2.2 | Support period of 4 months, 131 days. | +17 | 15% ▲ |
| 2.1 | Support period of 4 months, 114 days. | -278 | -71% ▼ |
| 2.0 | Support period of 1 year, 392 days. | +80 | 26% ▲ |
| 1.5 | Support period of 10 months, 312 days. | +41 | 15% ▲ |
| 1.2 | Support period of 9 months, 271 days. | +131 | 94% ▲ |
| 1.0 | Support period of 5 months, 140 days. | -81 | -37% ▼ |
| 0.7 | Support period of 7 months, 221 days. | +221 | 100% ▲ |