Is Dynamics NAV 2017 reaching end of life?

Microsoft doesn't use the phrase "end of life" for Dynamics NAV 2017 — its own "Ending Support in 2027" page lists Dynamics NAV 2017's End of Support date as January 11, 2027, grouped with BizTalk Server 2016, Microsoft Host Integration Server 2016, the System Center 2016 family, and Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2017. NAV 2017's separate product Lifecycle page, which says the product "follows the Fixed Lifecycle Policy," lists the same deadline as a timestamp, 1/12/2027, Pacific Time, and shows mainstream support as already ended, listed there as 1/12/2022 (January 2022). Neither page says what happens to the installed software after January 11, 2027, only that this is where NAV 2017's listed support ends.

When exactly does Dynamics NAV 2017 support end?

Microsoft's page listing products reaching end of support in 2027 gives a specific date: Dynamics NAV 2017's End of Support is January 11, 2027. NAV 2017's own product Lifecycle page lists the same deadline as a timestamp, 1/12/2027, Pacific Time, and shows mainstream support as already ended, listed there as 1/12/2022 (January 2022). Neither page states what happens to the installed software after January 11, 2027, only that it marks the end of NAV 2017's listed support life.

What about Dynamics NAV 2018 — is it on the same timeline?

No. Microsoft's separate Lifecycle page for Dynamics NAV 2018 lists its own extended end date as 1/12/2028, so January 2028 — about a year behind NAV 2017's January 11, 2027 end-of-support date. NAV 2018's mainstream support has also already ended, per the same page. Both versions follow the Fixed Lifecycle Policy, and the same Business Central upgrade path applies to either one.

What does upgrading from NAV 2017 to Business Central actually involve?

Microsoft's page on supported upgrade paths to Business Central on-premises places Dynamics NAV 2017 in the same source-version group as NAV 2015, NAV 2016, NAV 2018, and Business Central October 2018. For target releases up through Business Central 2024 release wave 2 (version 25), that group's path goes directly from Business Central Spring 2019 (version 14) to the target. Only for the current release track, starting with 2025 release wave 1 (version 26), does the page add an extra stop at version 25 before the target — so reaching today's current release from NAV 2017 means version 14, then version 25, then the target. Microsoft states plainly that "this path requires you convert your application from C/AL to AL." The page doesn't say what that conversion involves for a specific customized database beyond stating the requirement — it's a fact to plan around, not a detail we can fill in without seeing your database. It's also specifically about on-premises upgrades; moving to Business Central online is a different scenario this page doesn't cover.

Should we move to Business Central online or stay on-premises?

Microsoft's own overview page for upgrading to Business Central says the upgrade process "depends on different factors, including on your decision to deploy Business Central on-premises or move your solution online," and that different upgrade scenarios are supported depending on which way you go. The page doesn't compare the two options or say which one fits which situation — it treats where Business Central runs as a decision you make before the supported scenarios can even be identified. That's a planning question worth settling early, not something a lifecycle page answers for you.

Blog · 7 min read · September 27, 2026

Dynamics NAV 2017 end of support: January 11, 2027

Microsoft's 'Ending Support in 2027' page lists Dynamics NAV 2017's End of Support date as January 11, 2027 — the same date as BizTalk Server 2016 and the System Center 2016 family. Dynamics NAV 2017's own product Lifecycle page lists the same deadline as a timestamp, 1/12/2027 Pacific Time, and mainstream support already ended, listed there as 1/12/2022. Dynamics NAV 2018's separate Lifecycle page lists its own extended end as 1/12/2028 — January 2028, a year later. Both follow the Fixed Lifecycle Policy, and Microsoft's supported on-premises upgrade path from either version to Business Central requires converting the application from C/AL to AL at version 14; reaching the current release also requires an added stop at version 25.

Microsoft has set a firm date for Dynamics NAV 2017 end of support: January 11, 2027, a little over three months from now. If your organization is still running NAV 2017 and you're weighing a NAV to Business Central migration, or trying to figure out what a Dynamics NAV upgrade to Business Central actually involves, here's what Microsoft's own documentation says — and what it leaves for you to decide.

The one-sentence version: Dynamics NAV 2017's end-of-support date is January 11, 2027 per Microsoft, NAV 2018 owners have until January 2028, and Microsoft's documented on-premises route from either version to Business Central requires converting the application from C/AL to AL at version 14, plus an added stop at version 25 to reach the current release.

What Microsoft says about NAV 2017's deadline

Microsoft's page listing products reaching end of support in 2027 states it directly: Dynamics NAV 2017's End of Support date is January 11, 2027. That page groups NAV 2017 in the same row as BizTalk Server 2016, Microsoft Host Integration Server 2016, the System Center 2016 family (Data Protection, Operations Manager, Orchestrator, Service Manager, Virtual Machine Manager), and Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2017 — all products under the Fixed Policy reaching end of support on the same day. NAV 2017's own product Lifecycle page corroborates this: it says the product follows the Fixed Lifecycle Policy, and lists the same deadline as a timestamp, 1/12/2027 at 6:59:59 AM, Pacific Time — the calendar day before that timestamp is January 11, 2027, matching the dedicated end-of-support listing. That same product Lifecycle page shows mainstream support as already ended, listed there as 1/12/2022, so January 2022. Neither page says what changes for the software itself once January 11, 2027 passes — they list support dates, not a statement about whether an installed system keeps running.

NAV 2018 owners have one more year

If you're running Dynamics NAV 2018 instead, Microsoft's separate Lifecycle page for that version follows the same Fixed Lifecycle Policy and lists its own extended end date as 1/12/2028 — January 2028, about a year behind NAV 2017's January 11, 2027. Mainstream support for NAV 2018 has already ended too, per that same page. A year of extra runway is real, but the upgrade path ahead is the same one described below, and nothing about it gets shorter by waiting.

The on-premises upgrade path: direct to a point, then one extra stop

Microsoft's page on supported upgrade paths to Business Central on-premises groups Dynamics NAV 2017 with NAV 2015, NAV 2016, NAV 2018, and Business Central October 2018 (version 13) as a single set of "source versions." For target releases up through Business Central 2024 release wave 2 (version 25), that group's path goes directly from Business Central Spring 2019 (version 14) to the target — the table for version 24, for example, lists the path as Business Central Spring 2019 (version 14) Business Central 2024 release wave 1 (version 24), marked This path requires you convert your application from C/AL to AL. Only starting with the 2025 release wave 1 target (version 26) does the page add an extra stop: to reach the current release Microsoft lists there, the path from NAV 2017 runs through version 14, then Business Central 2024 release wave 2 (version 25), then the target release — two intermediate versions, not a single one, and the same C/AL to AL conversion requirement applies at the first stop.

The page doesn't explain what that conversion means in detail for a specific customized database — it states the requirement without describing what happens to custom modifications along the way. What it does say is that version 14 is a mandatory stop for anyone coming from version 13 or earlier, including NAV 2017: If you're coming from version 13 or earlier, Business Central Spring 2019 (v14) is a required step to upgrade to the latest version of Business Central. The same page notes that mainstream support for version 14 ends in October 2023, and minor updates to the version are no longer available, and that new customers can't use version 14 in production, but only as a path for upgrading to latest version. In other words: version 14 is a waypoint you pass through on the way to a current, supported release, not a place to land.

Microsoft's page states it directly for anyone targeting the current release: Starting in 2025 release wave 1 (v26), the direct upgrade from Business Central 2019 (v14) to the latest release won't be supported. The supported upgrade path will be through 2024 release wave 2 (v25). That's the second intermediate stop described above, and it's worth reading against our companion post on what changed in a recent Business Central release, since the version you land on will already differ from the one Microsoft's upgrade-paths page describes by the time you get there.

Online or on-premises: a decision the page doesn't make for you

Microsoft's overview page for upgrading to Business Central says the process depends on different factors, including on your decision to deploy Business Central on-premises or move your solution online, and that depending on your decision to upgrade to either Business Central online or on-premises, different scenarios are supported. That's as far as this page goes — it names where Business Central runs as a factor that changes which upgrade scenarios apply, but it doesn't compare the two options or say which one fits which situation. It's also worth naming what the upgrade-path page above actually is: Microsoft titles it "Supported upgrade paths to Business Central on-premises," so everything it documents is the on-premises route. Moving to Business Central online instead is a different scenario that page doesn't cover at all. For a customized NAV 2017 database, that's a decision worth making early, before the rest of the upgrade path gets scoped, and it's a question we'd want answered before quoting any project. If you do stay on-premises, the servicing clock there runs on its own separate schedule — see our post on how often Business Central on-premises versions fall out of servicing.

Why the runway is shorter than it sounds

January 11, 2027 is a little over three months from when we're reading this page. Whatever you decide — stay on a current, supported NAV or Business Central version, or start the upgrade project now — the path itself is multi-step: a required stop at version 14 with a C/AL to AL conversion, an added stop at version 25 if you're aiming for the current release, and a decision about where the finished system runs. None of that compresses into a short window, and a live production database doesn't pause for it. Dynamics GP customers are watching a similar clock on a longer fuse; see our post on what actually migrates when Dynamics GP retires for how Microsoft's own migration tooling handles a comparable jump. And whenever the cutover happens, it has to land somewhere in your calendar that isn't already spoken for — our post on how the close cycle sets the real migration calendar covers why that window is narrower than the project plan usually assumes.

Where we fit

We don't resell Dynamics NAV, Business Central, or any Microsoft licensing — we help implement. If you're weighing the path from NAV 2017 or NAV 2018 to a current Business Central release, that's exactly the kind of senior, labor-only project work we do: scoping the version path, planning around the C/AL to AL conversion, and helping settle the online-versus-on-premises question before it becomes a blocker mid-project. See our Dynamics 365 implementation work for how we structure that kind of engagement.

Sources

The 30-second version

Microsoft's "Ending Support in 2027" page lists Dynamics NAV 2017's End of Support date as January 11, 2027, the same date as BizTalk Server 2016 and the System Center 2016 family; NAV 2017's own product Lifecycle page corroborates that with a matching timestamp. NAV 2018 gets until January 2028. Neither Lifecycle page uses the phrase "end of life" — they list mainstream and extended end dates under the Fixed Lifecycle Policy instead, and neither says what happens to installed software after those dates, only that support itself ends. Microsoft's documented on-premises path to Business Central for either version runs through Business Central Spring 2019 (version 14) as a mandatory stop, with an added stop at version 25 required only to reach the current release; Microsoft is explicit that it requires converting the application from C/AL to AL — without detailing what that means for your specific customizations. Whether the finished system runs online or on-premises is a decision Microsoft's own overview page names as a factor but doesn't resolve for you — and its on-premises upgrade-paths page doesn't cover the online scenario at all. None of that fits into a short window, and January 11, 2027 is closer than it looks.

If you want a senior engineer to help scope the path from NAV 2017 or NAV 2018 to a current Business Central release, the project intake form takes about three minutes. We'll come back with scope and a fixed-fee range.

Pro IT NW helps regulated mid-market organizations plan and implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Business Central projects. Vendor-neutral, labor-only — we don't resell Dynamics licensing. This post reflects Microsoft's Lifecycle and Business Central upgrade documentation as read on September 27, 2026.

Questions we get asked

Is Dynamics NAV 2017 reaching end of life?: Microsoft doesn't use the phrase "end of life" for Dynamics NAV 2017 — its own "Ending Support in 2027" page lists Dynamics NAV 2017's End of Support date as January 11, 2027, grouped with BizTalk Server 2016, Microsoft Host Integration Server 2016, the System Center 2016 family, and Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2017. NAV 2017's separate product Lifecycle page, which says the product "follows the Fixed Lifecycle Policy," lists the same deadline as a timestamp, 1/12/2027, Pacific Time, and shows mainstream support as already ended, listed there as 1/12/2022 (January 2022). Neither page says what happens to the installed software after January 11, 2027, only that this is where NAV 2017's listed support ends.
When exactly does Dynamics NAV 2017 support end?: Microsoft's page listing products reaching end of support in 2027 gives a specific date: Dynamics NAV 2017's End of Support is January 11, 2027. NAV 2017's own product Lifecycle page lists the same deadline as a timestamp, 1/12/2027, Pacific Time, and shows mainstream support as already ended, listed there as 1/12/2022 (January 2022). Neither page states what happens to the installed software after January 11, 2027, only that it marks the end of NAV 2017's listed support life.
What about Dynamics NAV 2018 — is it on the same timeline?: No. Microsoft's separate Lifecycle page for Dynamics NAV 2018 lists its own extended end date as 1/12/2028, so January 2028 — about a year behind NAV 2017's January 11, 2027 end-of-support date. NAV 2018's mainstream support has also already ended, per the same page. Both versions follow the Fixed Lifecycle Policy, and the same Business Central upgrade path applies to either one.
What does upgrading from NAV 2017 to Business Central actually involve?: Microsoft's page on supported upgrade paths to Business Central on-premises places Dynamics NAV 2017 in the same source-version group as NAV 2015, NAV 2016, NAV 2018, and Business Central October 2018. For target releases up through Business Central 2024 release wave 2 (version 25), that group's path goes directly from Business Central Spring 2019 (version 14) to the target. Only for the current release track, starting with 2025 release wave 1 (version 26), does the page add an extra stop at version 25 before the target — so reaching today's current release from NAV 2017 means version 14, then version 25, then the target. Microsoft states plainly that "this path requires you convert your application from C/AL to AL." The page doesn't say what that conversion involves for a specific customized database beyond stating the requirement — it's a fact to plan around, not a detail we can fill in without seeing your database. It's also specifically about on-premises upgrades; moving to Business Central online is a different scenario this page doesn't cover.
Should we move to Business Central online or stay on-premises?: Microsoft's own overview page for upgrading to Business Central says the upgrade process "depends on different factors, including on your decision to deploy Business Central on-premises or move your solution online," and that different upgrade scenarios are supported depending on which way you go. The page doesn't compare the two options or say which one fits which situation — it treats where Business Central runs as a decision you make before the supported scenarios can even be identified. That's a planning question worth settling early, not something a lifecycle page answers for you.

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