In This Blog
- TL;DR: Executive Summary
- Introduction
- What’s New in Umbraco 17?
- Why Upgrading Matters
- Understanding Umbraco’s Versioning Model
- A Note on Older Versions
- How the Upgrade Process Works
- Why Consider Umbraco During Your Cloud Upgrade
- Let’s Make Your Upgrade Seamless
- FAQ
TL;DR: Executive Summary
- Umbraco 17 is the latest LTS release, offering long-term stability, better performance, and enhanced security.
- Built on Microsoft .NET 10, it’s faster, more scalable, and future-ready.
- Older versions like 7 and 8 are fully unsupported and require a full migration.
- Support ends for Umbraco 16 in June 2026 and Umbraco 13 in December 2026—start planning now.
- Emergent Software helps organizations plan and execute Umbraco upgrades—from assessment and migration to cloud strategy—so upgrades are smooth, secure, and low-risk.
Introduction
Umbraco 17 has officially launched, and it’s the next Long-Term Support (LTS) version of the popular CMS. For businesses that value stability, security, and predictable upgrade cycles, this release is a major milestone. If your website is currently running on Umbraco 13 or 16, now is the time to start planning your upgrade.
Staying on supported versions ensures your site remains secure, compliant, and ready for the future.
What’s New in Umbraco 17?
Umbraco 17 introduces significant improvements designed to make managing your website easier and more efficient. One of the most notable advancements is the fully matured Backoffice, which was initially rebuilt in Umbraco 14 and has continued to improve with each update.
It’s now easier than ever for developers to create custom editing experiences, using the JavaScript framework of their choice to build Backoffice extensions and other tailored functionality. Content editors will benefit from noticeably faster load times and a smoother, more intuitive editing experience—making day-to-day operations more productive and seamless.
Beyond the Backoffice enhancements, Umbraco 17 includes critical improvements that optimize security, scalability, and global usability. Including:
- Granular permissions management enables precise user access control, down to the individual field level.
- Improved scalability supports large teams, high content volumes, and complex editorial workflows with ease.
- Built on Microsoft .NET 10, ensuring your CMS aligns with the latest performance, security, and platform standards.
- Enhanced Web APIs make it easier than ever to manage and distribute content across systems, including headless and composable architectures.
- Required functionality for the new Umbraco MCP server, enabling AI agents to directly read, write, and modify content within Umbraco.
By upgrading to Umbraco 17, you gain a faster, safer, and more flexible platform, helping your business stay competitive while reducing maintenance overload.
Why Upgrading Matters
Running your website on a supported version of Umbraco is critical for long-term success. Out-of-support versions no longer receive updates, leaving your site vulnerable to security risks and potential compliance issues.
Upgrading also improves performance and scalability, ensuring your site can handle growing traffic and content needs. Staying current means fewer surprises down the road and a smoother experience for both your team and your customers.
Understanding Umbraco’s Versioning Model
While upgrading to Umbraco 17 from Umbraco 13 may feel like quite a jump, it actually aligns with Umbraco’s predictable release cycle and versioning system.
Umbraco versions use a [Major].[Minor].[Patch] format: so each update provides clear expectations regarding the scope and impact of changes. This approach makes it easier to anticipate what’s involved in each upgrade and to plan accordingly, whether you’re making a small incremental improvement or adopting a significant new release.
Understanding Umbraco Version Types:
- Major Versions (e.g., 16 to 17): indicate significant changes, new features, and sometimes architectural updates. Upgrading between major versions may require extra attention to compatibility and testing but brings the greatest improvements in performance, security, and functionality.
- Minor Versions (e.g., 17.1 to 17.2): introduce minor updates and add new features and enhancements while maintaining backward compatibility. These are typically easier to adopt and are released more frequently.
- Patch Versions (e.g., 17.0.1 to 17.0.2): focus on bug fixes and security updates without adding new features or breaking changes. These updates are low-risk and should be applied promptly to keep your site secure and stable.
There are two types of Major version releases: Long-Term Support (LTS) and Standard-Term Support (STS). LTS versions, like Umbraco 17, are released every two years and supported for 24 months with an additional 12 months of security patches. STS versions arrive every six months and offer nine months of full support plus three months of security updates.
For most businesses, the LTS path is the best choice—it minimizes upgrade frequency while maintaining stability and security. If you prefer cutting-edge features and can handle more frequent updates, STS might be an option, but LTS remains the most cost-effective and predictable strategy.
A Special Note on Older Versions
If your site is still on Umbraco 7 or 8, it’s important to know these versions are fully out of support. This means:
- No security patches
- No bug fixes
- No official assistance from Umbraco
Upgrading from these versions requires a full rebuild and content migration because of major architectural changes introduced in Umbraco 9 and later. Continuing to run unsupported software increases risk and maintenance costs, so planning a migration should be a top priority.
How the Upgrade Process Works
Upgrading to Umbraco 17 doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s what the typical process looks like:
Initial Assessment: The process typically starts with a thorough assessment of your current Umbraco version, what features and packages are being used, and what other custom functionalities have been created. This evaluation helps determine which parts of your website may be affected by the upgrade, especially since each major version introduces new features that can sometimes require updates or replacements to existing functionality.
Upgrade Plan: Based on these findings, a detailed project plan is created to minimize any disruptions to your live site and ongoing development projects during the upgrade process.
Implementation: The team will then get to work. They will make the identified changes, updating the Umbraco packages used on the site as well as refactoring any deprecated functionality. Since extensive reviews and testing will take place, this is an ideal time to make other major enhancements that may be in the backlog.
Staging Environment: Once complete the upgraded site will be deployed to your dev/stage environment. The site undergoes comprehensive testing and review to ensure all features work as intended.
Go Live: After testing is complete and everything is verified, the updates are deployed and the new Umbraco 17 site is upgraded on the live environment.
Note: If your website is running on an older version, such as Umbraco 7 or 8, there is no direct upgrade path. In these cases, a full migration to the latest version is required to take advantage of new features, enhanced security, and ongoing support.
Why Consider Umbraco Cloud During Your Upgrade?
If you’re already planning an upgrade, this is the perfect time to consider moving to Umbraco Cloud.
Hosting your site on Umbraco Cloud offers benefits like:
- Automatic Umbraco upgrades on your website
- An included license to Umbraco tools such as Umbraco Deploy for content transfers, and Umbraco Forms for easy form management
- Single sign-on to Umbraco and the Cloud dashboard, which can integrate with your identity provider
- Simplified maintenance and peace of mind through fully managed infrastructure, all accessible via the Umbraco Cloud dashboard.
While not mandatory, moving to the cloud can significantly reduce the effort required to keep your site up-to-date in the future.
Ready to Upgrade? Let’s Talk
Emergent Software specializes in helping businesses upgrade to the latest version of Umbraco. Whether you’re moving from Umbraco 13 or 16 to 17, or migrating from older versions like 7 or 8, we can guide you through the process. We’ll also help you evaluate whether Umbraco Cloud is right for your organization.
Here are the key timelines to keep in mind:
- Support for Umbraco 13 is scheduled to end in December 2026
- Umbraco 16 will reach end of support in June 2026.
While you do have some time before these deadlines, it's wise to begin planning your upgrade now to ensure your website continues to benefit from the latest features, security updates, and official support.
Contact us today to start planning your upgrade and keep your website secure, fast, and future-ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main reason to upgrade to Umbraco 17?
The biggest reason to upgrade is that Umbraco 17 is a Long-Term Support (LTS) release, meaning it’s built for stability, security, and long-term maintenance. It includes major performance and usability improvements, a fully optimized backoffice for content editors, and updated architecture that runs on Microsoft .NET 10. Staying current ensures you benefit from ongoing updates, avoid security vulnerabilities, and maintain compliance standards. Delaying the upgrade could result in unsupported infrastructure that becomes harder and more expensive to maintain over time.
How long will Umbraco 13 and 16 be supported?
Umbraco 16 will reach end of support in June 2026, and Umbraco 13 support ends in December 2026. Once these dates pass, those versions will no longer receive updates, security patches, or official support. That means even minor bugs or vulnerabilities will remain unresolved, putting your site and your business at risk. Planning ahead for your upgrade allows time to assess custom features, test changes, and avoid rushing when deadlines get close.
Is upgrading from Umbraco 7 or 8 possible?
Technically, you can’t “upgrade” directly from Umbraco 7 or 8 to 17—these older versions require a full rebuild or migration. That’s because Umbraco 9 and later are built on a different framework (.NET Core), and the architectural changes are significant. While this sounds daunting, the migration offers a great opportunity to modernize your codebase, clean up outdated features, and take advantage of everything new Umbraco versions offer. Emergent Software regularly helps clients make this transition smoothly by providing guidance, testing, and implementation support every step of the way.
What are the benefits of moving to Umbraco Cloud?
Umbraco Cloud simplifies hosting and ongoing maintenance with features like automatic upgrades, built-in deployment tools, and easy environment management. It’s ideal for organizations that want to reduce infrastructure overhead, improve deployment consistency, and ensure they stay on supported versions without the manual work. It also includes features like Umbraco Deploy and Umbraco Forms out of the box, helping teams streamline content transfers and form building. While moving to the cloud isn’t required, it’s often the most efficient way to future-proof your CMS.
What’s the typical process for upgrading to Umbraco 17?
The upgrade process starts with a technical assessment of your current site—what version you’re running, what packages are installed, and what custom functionality exists. Based on that, a detailed project plan is created to minimize disruption, outline timelines, and map out needed changes. The development team then makes the required updates and deploys the new site to a staging environment for thorough testing. Once everything is verified, the upgraded site goes live in production. Emergent Software follows this structured process to ensure your upgrade is smooth, secure, and aligned with your goals.
Why does Emergent Software recommend LTS versions over STS versions?
LTS (Long-Term Support) versions like Umbraco 17 are supported for a longer period—24 months of full support and 12 additional months of security updates—making them ideal for organizations that prioritize stability and predictable maintenance schedules. STS (Standard-Term Support) releases come out more frequently (every six months) but have shorter support windows, requiring more frequent upgrades to stay current. For most businesses, LTS is more cost-effective and less disruptive. Emergent Software typically recommends the LTS track unless your team needs access to cutting-edge features and is prepared for frequent updates.
