MySQL 8.0 End of Life: Dates, Consequences, and Your Options on AWS, Azure and Self-Managed

The short answer

MySQL 8.0 reached end of life in April 2026. Oracle's Lifetime Support Policy ended Premier Support for 8.0 in April 2025 and Extended Support in April 2026, and the MySQL 8.0 release notes state that "as of April 2026, with version 8.0.46, MySQL 8.0 reaches End of Life". Amazon RDS gives the community end-of-life date as 30 April 2026. Version 8.0.46, released on 21 April 2026, was the final community release.

Servers on 8.0 keep running. What stops is the supply of fixes: vulnerabilities found after April 2026 are fixed in 8.4 and 9.7, not in any community 8.0 build. The options are an upgrade to 8.4 LTS, a move to another engine, or extended support from your cloud provider or a third party while you plan.

MySQL 8.0 end-of-life dates by platform

The MySQL 8.0 end-of-life page tracks these dates, and the MySQL hub covers 5.7, 8.4 and 9.7 as well.

What MySQL 8.0 end of life means in practice

• No community fixes. Oracle's quarterly Critical Patch Updates now ship in 8.4, 9.7 and the Innovation track. New CVEs that affect 8.0 code stay open on community 8.0 builds.
• Scanners keep finding things. Vulnerability scanners flag new MySQL CVEs against 8.0 servers, and there is no community release to clear them.
• Audit findings. Running a database with no vendor fixes is a finding under most control frameworks, from PCI DSS to SOC 2, unless you can show a compensating control or a supported build.
• Cloud bills change. On RDS, Azure and Cloud SQL, instances still on 8.0 are enrolled in paid extended support automatically when standard support ends.
• Nothing breaks on the day. The server does not stop, licences do not change and data is untouched. The risk grows with each quarter's fixes that 8.0 does not receive.

MySQL 8.0 end of life on AWS, RDS and Aurora

RDS for MySQL ended standard support for 8.0 on 31 July 2026. AWS now lists 5.7 and 8.0 as available only under RDS Extended Support, which runs until 31 July 2029 and is billed per vCPU hour for each instance, with year-three pricing from 1 August 2028. AWS publishes its own patched minor versions under Extended Support; 8.0.46-RDS.20260908, released on 23 September 2026, lists more than 30 CVE fixes. RDS supports an in-place major version upgrade from 8.0 to 8.4, which is the way out of Extended Support charges.

Aurora MySQL runs on its own calendar. Aurora MySQL version 3, which is compatible with MySQL 8.0, stays in standard support until 30 April 2028, so Aurora users have more time than RDS users. Aurora MySQL version 8.4 is listed as the next major version.

MySQL 8.0 end of life on Azure and Google Cloud

Azure Database for MySQL keeps 8.0 in standard support until 31 January 2027. From 1 February 2027, servers still on 8.0 are enrolled in Extended Support automatically and billed per vCore per hour, including read replicas and HA standbys, until 31 May 2029. Upgrading to 8.4 ends the charge. Azure keeps mysql_native_password enabled across versions, so one of the usual 8.4 blockers is softer there.

Cloud SQL for MySQL moves 8.0 instances into extended support on 1 January 2027 and deprecates the version on 1 July 2029. Enrolment is automatic and charged.

Your four options

1. Upgrade to MySQL 8.4 LTS

The default answer. 8.4 is the current LTS series, with Premier Support to April 2029 and Extended Support to April 2032, and the 8.0 to 8.4 upgrade is supported in place from 8.0.37. MySQL does not allow skipping an LTS series, so 9.7 LTS comes after 8.4, not instead of it. The common breaking changes are authentication, because mysql_native_password is no longer enabled by default, and replication scripts that still use CHANGE MASTER TO and START SLAVE. The MySQL 8.0 to 8.4 upgrade guide lists each change and how to check for it.

2. Move to MariaDB

MariaDB describes itself as a drop-in replacement for MySQL, and its LTS lines run longer than 8.0 did: 11.4 to 29 May 2029 and 12.3 to 12 June 2029 for community releases. The two engines have diverged over the years, so treat the move as a migration with its own test cycle, not a package swap. MariaDB support covers its lifecycle.

3. Move to PostgreSQL

Worth considering if you are already standardising on PostgreSQL elsewhere. Tools such as Ora2Pg migrate MySQL schemas and data to PostgreSQL, but SQL dialects, stored procedures and application queries all need conversion and testing. It is a project measured in months, not a way to meet a deadline.

4. Extended support while you plan

The cloud programmes cover instances on that cloud's service only. For MySQL you run yourself, on servers, VMs or Kubernetes, the choice is between Percona, OpenLogic and OSSeva. If you run Percona Server for MySQL, Percona's post-EOL support from the vendor that builds it is the natural fit.

Where OSSeva fits

OSSeva for MySQL takes over support for the Community Edition servers you run today with no migration. Patched 8.0 and 5.7 builds follow each quarterly Oracle Critical Patch Update, ship as signed DEB and RPM packages, tarballs and container images, and install like a minor update on the same data directory. OSSeva Assure adds an upgrade plan to 8.4 and then 9.7 built on MySQL Shell's upgrade checker, plus SBOMs and CVE remediation records. OSSeva Operate adds 24/7 monitoring, a 15-minute P1 response and patches Critical CVEs (CVSS 9.0 and above) within 48 hours and High within 7 days. MySQL sits under the same contract as PostgreSQL, Redis, Valkey and RabbitMQ, priced per cluster. MySQL extended support has the details; book a discovery call for a quote.

Frequently asked questions

When is MySQL 8.0 end of life?

April 2026. Oracle's Extended Support for 8.0 ended that month, the final release, 8.0.46, shipped on 21 April 2026, and AWS lists the community end-of-life date as 30 April 2026.

Is MySQL 8 end of life?

MySQL 8.0 is. MySQL 8.4 is a separate LTS series, supported under Premier Support until April 2029 and Extended Support until April 2032.

What are the consequences of MySQL 8.0 end of life?

No new community releases, so later security fixes do not reach 8.0. Scanners keep reporting new CVEs, auditors treat the database as unsupported, and managed cloud services charge for extended support. The server itself keeps running.

When does MySQL 8.0 end on AWS RDS?

RDS standard support ended on 31 July 2026. Instances still on 8.0 are in paid RDS Extended Support from 1 August 2026, which ends on 31 July 2029. Aurora MySQL version 3 stays in standard support until 30 April 2028.

When does MySQL 8.0 end on Azure?

Azure Database for MySQL keeps 8.0 in standard support until 31 January 2027, then enrols servers in paid Extended Support automatically until 31 May 2029.

Which MySQL versions are still supported?

MySQL 8.4 LTS, 9.7 LTS and the current Innovation release. 5.7 and 8.0 are end of life, and each earlier Innovation release ended when its successor shipped.

Can we keep running MySQL 8.0 safely?

For a planned period, with a supply of fixes: a cloud extended support programme for managed instances, or a third-party patched build for self-managed servers. Running 8.0 with no fix supply leaves every new CVE open.