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Managing Kubernetes upgrades can be a challenge for many organizations. The fast-paced release cycle requires frequent cluster updates, which can be time-consuming, carry operational risks, and require repeated validation of workloads and infrastructure.

To address this, in April of this year, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) introduced Long-Term Support (LTS) on every AKS version — beginning with Kubernetes version 1.28. With AKS LTS, every community-released version of Kubernetes receives an extended support window of an additional year, giving customers more time to test, validate, and adopt new versions at a pace that suits their business needs.

The Azure Linux team is excited to announce that Azure Linux now also supports AKS LTS starting with Kubernetes version 1.28 and above. This means you can now pair a stable, enterprise-grade node operating system with the extended lifecycle benefits of AKS LTS — providing a consistent, secure, and well-maintained platform for your container workloads.

Benefits of Azure Linux with your AKS LTS Clusters

• Secure by Design: Azure Linux is built from source using Microsoft’s trusted pipelines, with a minimal package set that reduces the attack surface. It is FIPS-compliant and meets CIS Level 1 benchmarks.


• Operational Stability: With AKS LTS, each version is supported for two years, reducing upgrade frequency and providing a predictable, stable platform for mission-critical workloads.


• Reliable Updates: Every package update is validated by both the Azure Linux and AKS teams, running through a full suite of tests to prevent regressions and minimize disruptions.


• Broad Compatibility: Azure Linux supports AKS extensions, add-ons, and open-source projects. It works seamlessly with existing Linux based containers and includes the upstream containerd runtime.


• Advanced Isolation: It is the only OS on AKS that supports pod sandboxing, enabling compute isolation between pods for enhanced security.


• Seamless Migration: Customers can migrate from other distributions to Azure Linux nodepools in-place without recreating clusters, simplifying the process.

Getting Started

Getting started with Azure Linux on AKS LTS is simple and can be done with a single command. See full documentation on getting started with AKS Long-term Support here. Please note that when enabling LTS on a new Azure Linux cluster you will need to specify –os-sku AzureLinux. 

Considerations 

• LTS is available on the Premium tier. Refer to the Premium tier pricing for more information.


• Some add-ons and features might not support Kubernetes versions outside upstream community support windows. View unsupported add-ons and features here.


• Please note Azure Linux 2.0 is the default node OS for AKS versions v1.27 to v1.31 during both Standard and Long-Term Support. However, Azure Linux 2.0 will reach End of Life during the LTS period of AKS v1.28–v1.31.
  

  To maintain support and security updates, customers running Azure Linux 2.0 on AKS v1.28–v1.31 LTS are requested to migrate to Azure Linux 3.0 by November 2025. Azure Linux 3.0 has been validated to support AKS Kubernetes v1.28–v1.31. Before Azure Linux 2.0 goes EoL, AKS will offer a feature to facilitate an in-place migration from Azure Linux 2.0 to 3.0 via a node pool update command. For feature availability and updates, see GitHub issue.

  
  

  After November 2025 Azure Linux 2.0 will no longer receive updates, security patches, or support, which may put your systems at risk. 

  
  

  AKS version	Azure Linux version during AKS Standard Support	Azure Linux version during AKS Long-Term Support
  1.27	Azure Linux 2.0	Azure Linux 2.0
  1.28 – 1.31	Azure Linux 2.0	Azure Linux 2.0 (migrate to 3.0 by Nov 2025)
  1.32+	Azure Linux 3.0	Azure Linux 3.0

  
  

  For more information on the Azure Linux Container Host support lifecycle see here.

  
  

How to Keep in Touch with the Azure Linux Team:

For updates, feedback, and feature requests related to Azure Linux, there are a few ways to stay connected to the team:

• We have a public community call every other month for Azure Linux users to come together to ask questions, share learnings, and get updates. Join the next community call on July 24^th at 8AM PST: here


• Partners with support questions can reach out to AzureLinuxISV@microsoft.com