Microsoft Axes Windows Deployment Services Ahead of Next Server Release
Microsoft has announced that it will be deprecating its Windows Deployment Services (WDS) server role in the next Windows Server release. The move, which was first reported in a September 2026 company notice, means that WDS-provided PXE boot and multicast deployment will also be deprecated. However, Windows Server 2025 and earlier releases will continue to support WDS, with no change to their servicing lifecycles.
WDS is a server role used by IT teams to install Windows on dozens or hundreds of machines at a time. It has been around since the days of Remote Installation Services (RIS). The deprecation list also covers WDS management tools, command-line interfaces, and APIs, as well as WinPE-WDS-Tools and other Windows PE components used only to build or run WDS clients.
Microsoft's notice follows two earlier cuts: boot.wim Setup support in 2021 and hands-free deployment in April 2026. The company has advised administrators to start by taking an inventory of all servers with the WDS role, tracing WDSUTIL calls, scripts, custom WinPE images, and apps that call WDS components.