What is SharePoint Server Subscription Edition? Since November 2, 2021, SharePoint Server SE has been the current version of SharePoint for your own server. Instead of new year-numbered versions, Microsoft delivers monthly updates, and there is no fixed end of support. The downside is in the license terms: the server license and client access licenses (CALs) may only be used with active Software Assurance or as a subscription. If the Software Assurance expires, you must uninstall SE and may run SharePoint Server 2019 instead.
Quick decision
| Your situation | What this means for you |
|---|---|
| SharePoint 2016 or 2019 in operation | support ended on July 14, 2026; plan the move to SE or SharePoint Online |
| SharePoint is to stay in your own data center | SE with Software Assurance or subscription licenses |
| Small teams, file storage and intranet without special solutions | consider SharePoint Online; no server of your own needed |
| Many custom solutions, farm solutions, integration of on-premises systems | SE; test customizations before the move |
| Users already have SharePoint Online Plan 1 or 2 | these licenses replace the CAL for the on-premises server |
The versions at a glance
| Version | Available since | End of mainstream support | End of extended support |
|---|---|---|---|
| SharePoint Server 2016 | May 1, 2016 | July 13, 2021 | July 14, 2026 |
| SharePoint Server 2019 | October 22, 2018 | January 9, 2024 | July 14, 2026 |
| SharePoint Server SE | November 2, 2021 | continuous | no fixed date, December 31, 2035 at the earliest |
SharePoint 2016 and 2019 expired on the same day. Since July 14, 2026, SE has been the only supported version for your own server.
What “Subscription Edition” means technically
Continuous updates. Every month Microsoft releases a public update with bug fixes, security updates and new features. Larger feature updates have names such as “Version 22H2” or “Version 23H1”.
Staying current is mandatory. Each monthly update is supported for one year. Support for a build ends on the second Tuesday of the same month in the following year. If you install no update for more than a year, you fall out of support and must update first before a support request.
No end date. SE follows the Modern Lifecycle Policy. Microsoft has committed that support will end on December 31, 2035 at the earliest.
New compared with SharePoint 2019
| Area | What is new in the first release of SE |
|---|---|
| Sign-in | OpenID Connect 1.0, improved people picker for modern authentication |
| Operations | support for Windows Server 2022 and Server Core, direct upgrade from 2016 and 2019 |
| Security | TLS 1.3, strong TLS encryption by default, SSL certificate management |
| Administration | PowerShell cmdlets as a module instead of a snap-in, new health rules for monitoring expiring certificates |
| Search | modern results page with thumbnails |
| Lists and libraries | checking in and out as well as downloading several files at once, modern document sets |
| Storage | new storage provider for large files on a network share (Remote Share Provider) |
| Hybrid | closer integration with Power Apps and Power Automate |
Since the first release, more features have been added through the feature updates; Microsoft keeps the overview in the documentation per version.
Licensing
Like Exchange, SharePoint Server is licensed under the server + CAL model:
| Component | Rule according to the Product Terms |
|---|---|
| Server license | one license per running instance, physical or in a virtual machine |
| Standard CAL | per user or device; the basis for any access |
| Enterprise CAL | add-on to the Standard CAL for advanced features |
| Equivalent licenses | SharePoint Online Plan 1 or 2 replaces the Standard CAL, Plan 2 also the Enterprise CAL |
| External users | covered by the server license |
| Publicly accessible content on the internet | no CAL needed |
| Condition for SE | active Software Assurance or subscription license for server and CALs |
According to the Product Terms, the Enterprise CAL includes, among other things, enterprise search, eDiscovery and compliance, InfoPath Forms Services, Excel Services, Visio Services, PerformancePoint Services, Access Services and Data Loss Prevention.
Two details of the Product Terms are important:
- As the client access license for SE, the Product Terms name the SharePoint Server 2019 Standard CAL (and as an add-on the 2019 Enterprise CAL), each with active Software Assurance or as a subscription license. According to them, a CAL without running Software Assurance does not entitle access to SE.
- A license for SE includes a perpetual right of use only for the SharePoint Server 2019 software. If the Software Assurance ends, SE has to be uninstalled; you may then install SharePoint Server 2019. Its support, however, ended on July 14, 2026.
Software Assurance is a maintenance agreement from Microsoft that is paid annually. In practice, SE is therefore a license with ongoing costs, even though the software runs in-house.
System requirements
| Feature | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows Server 2019, 2022 or 2025, Standard or Datacenter, with Desktop Experience or as Server Core |
| Database | SQL Server 2019 with Cumulative Update 5 or later, or SQL Server 2022, Standard or Enterprise |
| Not supported | SQL Server Express |
| Processor | 64-bit, 4 cores |
| Memory | 16 GB for a single server for development and testing, 24 GB with all services |
| Hard disk | 80 GB system drive and 100 GB second drive |
| Other software | .NET Framework 4.8, Web Server (IIS) role |
According to Microsoft, Microsoft Office and SharePoint Server SE must not be installed on the same computer. On the database: because Express is ruled out, you always need a licensed SQL Server for SharePoint. How to count it is covered in the guide
Licensing SQL Server: per core or server + CAL. The license for the operating system is explained in
Licensing Windows Server: cores.
Moving from SharePoint 2016 or 2019
SE supports the direct upgrade from both predecessors. The path is the database-attach method:
- Set up a new farm with SharePoint Server SE on new servers.
- Back up the content databases of the old farm and restore them on the new SQL Server.
- Attach the databases to the new farm; SharePoint upgrades them in the process.
- Check the site collections and test custom solutions.
- Redirect the users, shut down the old farm.
There is no direct path from SharePoint 2013 to SE; an intermediate step is needed there.
Typical cases
Mid-sized company with an intranet on SharePoint 2019, 150 users, Software Assurance running. The move to SE is covered on the licensing side. Plan the new farm and the testing of the customizations.
Engineering office with 15 users on SharePoint 2016, without Software Assurance. Support has expired. For SE you would need a server license and CALs with Software Assurance, plus a licensed SQL Server. For file storage and an intranet of this size, SharePoint Online is usually the simpler path.
Public authority with specialist applications that are integrated on-premises. The data stays in-house, and custom solutions run in the farm. SE is the suitable version here; factor in the ongoing costs of Software Assurance from the start.
At VivaKeys
We do not carry the Subscription Edition, neither server licenses nor CALs. For existing environments we carry client access licenses for the two previous versions:
- SharePoint Server 2019: Standard User CAL, Standard Device CAL
- SharePoint Server 2016: Standard User CAL, Standard Device CAL
Support for SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 ended on July 14, 2026. These CALs therefore only make sense to extend an existing environment for the transition period.
Write to us before you order if you are unsure. All offers are in the
SharePoint Server and
CALs categories. Whether user CALs or device CALs fit better is shown in User CAL or device CAL. The same changeover for the mail server is described in
Exchange Server SE: what changes.
Frequently asked questions
Is SharePoint Server Subscription Edition a subscription? The software runs on your own servers. However, the license is tied to active Software Assurance or to subscription licenses. Without an ongoing agreement, the Product Terms do not allow you to use SE.
How long is SharePoint Server SE supported? There is no fixed end date. Microsoft commits to support at least until December 31, 2035. The prerequisite is an update level that is not older than one year.
Which CAL do I need for SharePoint Server SE? A Standard CAL per user or device, plus an Enterprise CAL for advanced features. The Product Terms name the SharePoint Server 2019 CALs with active Software Assurance for this; licenses for SharePoint Online Plan 1 or 2 are equivalent.
Can I switch directly from SharePoint 2016 to SE? Yes. SE supports the upgrade from SharePoint 2016 and 2019 by attaching the databases to a new farm.
Does SharePoint Server SE run with SQL Server Express? No. Microsoft supports only the Standard and the Enterprise edition, starting with SQL Server 2019 with Cumulative Update 5.
What happens if my Software Assurance expires? According to the Product Terms, you must uninstall SE. The license then permanently entitles you only to use SharePoint Server 2019.
When did support for SharePoint 2019 end? On July 14, 2026, the same day as for SharePoint 2016.
Sources
Checked on 2026-11-10 against the publisher’s information:
- www.microsoft.com/licensing/terms/productoffering/SharePointServer/MCA
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/sharepoint-server-subscription-edition
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/sharepoint-server-2019
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/sharepoint-server-2016
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/additional-support-server-modern-lifecycle-policy
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/product-servicing-policy/updated-product-servicing-policy-for-sharepoint-server-se
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/what-s-new/new-and-improved-features-in-sharepoint-server-subscription-edition
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/install/software-requirements-for-sharepoint-servers-for-sharepoint-server-subscription-edition
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/install/software-requirements-for-database-servers-for-sharepoint-server-subscription-edition
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/install/hardware-and-topology-requirements-for-sharepoint-server-subscription-editon
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/upgrade-and-update/upgrade-to-sharepoint-server-subscription-edition