WINS is Dead: Microsoft to Fully Retire WINS Name Resolution from Windows Server Post-2025

WINS is Dead: Microsoft plans to fully retire WINS name resolution from Windows Server after 2025, with the news coming in the wake of a deprecation already flagged by Microsoft. WINS — Windows Internet Name Service — was first introduced in 1994, but its user base has dwindled as modern networks rely on DNS for name resolution.

The deprecation began with Windows Server 2022, and the blog artefact outlines a long‑term plan: Windows Server 2025 will still support WINS, but only as the final version to do so, after which WINS will be removed entirely. Under the fixed lifecycle, existing WINS deployments will continue to receive support until November 2034, at which point Microsoft will cease providing security updates and bug fixes.

In practice, WINS has already entered a maintenance‑only state, with no new features and only basic support, and both WINS and Windows Server 2025 are set to reach end of support in November 2034. Microsoft emphasises that migrating to DNS offers adherence to modern standards, compatibility with contemporary software, and stronger security, and recommends auditing dependencies and retiring legacy applications that rely on WINS.