Debian 6 End of Life
Support dates and upgrade guidance — rebuilt from live data.
Debian 6 reached end of life on 29 Feb 2016. It no longer receives security fixes.
Support timeline
Official dates from the Debian release process.
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Initial release | 6 Feb 2011 | 15y 8mo ago |
| Debian Security Support ended | 31 May 2014 | security fixes only after this |
| Debian <abbr title="Long Term Support">LTS</abbr> ended | 29 Feb 2016 | 10y 7mo ago |
| Latest release | 6.0.10 · 19 Jul 2014 | final |
Where to go from 6
Recommended target: Debian 13 (supported until 30 Jun 2030).
The newest actively supported branch is Debian 13 (latest release 13.7).
Frequently asked questions
Is Debian 6 still safe to use?
Debian 6 reached end of life on 29 Feb 2016, 3,871 days ago, and is no longer covered by standard support. Running it means no guaranteed security fixes.
Can I still download Debian 6?
Yes — the final release (6.0.10) generally remains available from vendor archives and OS package mirrors, but installing it means running software with known, unpatched vulnerabilities.
What should I upgrade Debian 6 to?
Upgrade to Debian 13, the newest actively supported branch (supported until 30 Jun 2030).