Samba 4.6 End of Life
Support dates and upgrade guidance — rebuilt from live data.
Samba 4.6 reached end of life on 13 Sept 2018. It no longer receives security fixes.
Support timeline
Official dates from the Samba release process.
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Initial release | 7 Mar 2017 | 9y 7mo ago |
| Active Support ended | 13 Mar 2018 | security fixes only after this |
| Security Support ended | 13 Sept 2018 | 8y 1mo ago |
| Latest release | 4.6.16 · 13 Aug 2018 | final |
Where to go from 4.6
Recommended target: Samba 4.25 (supported until 31 Mar 2028).
The newest actively supported branch is Samba 4.25 (latest release 4.25.0).
Frequently asked questions
Is Samba 4.6 still safe to use?
Samba 4.6 reached end of life on 13 Sept 2018, 2,944 days ago, and is no longer covered by standard support. Running it means no guaranteed security fixes.
Can I still download Samba 4.6?
Yes — the final release (4.6.16) generally remains available from vendor archives and OS package mirrors, but installing it means running software with known, unpatched vulnerabilities.
What should I upgrade Samba 4.6 to?
Upgrade to Samba 4.25, the newest actively supported branch (supported until 31 Mar 2028).