TYPO3 v14 is here, and free support for version 12 has ended

You may have heard: TYPO3 has a new version. And you might be wondering whether it affects you at all.

Short answer: if your website runs on TYPO3, it affects you. Especially if you're still on version 12.

In this post we'll clear up three things. What just happened. What applies to your site. And which two paths you now have. Step by step, without technical jargon.

What just happened

TYPO3 is the system behind many company websites, the software you use to manage text and images (the content management system, or CMS for short). It is widely used among mid-sized companies across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Two things happened almost simultaneously:

• On April 21, 2026, version 14 was released, as a so-called LTS version. LTS stands for "Long Term Support." That means this version will receive updates for years. It is the new recommendation for company websites.
• On April 30, 2026, free support for version 12 ended. That means version 12 no longer receives free updates, neither regular bug fixes nor security updates.

In other words: anyone still on version 12 has had an open item on their desk since May 2026.

What applies to your site

What matters is which TYPO3 version your website uses. You can usually tell in the login area (the backend), or ask the person who looks after your site.

Here are the official TYPO3 support periods, as of June 2026:

Two terms, briefly explained:

• Security updates close vulnerabilities that attackers could use to break into your site. This is the most important protection.
• ELTS stands for "Extended Long Term Support": extended, paid support directly from TYPO3 once a version's free support has run out.

The TYPO3 model behind this is simple: every LTS version gets around three years of free support. After that it is ELTS for a fee, or you are on a current version.

How serious is this really?

An honest assessment, without scaremongering.

Your version 12 site is not broken from one day to the next. It keeps running as before. What is missing is the supply of updates.

The sore point is security updates. From now on, if a new vulnerability is found in version 12, it is no longer closed for free without ELTS. So the risk rises slowly but steadily, the longer an unmaintained version stays online.

That is why the right attitude is not panic but a clear plan. You do not have to rush anything today. But you should tackle the topic now, instead of leaving it until a vulnerability decides it for you.

Your two paths

If your site runs on version 12, you have two clean options. Both are fine. It depends on your situation.

Path 1: upgrade to version 14. You jump straight from version 12 to the latest version. That gives you around three years of free support again, plus the new features. For most company websites this is the sensible path, because you then have peace of mind for years.

Path 2: ELTS as a bridge. If an upgrade just does not fit right now, ELTS keeps your version 12 secured, with security updates until April 30, 2030 at the latest. It costs money and does not replace the upgrade. But it buys you time without leaving your site unprotected.

A rule of thumb from practice: ELTS is the bridge, not the destination. If you are going to upgrade anyway, put the money into the upgrade rather than into a permanent extension of the old version.

Straight to version 14 instead of 13: in most cases, yes. Version 14 is supported the longest. So jumping to the newest version gives you the most years for the same effort.

What version 14 actually gives you

An upgrade is not an end in itself. Three things in version 14 that change something in daily work:

• A tidied-up backend. The login area where you manage content has been reworked. Menus and terms are clearer. Editors find functions faster.
• A faster start with "Camino." TYPO3 v14 ships with a ready-made design package (in four color variants). A new site is up faster, without building everything from scratch.
• AI as a tool for editors. Version 14 has an interface (the "GenAI Toolbox") for connecting AI services, for example to help with writing. It is an optional aid, not a substitute for checked content. We do not ship unchecked AI text, and you should not either.

On top of that come over 2,000 smaller improvements. For you, one thing matters most: a version that is supported for years again.

How an upgrade works, and what it costs

Honestly: there is no flat number. The effort depends on how your site is built.

These points determine the scope:

• Extensions. These are add-on features, for example for forms or shops. Each one has to work with version 14. Some need an update, some a replacement.
• Custom adjustments. Individually built features or templates have to be checked and adapted.
• Amount of content. Very large websites need more testing time.

Here is how we go about it, in four steps:

1. Assessment. Which version, which extensions, which customizations?
2. Effort estimate. You get a transparent estimate, billed in 15-minute blocks (€108/hour net). No hidden costs.
3. Upgrade on a test environment. We first apply the upgrade to a copy, not on the live site. So you notice nothing in day-to-day business.
4. Switch over and check. Only once everything runs does the new version go live.

What we've learned from our own upgrades

A frank word from practice. We have been supporting TYPO3 upgrades since version 4, across many generations of this system.

The most important lesson: problems almost never come from TYPO3 itself. They come from old extensions that nobody maintains anymore. Those are exactly what become a stumbling block in a version jump.

That is why we check the extensions first, not last. And that is why we advise against putting upgrades off forever. The bigger the gap between old and new version, the more old extensions have piled up. The jump from version 4 to 14 would be a heavy lift. The jump from 12 to 14 is manageable, if you tackle it now.

Conclusion

TYPO3 v14 has been here since April 2026. For version 12, free support ran out on April 30, 2026, including security updates. Your site keeps running, but without ELTS it no longer gets protection against new vulnerabilities.

No reason to panic, but a clear reason to act. Two paths are open: the upgrade to version 14, or ELTS as a bridge.

Unsure which TYPO3 version your website uses and which path fits you? That is exactly what a short check can clarify.

→ Have your website's TYPO3 version checked

• TYPO3 — Versions and Support v12, as of June 18, 2026. get.typo3.org
• TYPO3 — Version Support and Security Updates. docs.typo3.org
• TYPO3 — Development Roadmap. typo3.com
• TYPO3 — Release Notes v14. get.typo3.org
• TYPO3 News — v14 LTS Announcement. news.typo3.com