Guide · updated
AEM Managed Services support has ended: what AMS customers should do now
Adobe's release roadmap states that AEM 6.5 support for Adobe Managed Services (AMS) customers ends by 31 August 2026, while on-premise customers have core support planned until February 2027. If your AEM 6.5 runs on AMS, you are past that date or very close to it. This page sets out the realistic options and a short plan.
What changes after the date
- 6.5.26, targeted for 19 November 2026, is the last supported service pack for AEM 6.5. After that there is no new service pack to stay current with.
- Security and compliance reviews tend to flag unsupported platform software, often before the date itself.
- Your AMS contract terms decide what Adobe still does for you operationally. Read them, and ask your Adobe account team in writing what applies to your programme.
Your three options
| Option | When it fits | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|
| Move to AEM as a Cloud Service | You want to stop running AEM versions and infrastructure; your roadmap needs Adobe's newest features. | A migration: refactoring code Cloud Service rejects, content transfer, testing and cutover. |
| AEM 6.5 LTS | You need to stay supported now and cannot take on a migration this year. Adobe's roadmap says LTS covers both the AMS and on-premise paths; confirm the hosting terms for your programme with Adobe. | An upgrade to Java 17 or 21 and the LTS line, plus a migration later. |
| Edge Delivery Services for some sites | Marketing sites whose components are simple enough to rebuild faster than to convert. | A rebuild of those sites; often combined with one of the options above. |
Questions to ask Adobe this week
- What exactly does our AMS contract cover for AEM 6.5 after 31 August 2026, and until when?
- Is AEM 6.5 LTS available to us on AMS, and on what terms?
- What do Cloud Service licences look like for our current traffic and environments?
- Which Adobe tools (Best Practices Analyzer, Cloud Acceleration Manager, the Cloud Migration skill) can our team or partner use now?
A 30-day plan
- Week 1: run Best Practices Analyzer on a production-like author and load the results into Cloud Acceleration Manager.
- Week 1: list every integration, custom authentication and replication customisation; these drive decisions more than code volume does.
- Week 2: get a migration estimate you can take to budget holders. Our free readiness scan gives a planning range in minutes; a Blueprint gives a fixed price.
- Week 3: decide per site: Cloud Service, LTS for now, or Edge Delivery rebuild.
- Week 4: put the decision, the budget and the dates in writing, including the content freeze windows the business can accept.
Adobe marks its roadmap dates as informational and subject to change. Check the roadmap and your contract before committing to a plan.
Questions
When did AEM 6.5 support end for AMS customers?
Adobe's release roadmap says support for Adobe Managed Services customers ends by 31 August 2026. On-premise core support is planned to end in February 2027, with extended support for critical fixes only until 28 February 2028.
Is 6.5 LTS an option on AMS?
Adobe's roadmap says AEM 6.5 LTS covers both the AMS and on-premise paths. The commercial and hosting terms depend on your contract, so confirm them with your Adobe account team.