Microsoft plans to deprecate Windows Deployment Services

Microsoft announced it will deprecate the Windows Deployment Services (WDS) server role starting with the next Windows Server release.

WDS is a revised version of Remote Installation Services (RIS) that lets IT administrators remotely install Windows operating systems on fleets of dozens or hundreds of computers over a network.

After deprecating WDS in the next Windows Server version, Microsoft will stop active development and plans to retire and remove it completely.

The company partially deprecated WDS, removing boot.wim support in 2021 and hands-free deployment in January 2026 (this is now disabled by default for all customers who installed the April 2026 Windows updates or any subsequent ones).

After those changes, it stopped officially supporting the deployment of standard desktop operating systems using its native setup engine starting with Windows 11, and Microsoft restricted WDS to deploying Windows Server or booting custom deployment environments.