FreePBX Versions
Last Updated: Feb 27, 2025
There are multiple supported versions of FreePBX. Once a version is made generally available (GA), it is supported for some period of time. During this initial support period, rolling updates include changes to fix bugs that have been reported and features that have been added following policy (features must not introduce backwards incompatible behavior and must include tests when possible). At some point, the version will be deprecated and only maintained with fixes for security issues. Finally, the version will reach its End of Life, where it will no longer receive changes of any kind.
FreePBX Version | OS3 Version | OS Release Date | OS EOL Date | Asterisk STA1/LTS2 Versions | Asterisk LTS Release Date | Asterisk LTS EOL Date | FreePBX Dev. Start Date | FreePBX BETA4 Date | FreePBX GA5 Date | FreePBX SFCIO6 Date | FreePBX EOL7 Date | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 | SNG7 | 2019-04-12 | 2024-06-30 | 15/16 | 2015-01-01 | 2024-12-01 | 2025-09-01 | SUPPORTED8 | ||||
16 | SNG7 | 2021-06-21 | 2024-06-30 | 17/18 | 2019-01-01 | 2026-09-01* | 2027-01-01* | SUPPORTED8 | ||||
17 | Debian 12 | 21/22 | 2024-10-16 | 2023-01-01 | 2028-02-14 | 2028-06-30 | SUPPORTED | |||||
18 | Debian 13 | 2025-07-01 | 2030-07-01 | 23/24 | 2026-10-31 | 2031-10-31 | 2026-04-01 | 2026-09-01 | 2027-01-01 | 2030-02-14 | 2030-07-01 | PLANNED |
19 | Debian 14 | 2027-07-01 | 2032-07-01 | 25/26 | 2028-10-31 | 2033-10-31 | 2027-09-01 | 2028-02-14 | 2028-06-30 | 2032-02-14 | 2032-07-01 | PLANNED |
20 | Debian 15 | 2029-07-01 | 2034-07-01 | 27/28 | 2030-10-31 | 2035-10-31 | 2029-09-01 | 2030-02-14 | 2030-07-01 | 2034-02-14 | 2034-07-01 | PLANNED |
Key
*DUE TO SNG7 OS EOL: FreePBX 16 may reach EOL sooner.
ITALICS = Dates from other projects. (Some anticipated dates not yet published by those projects.)
STA = STAndard.
LTS = Long Term Support.
OS = Operating System.
BETA = Testing version.
GA = General Availability.
SFCIO = Security Fix and Commercial Improvements Only.
EOL = End Of Life.
SUPPORTED = The EOL SNG7 OS is NOT supported while the FreePBX sofware itself IS supported.
Synchronized Cycles
Starting in 2025, the release cycle will be more closely synchronized to the Debian GNU/Linux release cycle, as it is the underlying target operating system for supported versions of FreePBX and a requirement for the FreePBX shell script installer. We also take into account the Asterisk LTS release cycle to help improve system longevity. Such synchronization, practically, translates into these guiding points for our work:
Starting with FreePBX 16, the EOL date of FreePBX version N will be equal to the GA date of FreePBX version N+2.
Corollary: At any time, two (2) FreePBX versions will be supported (currently 3 but going to 2 in September 2025 per v15 EOL date of 2025-09-01.)
Starting with FreePBX 16, the SFCIO date of FreePBX version N will be equal to the BETA date of FreePBX version N+2.
Starting with FreePBX 17, the FreePBX EOL date will be equal to the Debian OS EOL date.
Starting with FreePBX 17, the FreePBX GA release will default to the most recent Asterisk STA release available at the time, and the GA release will transition its default to the next Asterisk Long Term Support (LTS) release as soon as it is made available (appx. 3-4 months after initial GA release).
Starting with FreePBX 18, there will be a new major FreePBX release every two (2) years, following the Debian release cycle.
Starting with FreePBX 19, development work on the next FreePBX version triggers two (2) months after the Debian OS release date, with default to the most recent Asterisk release available at that time (STA or LTS).