HoloLens 2 end of life: support ends on 31 December 2027

Microsoft has stopped making HoloLens 2 and there is no HoloLens 3. We help you migrate your AR applications once, to a platform that runs on whatever hardware comes next.

See how a migration works
Production
Ended

Microsoft stopped manufacturing HoloLens 2 in October 2024. Remaining stock has sold through.

Final feature update
Nov 2024

No new features after the November 2024 release. Only security servicing follows.

Support ends
31.12.27

Monthly security updates, customer service, and developer support end on 31 December 2027.

Successor
None

Microsoft has not announced a HoloLens 3 or any replacement headset.

Source: Microsoft, HoloLens 2 support options and HoloLens 2 release notes. Last reviewed September 2026.

HoloLens 2 reaches end of life on 31 December 2027, when Microsoft ends security updates, customer service, and developer support, and there is no HoloLens 3 to move to. The durable way to migrate a HoloLens app is to rebuild it once on a device-agnostic runtime such as ReactVision's ViroReact, which compiles one TypeScript codebase natively to iOS, Android, Meta Quest, and Apple Vision Pro, so the next hardware end of life does not force another rewrite.

What end of life actually means for your deployment

If you built on HoloLens 2, you made a reasonable bet on the best enterprise headset of its time. The devices will keep switching on after 2027. What stops is everything that keeps them deployable.

The dates above come from Microsoft's own HoloLens 2 support page. Check it for the terms that apply to your region and licence.

The three options on the table

Every team we speak to is weighing the same three paths. Each has real strengths. The question is which one you want to be living with when the next device reaches end of life.

Rewrite natively for one headsetRewrite in Unity for multi-deviceMigrate to a device-agnostic runtime
Time to startFastest. One SDK, one device.Quick if you already have a Unity team.Quick if you have React Native or TypeScript developers.
Devices coveredThe one headset you pick.Broad, with per-platform build targets and plugins.iOS, Android, Meta Quest, and Apple Vision Pro from one project. Android XR coming.
LicensingVendor SDK terms.Per-seat Unity licences above the revenue threshold.ViroReact renderer is MIT licensed. Platform services are paid tiers or a fixed on-premise licence.
Who does the workSpecialists in that vendor's SDK.C# and Unity engineers, a separate hiring pool.Your existing React Native and TypeScript team.
When the next device endsRewrite again.Port within Unity, still tied to the engine.Retarget the same codebase.
Where it is strongestDeep use of one device's unique features.Games and high-fidelity rendering, existing Unity estates.Training, overlays, and procedures that must outlive any one headset.

If your application depends on one headset's unique hardware, a native rewrite may be right. If you run a large Unity estate already, Unity is a defensible choice, and our Unity comparison sets out where it still wins. The third path is the one we build.

How a migration works with ReactVision

We start small and prove it on your hardware before anyone signs up to a full programme.

01

Pick one program

Choose one existing HoloLens application, usually the training exercise or overlay your team relies on most. We review how it works, not just how it looks.

02

Rebuild it as a proof of concept

We rebuild it on ViroReact in weeks, not quarters. Much of the speed comes from AI coding agents working through the ViroReact MCP server, which knows the full component API and validates scenes in a real renderer.

03

Validate on your real devices

Your team runs the proof of concept on the hardware you are moving to, whether that is Meta Quest, iPad, or rugged Android tablets, in your own environment.

04

Scope the full migration

With a working build in hand, we scope the rest by number of applications and their complexity, then run the platform managed or fully on-premise.

Start
A proof of concept on one program.
Scope
The full migration, sized by number of apps and their complexity.
Run
Managed in our cloud, or fully on-premise for regulated environments.

Many HoloLens deployments sit in regulated sectors such as defence and aerospace, where nothing can leave the network. The defence page covers how the full stack runs inside a secure environment, and the MCP server page explains the agent tooling behind the speed of the proof of concept.

Why device-agnostic is the point, not a feature

HoloLens 2 is not an isolated event. Meta has stopped selling Quest Pro, and Magic Leap retired its first headset. Hardware churn is the permanent condition of this market, not a one-off.

Your application should not have to care. Replacing HoloLens is a one-off purchase. Insulating your training and overlay apps from the next end of life is the decision that lasts.

ViroReact maps one TypeScript API onto ARKit, ARCore, and OpenXR, and ViroCore, the native engine underneath it, is built by ReactVision with no third-party engine beneath it. When a device goes away, the codebase moves to the next one.

HoloLens 2 end of life questions, answered

What should we do with our HoloLens 2 apps?
HoloLens 2 reaches end of life on 31 December 2027, when Microsoft ends security updates, customer service, and developer support, and there is no HoloLens 3 to move to. The durable way to migrate a HoloLens app is to rebuild it once on a device-agnostic runtime such as ReactVision's ViroReact, which compiles one TypeScript codebase natively to iOS, Android, Meta Quest, and Apple Vision Pro, so the next hardware end of life does not force another rewrite.
When does HoloLens 2 support actually end?
31 December 2027. Microsoft's support page states that monthly security updates, customer service, and developer support for HoloLens 2 continue through December 2027. The November 2024 update was the final feature release. For units covered by the UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act, Microsoft lists a minimum security update period to 28 February 2028.
Is there a HoloLens 3?
No. Microsoft ended HoloLens 2 production in October 2024 and has not announced a successor headset. Any plan that waits for a like-for-like replacement from Microsoft is waiting on something that has not been announced.
What is the best alternative to HoloLens 2 for enterprise AR?
It depends on the job. Meta Quest 3 suits immersive training and passthrough mixed reality, iPads and rugged Android tablets suit overlays and procedures on the shop floor, and Apple Vision Pro suits high-fidelity review. No single headset is a like-for-like replacement, which is why we recommend choosing the hardware per use case and keeping the application device-agnostic, so one codebase serves all of them.
Can our Unity app be migrated?
Yes, but not by conversion. Unity C# and MRTK code does not run inside ViroReact, so scripts and interactions are rebuilt in TypeScript. Your 3D models, textures, and the design of the experience usually carry across, and the proof of concept tells you exactly how much work the rest involves before you commit.
Does this work on Meta Quest, iPad, and Android tablets?
Yes. One ViroReact project compiles natively to iOS and iPadOS through ARKit, Android phones and tablets through ARCore, and Meta Quest through OpenXR, with Apple Vision Pro also supported and Android XR coming. Many teams move AR overlays to tablets and immersive training to Quest from the same codebase.
Can it run fully on-premise?
Yes. ReactVision Studio, ReactVision Platform (Cloud Anchors, Geospatial Anchors, colocation, and asset hosting), and the ViroReact MCP server can deploy on your own hardware inside your network, so no request needs to leave your environment. On-premise deployments are a fixed licence plus maintenance.
How long does a migration take?
It depends on how many applications you have and how complex they are, which is why we start with a proof of concept. A single program is typically rebuilt as a proof of concept in weeks. The full migration is scoped once that build has been validated on your devices.
What does a proof of concept involve?
You pick one existing HoloLens program. We rebuild it on ViroReact, your team runs it on the hardware you are moving to, and together we scope the rest of the migration from what we learned. You finish with a working build and a clear plan, not a slide deck.

ReactVision for EnterpriseReactVision for Defence

Talk to us before the deadline does the deciding

Thirty minutes with our team. Bring the application you rely on most and the hardware you are considering. We will tell you plainly what a proof of concept would involve.

Try the MCP server

Researching first? Read the ViroReact docs or connect the MCP server to your coding agent.