It’s the end of the line for Windows Maps

Microsoft is no stranger to deprecating legacy features in Windows. In the past few months, it has announced deprecation timelines for suggested actions, Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), Paint 3D, WordPad, and more. Now, another service has found its way to the chopping block, with the Redmond tech firm announcing that it’s the end of the line for the Maps app in Windows.

The writing was on the wall

This latest deprecation shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to people who follow the Microsoft Learn webpage, which reveals end of support timelines for various services. Earlier this month, Microsoft shuttered the Windows UWP Map control and Windows Maps platform APIs, noting that while they will continue to function, they will not receive any more updates.

As such, it isn’t entirely surprising that Microsoft has decided to kill off its Windows Maps application too. The software hasn’t come preinstalled with Windows since Windows 11 version 24H2. A more detailed note also cautions customers that the app will be removed from the Microsoft Store in July 2025 and, in fact, the firm will also deploy a final update in that time frame which will make the app completely non-functional.

Customers who uninstall the app prior to July 2025 will still be able to reinstall it before that month, but once Microsoft pulls the trigger on the kill-switch, you won’t be able to reinstall it. Additionally, if you have the Windows Maps app installed for any reason right now or after July 2025, you will be able to uninstall it at any point in time.

Finally, it is important to note that your personal data, such as URLs to maps and guided navigation mechanisms, aren’t being eradicated. That said, they won’t be accessible from within the Maps app, and you’ll have to fall back to the browser-based version of Bing Maps instead. It’s unclear how many users are affected by this deprecation, but the number likely isn’t high considering that the app is currently on the chopping block.