VBScript deprecated; timeline of when it will disappear

[German]Microsoft has long intended to end support for the script language VBScript in Windows. VBScript has now been declared as deprecated and Microsoft has presented also a timetable for when support will be completely removed from Windows. Now we see an end of VBScript security issues.

VBScript available since 1996

Visual Basic Scripting Edition, or VBScript for short, is a scripting language that was introduced by Microsoft in 1996. The language was previously available as a system component in the Windows operating system and was frequently used to automate tasks and control applications on Windows-based systems.

VBScript could also be embedded in HTML pages to add dynamic interactivity and functionality to websites. In the Microsoft environment, VBScript is used in Active Server Pages (ASP) and Windows Script Host (WSH), for example.

One problem with VBScript, however, was that it was originally introduced with Internet Explorer, which has since fallen out of support. Furthermore, VScript had long been considered a security risk, which is why this feature was deactivated in Internet Explorer in 2019 (see Microsoft deactivates VBScript in IE as of August 2019). And in October 2023, VBScript was discontinued under Windows (see Windows: Three more features are declared as deprecated in Nov. 2023 and Windows ADK for Windows 11 22H2 (Sept. 2023): PE build newer as 22H2, VBScript.dll missing). Since March 2023 there is the possibility to uninstall VBScript via optional functions (see the note at deskmodder.de).

Ein Problem bei VBScript war aber einerseits, dass es ursprünglich mit dem Internet Explorer eingeführt wurde, der aber aus dem Support gefallen ist. Weiterhin galt VScript längst als Sicherheitsrisiko, weshalb dieses Feature 2019 im Internet Explorer bereits deaktiviert wurde (siehe Microsoft deaktiviert ab August VBScript im Internet Explorer). Und im Oktober 2023 wurde VBScript unter Windows abgekündigt (siehe und ). Seit März 2023 gibt es die Möglichkeit, VBScript über optionale Funktionen zu deinstallieren (siehe die Anmerkung bei deskmodder.de).

Roadmap for removing VBScript

In the Techcommunity article VBScript deprecation: Timelines and next steps from May 22, 2024, Microsoft has now outlined the next steps to retire VBScript.

• Phase 1: VBScript will be pre-installed as a Feature on Demand (FOD) by default in all Windows 11 versions 24H2 and later. This is to ensure that a dependency on VBScript (applications, processes and the like) is still taken into account as users migrate away from VBScript. Administrators can see the VBScript FODs enabled by default under Start > Settings > System > Optional Features.

• Phase 2: From 2027, the VBScript Feature on Demand (FOD) will no longer be activated by default. Users who require VBScript support will need to enable it via Feature on Demand (Settings > System > Optional Features).
• Phase 3: VBScript will be retired and removed from future versions of Windows. This means that all dynamic link libraries (.dll files) will be removed from VBScript. Projects that rely on VBScript will no longer work.

Microsoft suggests migrating websites with VBScript code to JavaScript. For Windows Script Host, the change from VBScript scripts to PowerShell scripts should be addressed. Further details can be found in the Techcommunity article.