Real‑world examples of deprecated features in software updates

Modern examples of deprecated features in software updates you should know

When people ask for the best examples of deprecated features in software updates, they’re usually not looking for textbook definitions. They want to know: What exactly got removed, when, and what replaced it? Let’s start with concrete, widely felt changes across mainstream platforms.

Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge: a classic example of browser deprecation

One of the clearest examples of deprecated features in software updates is Microsoft’s long goodbye to Internet Explorer (IE). For years, release notes flagged IE features as deprecated while Edge became the primary browser.

Key points:

• Deprecated feature: Internet Explorer 11 desktop application and its legacy rendering engine for modern web apps.
• Timeline: Microsoft began warning customers years in advance. IE 11 was officially retired from many Windows 10 versions in 2022, with further enforcement in 2023–2024.
• Replacement: Microsoft Edge with the Chromium engine and an IE Mode for backward compatibility.

For IT teams, this was a textbook example of how deprecation plays out: policy updates, compatibility shims, and then final removal. Microsoft’s lifecycle documentation on Windows and IE is a good reference for how methodical deprecation can be managed across an ecosystem of enterprise users.

TLS 1.0 and 1.1: security protocols as examples of quiet but impactful deprecations

Security standards offer some of the best examples of deprecated features in software updates that don’t have a visible UI but affect everything under the hood.

• Deprecated feature: Support for older TLS (Transport Layer Security) versions such as TLS 1.0 and 1.1 in browsers and APIs.
• Reason: Weak cryptography and compliance requirements (for example, PCI DSS) pushing organizations toward stronger encryption.
• Impact: Legacy integrations and embedded systems that only spoke TLS 1.0/1.1 suddenly failed to connect to modern services.

Major browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge announced deprecation, then removed support in stages. This is a strong example of how deprecations often follow published standards and security guidance from organizations like NIST (NIST SP 800‑52 Rev. 2 describes recommended TLS configurations).

Platform‑specific examples of deprecated features in software updates

To make this useful for technical writers and product teams, let’s walk through platform‑by‑platform examples of deprecated features in software updates and how they were communicated.

Apple iOS and macOS: 32‑bit apps, old APIs, and tracking changes

Apple is famous (or infamous) for aggressive deprecation.

32‑bit apps on iOS and macOS
One of the most visible examples of deprecations:

• Deprecated feature: Support for 32‑bit apps.
• Timeline: iOS started warning users about 32‑bit apps around iOS 10, then dropped support entirely with iOS 11. macOS followed a similar path, culminating in macOS Catalina.
• Impact: Older apps simply stopped launching; users saw dialogs stating that the app needed to be updated.

For technical writers, this example of deprecation shows why release notes must clearly explain:

• Which versions still run 32‑bit apps.
• How to check if an app is 32‑bit.
• Migration paths for developers.

Privacy and tracking APIs
More recent examples include Apple’s changes around tracking and advertising identifiers.

• Deprecated feature: Unrestricted access to the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) and some older tracking techniques.
• Replacement: App Tracking Transparency (ATT) prompts and stricter privacy APIs.

Apple’s developer documentation consistently uses “deprecated” annotations in API references, which is a good model for how to mark and phase out features in your own software user guides.

Android: legacy permissions and old support libraries

Android gives us several real examples of deprecated features in software updates that directly affect app behavior.

Legacy storage permissions

• Deprecated feature: Broad file system access using the old WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE model.
• Replacement: Scoped storage, with more granular access rules.
• Impact: File managers, media apps, and backup tools had to be re‑engineered to fit the new model.

Android support libraries

• Deprecated feature: The original Android Support Library packages.
• Replacement: AndroidX libraries.

This is a clean example of how deprecations can be done with a clear migration path: tooling support in Android Studio, refactoring helpers, and detailed migration guides.

Google’s Android Developers site is an authoritative source for tracking these changes and understanding how deprecation is communicated to developers.

Enterprise software examples of deprecated features in software updates

Consumer platforms get the headlines, but enterprise software is where deprecation can quietly cost organizations a lot of money.

Windows Server and .NET Framework: authentication and protocol shifts

Microsoft’s ecosystem offers some of the best examples of deprecated features in software updates that affect large organizations.

NTLM and older authentication methods

• Deprecated feature: Older authentication methods such as NTLM in favor of Kerberos and modern protocols.
• Reason: Security hardening and alignment with modern identity standards.
• Impact: Legacy line‑of‑business apps hard‑coded to NTLM had to be updated or fronted by gateways.

.NET Framework vs .NET (Core)

• Deprecated feature: Active development of the classic .NET Framework as the primary target for new apps.
• Replacement: Modern .NET (formerly .NET Core) as the future of the platform.

While not “removed” overnight, Microsoft’s messaging and tooling clearly indicate that new development should target .NET, and many APIs are flagged as obsolete or deprecated in documentation and IntelliSense. This is a helpful example of slow, well‑signposted deprecation rather than sudden removal.

Salesforce and SaaS platforms: API versions and UI components

In cloud platforms, deprecation often shows up in API versioning and user interface overhauls.

Salesforce Classic vs Lightning Experience

• Deprecated feature: Salesforce Classic UI for many new features and some configuration paths.
• Replacement: Lightning Experience.

Salesforce hasn’t fully removed Classic, but many new capabilities are Lightning‑only. Documentation and admin guides are full of notes like “this feature is not available in Salesforce Classic,” which is a soft but clear example of deprecation.

API version retirement
Salesforce and similar SaaS platforms regularly retire older API versions.

• Deprecated feature: Specific REST or SOAP API versions.
• Impact: Integrations pinned to an old version suddenly see warnings, then failures once the version is retired.

This is a pattern you can copy: announce deprecation, provide an upgrade guide, and set a firm retirement date.

Developer‑centric examples of deprecated features in software updates

If you write developer documentation, these examples of deprecated features in software updates will feel very familiar.

Python 2 to Python 3: a textbook example of long‑term deprecation

The Python 2 to Python 3 transition is one of the best‑known real examples of deprecation in open‑source software.

• Deprecated feature: Python 2.x language runtime and standard library.
• Timeline: Official end of life for Python 2 was January 1, 2020.
• Impact: Libraries and applications had to be ported to Python 3; many projects maintained dual‑support for years.

The Python Software Foundation and projects like Django published detailed migration guides, compatibility libraries (six), and warnings in documentation. This example of a long, staged deprecation is useful when you’re planning multi‑year transitions in your own products.

Authoritative references like the Python Software Foundation site document the full history of this deprecation and how it was communicated.

OpenSSL and cryptographic algorithms: deprecating unsafe defaults

Cryptography libraries are packed with examples of deprecated features in software updates, especially as older algorithms become unsafe.

• Deprecated feature: Algorithms like SHA‑1, RC4, and older cipher suites.
• Reason: Cryptanalytic advances and guidance from standards bodies.

Organizations such as NIST and standards groups publish recommendations on which algorithms should no longer be used. For example, NIST’s computer security resources at NIST.gov outline modern expectations for cryptographic strength.

This class of deprecation is subtle but important: the function calls may still exist, but documentation and warnings make it clear they should no longer be used in new code.

UI and UX examples of deprecated features in software updates

Not all deprecations are low‑level APIs. Some are very visible to everyday users.

Adobe Flash Player: from default feature to blocked plugin

Flash is one of the most cited real examples of deprecated features in software updates.

• Deprecated feature: Adobe Flash Player browser plugin.
• Timeline: Adobe announced end of life years in advance; major browsers began blocking Flash by default and removed it entirely by the end of 2020.
• Impact: Educational content, games, and internal training tools built on Flash had to be migrated to HTML5 or replaced.

This is a dramatic example of ecosystem‑wide deprecation: Adobe, browser vendors, and standards bodies all aligned on a sunset plan.

Legacy menus and toolbars in productivity apps

Office suites and design tools provide quieter examples of deprecated UI features.

• Deprecated feature: Legacy menus, toolbars, or layout modes.
• Replacement: Ribbon interfaces, modern sidebars, or new layout systems.

Vendors often keep an “old mode” for a few releases, label it as deprecated, then remove it once analytics show low usage. Good release notes will call out these changes with screenshots, behavior comparisons, and migration tips.

Patterns you can reuse from these examples of deprecated features

Looking across these examples of deprecated features in software updates, a few patterns emerge that you can apply directly when writing user guides or planning product changes.

Clear labeling and timelines

The best examples of deprecation share three traits:

• Explicit labels: Features are clearly marked as deprecated in UI, docs, and API references.
• Timelines: There is a published schedule for when support will end.
• Migration advice: Replacement features and upgrade paths are documented.

Whether you’re sunsetting an API endpoint or a legacy report screen, copying this pattern reduces user frustration.

Gradual enforcement and compatibility modes

Many examples include a transition period:

• Internet Explorer replaced by Edge with IE Mode.
• Salesforce Classic coexisting with Lightning.
• Old TLS versions supported with warnings before being blocked.

This “compatibility mode plus warnings” approach gives organizations breathing room while still encouraging migration.

Metrics‑driven retirement

Modern SaaS platforms often use telemetry to decide when to finally remove deprecated features. Once usage drops below a threshold, the feature can be safely retired. In your own product, pairing deprecation notices with usage analytics can help you time the final removal and justify it to stakeholders.

FAQ: common questions about deprecation and real examples

Q1. Why do vendors deprecate features instead of just removing them?
Deprecation is a warning phase. It tells users and developers, “This still works for now, but you should stop relying on it.” Immediate removal would break systems without notice. Deprecation gives teams time to plan, budget, and migrate.

Q2. What are some real examples of deprecated features in software updates that broke things unexpectedly?
Common pain points include dropping support for older TLS versions, removing Flash content without a fallback, and retiring old API versions that integrations still used. In each case, teams that missed the deprecation notices discovered failures only after the final removal.

Q3. How should I document an example of a deprecated feature in my own release notes?
Spell out three things: what is deprecated, which version starts the deprecation, and what users should move to instead. Include a clear end‑of‑support date if you can. Linking to a migration guide or FAQ, like the examples from Python or Microsoft, helps users take action.

Q4. How long should a feature stay in a deprecated state?
There’s no universal rule, but the best examples of deprecation in major platforms usually give at least one full release cycle, and often much longer for enterprise‑critical features. Security‑sensitive features (like weak ciphers) may move faster due to risk.

Q5. Where can I find authoritative guidance on deprecating security‑related features?
For encryption, protocols, and authentication, organizations such as NIST, academic security groups at universities like Harvard, and standards bodies (for example, IETF) publish recommendations. Their documents often explain why certain algorithms, protocols, or patterns should be phased out and what should replace them.

By studying these real‑world examples of deprecated features in software updates—and how vendors communicated them—you can write clearer user guides, set better expectations with customers, and avoid the kind of surprise breakage that turns a routine update into a fire drill.