GitHub Actions: Self-hosted runner minimum version enforcement extended

[samus-aran]

We’ve extended the timeline for configuration‑time version enforcement of the minimum self‑hosted runner requirement by one week. You now have until March 16, 2026 to upgrade your runners to v2.329.0 or later.

This extends the timeline we shared in our December 2025 announcement.

What's changing

Starting March 16, 2026, GitHub Actions will block configurations from self-hosted runners older than v2.329.0 (released October 15, 2025). Between February 16 and March 16, we'll run a brownout period with scheduled configuration blocks to help you identify runners that need updates.

After March 16, runners must meet the minimum version requirement before registration. Older runners won't be able to connect or self-upgrade after running the configuration script.

Brownout schedule

During the brownout period, we'll temporarily block configurations from runners below v2.329.0. This table shows when blocks will occur in major timezones:

Week	Dates (2026)	UTC Time	US Pacific	US Eastern	Central Europe	India	Japan/Korea	Australia East
1	Feb 16 (Sun)	08:00-09:00	00:00-01:00	03:00-04:00	09:00-10:00	13:30-14:30	17:00-18:00	19:00-20:00
2	Feb 23 (Sun)	08:00-10:00	00:00-02:00	03:00-05:00	09:00-11:00	13:30-15:30	17:00-19:00	19:00-21:00
2	Feb 25 (Tue)	16:00-18:00	08:00-10:00	11:00-13:00	17:00-19:00	21:30-23:30	01:00-03:00*	03:00-05:00*
3	Mar 2 (Mon)	00:00-04:00	16:00-20:00*	19:00-23:00*	01:00-05:00	05:30-09:30	09:00-13:00	11:00-15:00
3	Mar 4 (Wed)	12:00-16:00	04:00-08:00	07:00-11:00	13:00-17:00	17:30-21:30	21:00-01:00*	23:00-03:00*
3	Mar 6 (Fri)	20:00-00:00*	12:00-16:00	15:00-19:00	21:00-01:00*	01:30-05:30*	05:00-09:00*	07:00-11:00*
4	Mar 9 (Mon)	08:00 onwards	00:00 onwards	03:00 onwards	09:00 onwards	13:30 onwards	17:00 onwards	19:00 onwards

*Times marked with an asterisk fall on the next day in that timezone.

Full enforcement begins March 16, 2026. At that time, all configurations from runners below v2.329.0 will be permanently blocked.

What you need to do

Update all self-hosted runners to v2.329.0 or later by March 16, 2026:

1. Download the latest runner release from the Actions Runner releases page.
2. Update your installation scripts, images, or automation to install v2.329.0 or later before running ./config.sh.
3. Recreate or redeploy any runners built from images or templates that contain older versions.
4. Review the upgrade documentation for detailed guidance.

[shubham055555]

Thank you for the update and for extending the timeline.

The brownout approach is particularly helpful for identifying outdated runners before full enforcement. It provides a practical window to test and validate upgrade strategies without immediate disruption.

I have a couple of questions and suggestions:

1. For teams using containerized or image-based runners:
   Are there recommended strategies to ensure all cached or prebuilt images are consistently updated to the required version, especially in CI environments with multiple pipelines?

2. For automated infrastructure (e.g., Docker or VM-based runners):
   Would you recommend enforcing version checks at startup (pre-config step) to avoid failed registrations during brownout periods?

3. It would be useful to have:

   • A simple script or command to audit all registered self-hosted runners and their versions
   • Guidance on handling edge cases where runners fail to self-update due to restricted environments

Overall, the communication and phased rollout are well structured. This change will likely improve stability and security across self-hosted runner environments.

Appreciate the clear timeline and documentation.