Vercel is deprecating Node.js 20 for Builds and Functions on October 1, 2026. After that date, any new deployment targeting Node.js 20 will throw an error. Existing deployments keep running, but the clock stops there: no new deploys, no updates, no fixes unless you upgrade.
The upgrade path is straightforward. Set a new Node.js version in Project Settings or via the engines field in package.json. If you cannot migrate before the deadline without breaking your app, Vercel offers a container image escape hatch: add a Dockerfile.vercel at the project root and it builds on every commit. That buys time, but it shifts Node.js security patch responsibility entirely onto you.
The original changelog is worth reading for the exact CLI command to audit which projects are affected across your team, and for the specific project settings URLs. Node.js 20 hits upstream end of life on April 30, 2026, five months before Vercel pulls the trigger. That gap is the window. Use it.
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