Office SharePoint Designer 2013: What It Is, How It Worked, and What Replaces It in 2026

Office SharePoint Designer 2013 was Microsoft’s free tool for creating and customizing SharePoint sites, forms, workflows, and business applications without traditional programming. It was widely used with SharePoint 2013 and later SharePoint Server versions.

However, SharePoint Designer 2013 is now retired. Microsoft ended support for SharePoint Designer 2013 on July 14, 2026, and SharePoint 2013 workflows were fully retired from SharePoint Online on April 2, 2026.

If your organization still relies on Office SharePoint Designer 2013, the important question in 2026 is no longer simply how to use it. It is how to replace the workflows, forms, and SharePoint customizations that depended on it.

For organizations that want a no-code or low-code alternative that continues to work with SharePoint, NITRO Studio is one option to consider.

What Was Office SharePoint Designer 2013?

Office SharePoint Designer 2013, commonly called SharePoint Designer 2013 or SPD 2013, was Microsoft’s application for customizing SharePoint sites and building SharePoint-based business solutions.

It provided a visual, largely no-code environment for tasks such as:

• Creating SharePoint workflows
• Customizing SharePoint sites
• Building workflow logic
• Creating forms and data-driven applications
• Connecting SharePoint lists and libraries
• Creating reusable workflow templates
• Managing SharePoint site components
• Packaging and deploying SharePoint solutions

Microsoft described SharePoint Designer 2013 as a tool for creating and customizing SharePoint sites and applications, including workflow-enabled solutions.

For many organizations, SharePoint Designer became the primary tool for automating business processes inside SharePoint.

Is Office SharePoint Designer 2013 Still Supported?

No. SharePoint Designer 2013 is no longer supported as of July 14, 2026.

Microsoft’s lifecycle documentation lists July 14, 2026 as the end of extended support for SharePoint Designer 2013.

That means organizations should not treat SharePoint Designer 2013 as a supported, long-term Microsoft platform.

There is also an important distinction between the retirement of SharePoint Designer 2013 and the retirement of SharePoint 2013 workflows.

SharePoint Designer 2013 retirement timeline

Microsoft confirms that SharePoint 2013 workflows were fully retired from SharePoint Online on April 2, 2026.

Can You Still Use SharePoint Designer 2013?

The answer depends on your SharePoint environment.

SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365

No, not as a supported workflow platform.

SharePoint 2013 workflows were fully retired from SharePoint Online on April 2, 2026.

This means you cannot continue using SharePoint Designer 2013 to create and execute SharePoint 2013 workflows in Microsoft 365.

Microsoft recommends moving SharePoint Online workflow automation to modern solutions such as Power Automate or supported third-party workflow platforms.

SharePoint Server

The situation is different for on-premises SharePoint.

SharePoint Designer 2013 was designed to work with SharePoint Server environments, including SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019. Microsoft documentation also describes SharePoint Designer 2013 as a primary development tool for SharePoint Server workflows.

However, SharePoint Designer 2013 itself reached end of support on July 14, 2026.

That creates an important distinction:

A workflow may technically continue to function in an on-premises environment while the tool used to create or manage it is no longer supported.

Organizations should therefore consider the long-term support, security, and maintenance implications of continuing to depend on SharePoint Designer 2013.

What Happened to SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflows?

This is one of the most important questions for organizations that used Office SharePoint Designer 2013.

SharePoint Designer 2013 was commonly used to create workflows that automated processes such as:

• Document approvals
• Employee onboarding
• Purchase approvals
• Contract approvals
• Notifications
• Task assignments
• Status changes
• Routing
• Escalations
• Review processes

Microsoft has now retired the SharePoint 2013 workflow platform from SharePoint Online.

As a result, organizations with Microsoft 365 environments need to migrate those processes to a supported workflow technology.

Why Is SharePoint Designer 2013 No Longer a Good Long-Term Strategy?

There are several reasons organizations should begin moving away from SharePoint Designer 2013.

1. Microsoft ended support

The most straightforward reason is lifecycle status.

Microsoft ended support for SharePoint Designer 2013 on July 14, 2026.

Organizations should avoid building new business-critical processes around software that is no longer supported.

2. SharePoint 2013 workflows are retired in Microsoft 365

If you use SharePoint Online, the underlying SharePoint 2013 workflow platform has already been removed.

Microsoft states that SharePoint 2013 workflows were fully retired from existing Microsoft 365 tenants on April 2, 2026.

3. Modern SharePoint automation has moved beyond SharePoint Designer

SharePoint Designer was built around an earlier generation of SharePoint architecture.

Microsoft’s current workflow strategy centers on modern workflow orchestration, particularly Power Automate for Microsoft 365 environments.

4. Legacy workflows can become a business risk

A workflow is often much more than a technical configuration.

It may control:

• Approvals
• Compliance processes
• Employee processes
• Customer requests
• Document routing
• Notifications
• Business-critical deadlines

If a legacy workflow stops working, the impact can extend far beyond SharePoint itself.

That is why organizations should inventory their existing SharePoint Designer workflows and prioritize the processes that need to be rebuilt.

What Replaces Office SharePoint Designer 2013?

There is not one universal replacement for everything SharePoint Designer did.

The right replacement depends on what you used SharePoint Designer for.

For SharePoint workflows: Power Automate

Microsoft positions Power Automate as its modern workflow orchestration solution for Microsoft 365.

Power Automate can automate SharePoint processes and connect SharePoint with other Microsoft 365 services and external applications. Microsoft specifically recommends Power Automate and other supported workflow solutions for replacing retired SharePoint workflows.

Power Automate can be a good choice when:

• Your organization is primarily in Microsoft 365
• Your processes can be rebuilt using modern connectors and flows
• You are comfortable with the Power Platform
• Cloud-based automation fits your requirements

However, organizations with complex SharePoint environments, strict deployment requirements, or specialized workflow needs may want to evaluate additional options.

For no-code SharePoint forms and workflows: NITRO Studio

NITRO Studio from Crow Canyon Software is a no-code/low-code application development and workflow platform designed for SharePoint.

It can be used to build:

• SharePoint forms
• Workflows
• Approvals
• Notifications
• Business applications
• Automated processes
• Custom SharePoint solutions

For organizations looking for an alternative to the visual workflow-building experience they had with SharePoint Designer, NITRO Studio provides a familiar no-code/low-code approach while supporting modern SharePoint environments.

NITRO Studio supports SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365 as well as supported SharePoint Server environments, including deployment scenarios where organizations have specialized security or infrastructure requirements.

Learn more about [NITRO Studio as a SharePoint Designer replacement].

SharePoint Designer 2013 vs. Modern Alternatives

The important point is that replacing SharePoint Designer is not necessarily a matter of finding another program with the exact same name or interface.

Instead, identify what SharePoint Designer was doing for your organization and replace those capabilities with supported technology.

How to Migrate From SharePoint Designer 2013

If your organization still has SharePoint Designer workflows, start with an inventory.

Step 1: Find your SharePoint Designer workflows

Identify:

• Which sites contain workflows
• Which lists and libraries use workflows
• Who owns each workflow
• What business process each workflow supports
• Whether the workflow is still actively used
• What systems the workflow interacts with
• Whether the workflow contains approvals or escalations
• Whether the workflow is business-critical

Microsoft recommends assessing SharePoint 2013 workflow usage as part of the modernization process.

Step 2: Categorize the workflows

Not every workflow needs the same migration strategy.

A useful classification is:

Simple workflows

Examples include:

• Send an email
• Update a field
• Assign a task
• Change an item’s status

Moderate workflows

Examples include:

• Multi-step approvals
• Conditional routing
• Multiple notifications
• Escalations
• Department-specific logic

Complex workflows

Examples include:

• Multiple approval paths
• Extensive business rules
• Large numbers of conditions
• Integration with multiple systems
• Highly customized forms
• Compliance-driven processes

Prioritize the workflows that are both business-critical and difficult to recreate.

Step 3: Determine the target platform

For each process, decide whether it belongs in:

• Power Automate
• NITRO Studio
• Another supported workflow platform
• Custom development
• A redesigned business process

Do not assume every existing workflow needs to be reproduced exactly as it was.

Migration is often an opportunity to simplify the process.

Step 4: Rebuild and test

A successful migration should include testing for:

• Workflow triggers
• Approvals
• Notifications
• Permissions
• Exceptions
• Escalations
• Forms
• Integrations
• Reporting
• Security

Test the process with real-world scenarios before retiring the legacy workflow.

Can SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflows Be Automatically Migrated?

Some SharePoint Designer 2013 workflow components can be migrated, but organizations should not assume that every workflow will convert perfectly without rebuilding or testing.

Microsoft provides migration tooling for supported SharePoint Designer workflows and recommends moving workflows to Power Automate.

The complexity of the original workflow matters.

A simple workflow may be relatively straightforward to recreate.

A workflow containing extensive conditions, custom logic, specialized forms, or integrations may require significant redesign.

For that reason, an inventory and assessment should come before migration.

What About SharePoint Designer 2013 Forms?

SharePoint Designer was used for more than workflows.

Organizations also used it to customize SharePoint sites and build forms and business applications.

That means replacing SharePoint Designer may require more than simply moving workflows to Power Automate.

If your organization used SharePoint Designer for forms, workflows, and business applications, evaluate all three areas separately.

For example:

The best solution depends on your SharePoint architecture, security requirements, development resources, and business processes.

Is There an Office SharePoint Designer 2016, 2019, or 2026?

No.

SharePoint Designer 2013 was the final release of SharePoint Designer.

There is no SharePoint Designer 2016, SharePoint Designer 2019, or SharePoint Designer 2026.

This is an important distinction because some organizations assume that Microsoft simply replaced SharePoint Designer 2013 with a newer version.

It did not.

Instead, Microsoft moved SharePoint customization and workflow capabilities into newer technologies and platforms.

What Should Organizations Using Office SharePoint Designer 2013 Do Now?

If your organization still depends on SharePoint Designer 2013, the best approach is to create a modernization plan rather than waiting for individual workflows to fail.

A practical plan is:

1. Inventory every SharePoint Designer workflow.
2. Identify the business owner for each workflow.
3. Determine which workflows are still actively used.
4. Classify workflows by complexity and business criticality.
5. Identify dependencies on legacy SharePoint forms and customizations.
6. Select a supported replacement platform.
7. Rebuild and test the highest-priority processes first.
8. Document the new workflows.
9. Retire obsolete workflows and customizations.
10. Monitor the new environment after migration.

This approach is much safer than trying to migrate everything at once.

Office SharePoint Designer 2013: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Office SharePoint Designer 2013?

Office SharePoint Designer 2013, commonly called SharePoint Designer 2013 or SPD 2013, was Microsoft’s free application for creating and customizing SharePoint sites, workflows, forms, and business applications.

Is SharePoint Designer 2013 still available?

SharePoint Designer 2013 was the final version of SharePoint Designer, but it reached end of support on July 14, 2026. Organizations should not use it as the foundation for new business-critical solutions.

Is SharePoint Designer 2013 discontinued?

Yes. SharePoint Designer 2013 is discontinued and reached the end of Microsoft’s support lifecycle on July 14, 2026.

Does SharePoint Designer 2013 work with Office 365?

SharePoint Designer 2013 is not a supported solution for SharePoint Online workflows in Microsoft 365. SharePoint 2013 workflows were fully retired from SharePoint Online on April 2, 2026.

What replaced SharePoint Designer 2013?

There is no single one-to-one Microsoft replacement for every SharePoint Designer capability. Microsoft recommends Power Automate for workflow orchestration, while organizations can also evaluate supported third-party platforms such as NITRO Studio for forms, workflows, and SharePoint application development.

What replaced SharePoint Designer workflows?

For Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online, Microsoft recommends Power Automate and other supported workflow solutions.

Can I still use SharePoint Designer 2013 with SharePoint Server?

SharePoint Designer 2013 was used with SharePoint Server environments, but Microsoft support for SharePoint Designer 2013 ended July 14, 2026. Organizations running on-premises SharePoint should evaluate their long-term modernization strategy rather than building new solutions around the retired designer.

When did SharePoint 2013 workflows retire?

SharePoint 2013 workflows were fully retired from existing SharePoint Online tenants on April 2, 2026.

When did SharePoint Designer 2013 reach end of support?

Microsoft ended support for SharePoint Designer 2013 on July 14, 2026.

Is NITRO Studio a SharePoint Designer replacement?

NITRO Studio is a no-code/low-code platform for building SharePoint forms, workflows, and business applications. It is an option for organizations looking for a modern alternative to SharePoint Designer’s visual development and workflow capabilities.

The Bottom Line

Office SharePoint Designer 2013 was an important SharePoint development and workflow tool, but it is now retired.

Microsoft ended support for SharePoint Designer 2013 on July 14, 2026, while SharePoint 2013 workflows were fully retired from SharePoint Online on April 2, 2026.

If your organization still depends on SharePoint Designer, now is the time to identify the workflows, forms, and customizations that need to be replaced.

For Microsoft 365 organizations, Power Automate is Microsoft’s primary workflow automation path. Organizations looking for a no-code/low-code platform focused on SharePoint forms, workflows, and business applications can also evaluate NITRO Studio.

The goal is not simply to replace an old application.

It is to move the business processes that depended on SharePoint Designer onto a platform that is supported, maintainable, secure, and appropriate for your organization’s SharePoint environment.

Ready to move beyond SharePoint Designer? Explore NITRO Studio as a modern SharePoint forms and workflow platform.