- [Home page](https://www.brimit.com/) - [Blog](https://www.brimit.com/blog) # Sitecore 10.5 Release [Tech Talks](https://www.brimit.com/blog?categories=Tech%20Talks) [Sitecore](https://www.brimit.com/blog?platforms=Sitecore) [Igor Zharikov](https://www.brimit.com/blog/author?authors=Igor%20Zharikov) on August 7, 2026 ![](https://www.brimit.com/-/jssmedia/images/blog/sitecore-10-5/logo.png?h=720&iar=0&w=1280&hash=7D6D22D71CB8BB22FDA4F9A0A9A790CF) Sitecore 10.5 is out - grab it on the [download page](https://developers.sitecore.com/downloads/Sitecore_Experience_Platform/105/Sitecore_Experience_Platform_105). Stability release: treat it as a platform dependencies update plus a refreshed editor UI. What changed below. ## TL;DR - **Windows Server 2025** - 2022 still supported, 2019 container images gone - **SQL Server 2025** - 2022 still supported, **2019 dropped** - **Solr 10 only** - Solr 8 and 9 support removed, Basic Authentication mandatory - **.NET Framework 4.8.1** - up from 4.8, Sitecore Framework libraries on .NET 10 - **Refreshed editor UI** - **Telerik 2020.3 to 2025.2** - your own licence key needed if you compile against Telerik - **GraphQL Playground and the Package Installer** - gone or off by default ## Dependencies Windows Server 2025 is supported for all deployment types - SIF/SIA on-premises, Docker Compose, and AKS. Windows Server 2022 stays supported, so container images ship as `ltsc2022` and `ltsc2025`. Windows Server 2019 images are no longer shipped. SQL Server 2025 is supported across all database roles, SQL Server 2022 remains supported, and **SQL Server 2019 is out**. Web Deploy prerequisites moved with it. The platform itself moves from **.NET Framework 4.8 to 4.8.1** - all platform and component assemblies retargeted. Custom code compiled against 4.8 keeps working, but the runtime and an updated Visual C++ Redistributable have to be on the servers. The Sitecore Framework libraries moved to their **.NET 10** builds, with major version jumps, so anything referencing them needs recompiling. Always check the [compatibility table](https://support.sitecore.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0087164) for the exact supported versions. ## UI reskin The editor UI moves to SitecoreAI branding - purple and grey in place of the classic XP chrome. It is a reskin, not a redesign. Same layout, same navigation, just a more modern look. Content Editor: flat light chrome, purple accents on the active tab and the application tabs at the bottom. ![](https://www.brimit.com/-/media/images/blog/sitecore-10-5/screens/content-editor.png) Dialogs got the biggest visual change - rounded corners, pill buttons, purple primary action. ![](https://www.brimit.com/-/media/images/blog/sitecore-10-5/screens/publish-item.png) The reskin is not limited to Content Editor. Experience Editor gets the same treatment: ![](https://www.brimit.com/-/media/images/blog/sitecore-10-5/screens/insert-rendering.png) Same for admin apps like the Control Panel and Indexing Manager: ![](https://www.brimit.com/-/media/images/blog/sitecore-10-5/screens/indexing-manager.png) And Forms: ![](https://www.brimit.com/-/media/images/blog/sitecore-10-5/screens/form-builder.png) ## Solr 10 Sitecore 10.4.1 ran on Solr 9.8.1. Sitecore XP 10.5 supports **Solr 10 only** - support for Solr 8 and Solr 9 has been removed. Solr 10.0.0 is the tested version, and Solr 10's **Basic Authentication is mandatory**. Quick comparison of what Solr 10 brings: | | Solr 9 | Solr 10 | | --- | --- | --- | | Search engine | Lucene 9 | Lucene 10 | | Java (server) | 11 minimum, tested on 11, 17, 21 | 21 minimum | | Security | opt-in, configured by hand | Basic Authentication mandatory | | Config | legacy `solrconfig` options still accepted | legacy options removed | The Solr admin UI now asks for credentials. ![](https://www.brimit.com/-/media/images/blog/sitecore-10-5/screens/solr-auth.png) Authentication is also the part that touches your configuration. Solr credentials now live in the connection string: ``` Sitecore_ConnectionStrings_Solr.Search: http://:@solr:8983/solr;solrCloud=true ``` Two more search-side changes: - **Schema population changed.** If you customized Solr schema population, that code needs updating. - **The managed schema file is renamed** from `managed-schema` to `managed-schema.xml`. Known issue: pivot faceting on `SortableTextField` can return wrong results because of [SOLR-16139](https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/SOLR-16139). Workaround is setting `ContentSearch.Solr.UseEnumFacetMethod` to `true`. Plan a full reindex as part of the upgrade, and stand up Solr 10 fresh rather than upgrading an older cluster in place. ## Quick start with Docker Fastest way to see 10.5 is the [containers deployment package](https://github.com/Sitecore/container-deployment/releases/tag/sxp%2F10.5.0.014188.2900). Grab it, then from the topology folder (`xp0` here): ``` .\compose-init.ps1 -Topology xp0 ` -LicenseXmlPath C:\path\to\license.xml ` -SolrAdminPassword ` -SolrConnectionPassword docker compose up -d ``` `compose-init.ps1` generates certificates, hosts entries and secrets, and fills in `.env` - run it from an elevated PowerShell session. After that `https://xp0cm.localhost` is your CM. Note the two new mandatory Solr parameters. There are no defaults, and they set up two separate accounts: `admin` for the Solr admin UI, and `sitecore` for the connection user Sitecore itself uses. Both end up in `.env` and flow into the connection strings. Images come in `ltsc2022` and `ltsc2025` flavours - pick the one matching your host OS: | Image | Windows Server 2022 | Windows Server 2025 | | --- | --- | --- | | `sitecore-xp0-cm`, `xconnect`, workers | `10.5-ltsc2022` | `10.5-ltsc2025` | | `sitecore-identity` | `9.0-ltsc2022` | `9.0-ltsc2025` | | `nonproduction/solr` | `10.0.0-ltsc2022` | `10.0.0-ltsc2025` | | `nonproduction/mssql-developer` | `2025-ltsc2022` | `2025-ltsc2025` | Registry stays `scr.sitecore.com/sxp/`. Full tag list lives in [sitecore-tags.md](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Sitecore/docker-images/master/tags/sitecore-tags.md). Traefik comes from Docker Hub, pinned to `v3.7.5-windowsservercore-ltsc2025` / `v3.7.5-windowsservercore-ltsc2022` in the compose file. ## Breaking changes The [breaking changes page](https://developers.sitecore.com/downloads/Sitecore_Experience_Platform/105/Sitecore_Experience_Platform_105/Breaking_Changes) has the full list with exact type and member names. The parts worth mentioning: ### Package Installer disabled by default `Sitecore.Packages.Disabled` now defaults to `true`, so **Package Installer and Package Designer are off**. Run the Installation Wizard on a fresh 10.5 instance and this is what you get: ![](https://www.brimit.com/-/media/images/blog/sitecore-10-5/screens/package-installation-disabled.png) Deploy `App_Config/Include/zSitecore.InstallPackage.Enable.config` to turn them back on. ### GraphQL Playground removed Playground is out of Sitecore XP. Use Postman, Insomnia or any other GraphQL client. ### Telerik 2020.3 to 2025.2 Telerik is updated from 2020.3 to 2025.2, the NuGet package is renamed, and Telerik dependencies are removed from `Sitecore.Kernel`. Nothing to do if you only consume Sitecore's pre-built assemblies. If your solution compiles against the Telerik NuGet packages, it now needs your own Telerik licence key - see the [breaking changes page](https://developers.sitecore.com/downloads/Sitecore_Experience_Platform/105/Sitecore_Experience_Platform_105/Breaking_Changes) for the setup. ### BinaryFormatter replacement `BinaryFormatter` is dropped because of the known deserialization vulnerabilities. Backward compatibility is one-way: 10.5 reads data written by earlier versions, but not the other way around. Some public APIs are deprecated or behave differently as part of the replacement - check the [breaking changes page](https://developers.sitecore.com/downloads/Sitecore_Experience_Platform/105/Sitecore_Experience_Platform_105/Breaking_Changes) for the list. ### Item Service search locked down Anonymous search access is blocked and search now enforces content security permissions by default. If you relied on the old behaviour, `Sitecore.Services.AllowSearchServiceAnonymousUser` has to be enabled explicitly. ### Computed index fields During a parallel index rebuild, worker threads used to start with a null site context and security unconditionally disabled, so custom computed fields reading `Sitecore.Context.Site` or `SecurityDisabler.CurrentValue` indexed incorrect values. 10.5 propagates the calling thread's site context and security state into each worker, so those fields can now index different values than they did on 10.4 - details in the [breaking changes page](https://developers.sitecore.com/downloads/Sitecore_Experience_Platform/105/Sitecore_Experience_Platform_105/Breaking_Changes). ## Everything else Plenty more in there: database upgrade scripts for Identity Server and messaging, an Application Insights connection string migration, removed legacy jQuery files, caching and rendering performance work, a serious batch of security patches, and a long list of fixes across publishing, Content Editor, Experience Editor, EXM and headless services. Full list in the [release notes](https://developers.sitecore.com/downloads/Sitecore_Experience_Platform/105/Sitecore_Experience_Platform_105/Release_Notes). ## Module compatibility At release, **Experience Accelerator (SXA), Headless Rendering and Codeless Schema Extensions are still undergoing compatibility verification** - support lands in upcoming releases. ## Conclusion 10.5 puts XP back on current Windows, SQL, Solr and .NET, hardens security, and refreshes the editor UI. 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