Is your mobile application built with Xamarin? With Microsoft ending support, now is the perfect time to smoothly transition your apps to the next generation of mobile development platforms—whether it’s .NET MAUI, React Native, or the platform of your choice – we’ve put together this article to give you all the information you need to consider.
Xamarin Sunset
Microsoft officially ended support for Xamarin on May 1, 2024. In practical terms, that means any Xamarin-based app (including Xamarin.Forms) will no longer receive updates or security patches. Your existing apps will still run for now, but only against Android API 34 and Xcode 15 – in other words, Android 14 and iOS 17 are the last officially supported OS versions. As new Android or iOS versions roll out, unsupported Xamarin apps are likely to break or even be blocked by the app stores. Nimble Approach warns that “continuing to use Xamarin … could expose your apps to significant risks and could even be removed from App stores”. The good news: this “challenge is also an opportunity” to modernize your mobile strategy.
To put this in context, cross-platform development isn’t slowing down. Flutter now powers apps for ~46% of developers, React Native for around 32%, while Xamarin usage has declined (only about 12% of developers worldwide currently use it). In short, the ecosystem is moving on – it’s time you did too.
Why You Should Migrate from Xamarin Now
Sticking with Xamarin poses multiple urgent risks. For starters, there are security and compliance issues: without ongoing patches, old apps are vulnerable to new exploits and may fail industry or store requirements. Google has already signaled that starting August 2025, new Google Play apps must target the latest Android API. Likewise, with the onset of iOS 18, Apple’s updated policy suggests it is beginning to block older frameworks. Your Xamarin app could be suddenly rejected in app stores or stop working on new devices.
Other concerns include compatibility and user experience. Future OS updates (for example, iOS 18) may break your app’s functionality. Users will be frustrated by crashes, missing features, or poor performance. Meanwhile, the market is not standing still – competitors on modern stacks (Flutter, MAUI, etc.) can deliver smoother, faster experiences.
On the flip side, migration brings big benefits.
- Future-Proof Your Apps: Secure your applications’ performance and reliability with platforms supported long-term.
- Stay Competitive: Leverage cutting-edge technology, improved user experience, and enhanced performance.
- Reduce Costs: Prevent rising maintenance expenses due to deprecated platforms.
Modern frameworks offer enhanced performance and faster load times. In practice, teams often see better scalability, simpler maintenance, and faster development cycles after migrating. And since Xamarin itself was built on C#, you can often reuse your business logic – the effort is mainly in updating UI and project structures.
Key reasons to act now
Alternative Platforms
When you migrate, you can choose among several modern approaches. Each has trade-offs:
- .NET MAUI: Microsoft’s official successor to Xamarin. MAUI lets you build Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS apps from a single C# codebase. It integrates tightly with .NET 6+ and Visual Studio. Existing Xamarin. Forms apps can be migrated to MAUI – in fact, “Xamarin. Forms has evolved into .NET MAUI” according to Microsoft. If your team knows C#/.NET, this path reuses many skills and libraries. (Benefit: one codebase, single project format, built-in support for desktop; Considerations: some Xamarin libraries may need updates.)
- React Native: A Facebook-backed framework using JavaScript/TypeScript. React Native powers apps at scale: thousands of apps (from Fortune 500 companies to startups) use it. Examples include Facebook, Instagram, Microsoft Office, and many others. It has a vast ecosystem of libraries and a rapid development cycle. Performance is good for most apps (with new architectures like Fabric improving UI speed). (Benefit: Large community, many libraries; Considerations: Uses JS bridge, so extremely graphics-intensive apps might lag slightly.)
- Flutter: Google’s open-source UI toolkit using Dart. Flutter compiles to native ARM code and uses its rendering engine, which often results in blazing-fast, smooth UIs. Many big companies trust Flutter – Google itself uses it for Google Pay, Ads, and more. According to industry reports, ~46% of developers now rely on Flutter. Its widget-based design makes custom, high-performance UIs easy to build. (Benefit: Very high performance and pixel-perfect UI; Considerations: Uses Dart, a less common language, and the Flutter ecosystem is newer than React’s.)
- Native (Swift/Kotlin): If you need maximum performance or access to cutting-edge platform features, rebuilding your app natively is an option. This means separate iOS and Android code (using Swift/Objective-C and Kotlin/Java, respectively), which can be more work upfront. (Benefit: Full control and performance; Considerations: Higher development cost and longer time-to-market with two codebases.)
Each option can yield better performance and longevity than staying on unsupported Xamarin. The right choice depends on your team’s skills, the app’s complexity, and your business priorities.
Getting Started: Actionable Steps
Migrating doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Follow these steps to kick off a smooth transition:
- Inventory Your Apps: Start by cataloging all active Xamarin apps and codebases. Identify which use Xamarin.Forms versus Xamarin.Native. Review any platform-specific libraries or custom renderers that might need special attention.
- Choose Your Target: Based on your goals and expertise, pick a new platform. For example, if you want to stay in the Microsoft ecosystem, .NET MAUI is the clear successor. If you prefer JavaScript or need a broad community, React Native or Flutter could be better fits. Consider factors like team skillsets, UI needs, and integration with other systems.
- Use Automated Tools: For Xamarin→MAUI migrations, Microsoft’s .NET Upgrade Assistant is a great starting point. This command-line (or Visual Studio) tool automatically converts your Xamarin. Form projects into MAUI-style projects, updating project files, namespaces, and NuGet packages. It handles a lot of the mechanical work (like setting `UseMaui=true` and swapping out Xamarin. Forms references) so you can focus on higher-level changes.
- Leverage AI & Expert Help: Consider AI-powered migration services to speed up the process. Tools like Bridgenext’s AI migration platform can scan your existing codebase and automatically refactor much of it into the target framework. By using Bridgenext’s AI tools, you can get a detailed migration report quickly and dramatically reduce manual effort.
- Refactor and Rebuild UI: Automated tools will handle project setup and many code conversions, but you’ll likely need to redo your UI. For MAUI, that means rewriting XAML layouts with MAUI controls and replacing any custom renderers with their MAUI equivalents. For Flutter or React Native, it will be a complete UI rewrite in Dart or JSX. Use this as an opportunity to improve the design and responsiveness.
- Test Rigorously: Test your migrated app on all target devices and OS versions. Use emulators and real devices to catch platform-specific issues. Performance test to ensure you meet or exceed the old app’s responsiveness. Automated UI tests can help validate that your app behaves correctly across platforms.
- Modernize Your CI/CD: Update your build and release pipelines for the new framework. For example, MAUI apps require .NET 6/7+ in your build agents, and Flutter apps require setting up the Flutter SDK. Automate testing and deployment so you can release updates quickly.
- Deploy and Monitor: Once your app is migrated and tested, roll it out to users. Monitor crash reports and user feedback closely. The migration also offers a chance to add new features or improve app analytics. Plan ongoing updates: unlike Xamarin, your new platform will continue evolving, so schedule periodic updates to stay current.
Throughout this process, time is of the essence. Remember that each month on Xamarin brings more risk. By planning now – and using tools like Bridgenext’s AI migration service – you turn a ticking clock into a competitive advantage. With the right approach, you’ll not only avoid disruption but also deliver a better app to your users.
Need a trusted partner to support your Xamarin migration?
Bridgenext partners globally with companies to strategically modernize applications, retain and expand customer bases, and seamlessly transition legacy systems into advanced, future-ready platforms.
Leveraging state-of-the-art AI technology, we simplify the migration process by:
- Automated Code Conversion: To minimize errors, reduce manual coding effort, and significantly accelerate timelines.
- Intelligent Platform Assessment: AI-driven analysis to suggest the ideal platform for your specific business goals and app requirements.
- Quality Assurance: Continuous automated testing and validation to ensure seamless performance and high-quality user experience post-migration.
Special Offer
FREE AI-Driven Migration Assessment: Discover your optimal migration path and potential savings.
Take advantage of our exclusive AI migration offer today—transition smoothly, efficiently, and confidently.
Connect with us to discuss your migration goals and get ahead of the Xamarin sunset!
References –
1. applandeo.com/blog/speed-up-xamarin-to-net-maui-migration-4-powerful-tools/#:~:text=In%20what%20tasks%20can%20GenAI,assist%20you
2. learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1539478/what-happens-when-xamarin-support-ends
3. learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/end-of-support/end-of-support-2024
4. dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/platform/support/policy/xamarin#:~:text=Xamarin%20support%20ended%20on%20May,no%20new%20APIs%20are%20planned
