GKE cluster versions have been updated. New versions available for upgrades and new clusters

## Change Change #### (2026-R22) Version updates GKE cluster versions have been updated. **New versions available for upgrades and new clusters.** The following versions are now available for new GKE clusters, and for manual control plane upgrades and node upgrades for existing clusters. For more information about versioning and upgrades, see [GKE versioning and support](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning) and [About GKE cluster upgrades](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/upgrades). ### Rapid channel **Note**: Your clusters might not have these versions available. Rollouts are already in progress when we publish the release notes, and can take multiple days to complete across all Google Cloud zones. * Version [1.36.0-gke.2459000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.36.md#v1360) is now the default version for cluster creation in the Rapid channel. * The following versions are now available in the Rapid channel: * [1.33.12-gke.1116000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13312) * [1.34.8-gke.1218000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1348) * [1.35.5-gke.1163000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1355) * [1.36.0-gke.2684000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.36.md#v1360) * The following versions are no longer available in the Rapid channel: * 1.33.12-gke.1000000 * 1.34.8-gke.1000000 * 1.35.5-gke.1000000 * 1.36.0-gke.2253000 * Clusters in this channel running the listed minor version have new general auto-upgrade targets. GKE can upgrade control planes and nodes to the following new versions with this release: * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new minor versions if there are no factors, such as [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or deprecated APIs, preventing upgrades: * 1.32 to [1.33.12-gke.1059000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13312) * 1.33 to [1.34.8-gke.1126000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1348) * 1.34 to [1.35.5-gke.1057000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1355) * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new patch versions if no minor version upgrade is available, or if the cluster has [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or other factors preventing minor version upgrades: * 1.33 to [1.33.12-gke.1059000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13312) * 1.34 to [1.34.8-gke.1126000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1348) * 1.35 to [1.35.5-gke.1057000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1355) * 1.36 to [1.36.0-gke.2459000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.36.md#v1360) ### Regular channel **Note**: Your clusters might not have these versions available. Rollouts are already in progress when we publish the release notes, and can take multiple days to complete across all Google Cloud zones. * Version [1.35.3-gke.2190000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1353) is now the default version for cluster creation in the Regular channel. * The following versions are now available in the Regular channel: * [1.33.12-gke.1000000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13312) * [1.34.8-gke.1000000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1348) * [1.35.5-gke.1000000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1355) * The following versions are no longer available in the Regular channel: * 1.33.11-gke.1074000 * 1.34.7-gke.1055000 * 1.35.3-gke.1389002 * Clusters in this channel running the listed minor version have new general auto-upgrade targets. GKE can upgrade control planes and nodes to the following new versions with this release: * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new minor versions if there are no factors, such as [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or deprecated APIs, preventing upgrades: * 1.32 to [1.33.11-gke.1197000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13311) * 1.33 to [1.34.7-gke.1499000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1347) * 1.34 to [1.35.3-gke.2190000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1353) * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new patch versions if no minor version upgrade is available, or if the cluster has [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or other factors preventing minor version upgrades: * 1.33 to [1.33.11-gke.1197000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13311) * 1.34 to [1.34.7-gke.1499000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1347) * 1.35 to [1.35.3-gke.2190000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1353) ### Stable channel **Note**: Your clusters might not have these versions available. Rollouts are already in progress when we publish the release notes, and can take multiple days to complete across all Google Cloud zones. * Version [1.34.7-gke.1055000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1347) is now the default version for cluster creation in the Stable channel. * The following versions are no longer available in the Stable channel: * 1.33.11-gke.1013000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support) in the Stable channel. This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.34.6-gke.1307000 * Clusters in this channel running the listed minor version have new general auto-upgrade targets. GKE can upgrade control planes and nodes to the following new versions with this release: * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new minor versions if there are no factors, such as [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or deprecated APIs, preventing upgrades: * 1.32 to [1.33.11-gke.1074000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13311) * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new patch versions if no minor version upgrade is available, or if the cluster has [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or other factors preventing minor version upgrades: * 1.33 to [1.33.11-gke.1074000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13311) * 1.34 to [1.34.7-gke.1055000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1347) ### Extended channel **Note**: Your clusters might not have these versions available. Rollouts are already in progress when we publish the release notes, and can take multiple days to complete across all Google Cloud zones. * Version [1.35.3-gke.2190000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1353) is now the default version for cluster creation in the Extended channel. * The following versions are now available in the Extended channel: * [1.30.14-gke.2530000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.30.md#v13014) * [1.30.14-gke.2608000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.30.md#v13014) * [1.31.14-gke.1942000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.31.md#v13114) * [1.31.14-gke.1986000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.31.md#v13114) * [1.32.13-gke.1551000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.32.md#v13213) * [1.32.13-gke.1657000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.32.md#v13213) * [1.33.12-gke.1000000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13312) * [1.34.8-gke.1000000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1348) * [1.35.5-gke.1000000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1355) * The following versions are no longer available in the Extended channel: * 1.30.14-gke.2441000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support) in the Extended channel. This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.30.14-gke.2558000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support) in the Extended channel. This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.31.14-gke.1850000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support) in the Extended channel. This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.31.14-gke.1967000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support) in the Extended channel. This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.32.13-gke.1449000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support) in the Extended channel. This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.32.13-gke.1592000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support) in the Extended channel. This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.33.11-gke.1074000 * 1.34.7-gke.1055000 * 1.35.3-gke.1389002 * Clusters in this channel running the listed minor version have new general auto-upgrade targets. GKE can upgrade control planes and nodes to the following new versions with this release: * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new minor versions if there are no factors, such as [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or deprecated APIs, preventing upgrades: * 1.29 to [1.30.14-gke.2458000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.30.md#v13014) * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new patch versions if no minor version upgrade is available, or if the cluster has [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or other factors preventing minor version upgrades: * 1.30 to [1.30.14-gke.2458000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.30.md#v13014) * 1.31 to [1.31.14-gke.1868000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.31.md#v13114) * 1.32 to [1.32.13-gke.1492000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.32.md#v13213) * 1.33 to [1.33.11-gke.1197000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13311) * 1.34 to [1.34.7-gke.1499000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1347) * 1.35 to [1.35.3-gke.2190000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1353) ### No channel **Note**: Your clusters might not have these versions available. Rollouts are already in progress when we publish the release notes, and can take multiple days to complete across all Google Cloud zones. * Version [1.35.3-gke.2190000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1353) is now the default version for cluster creation. * The following versions are now available: * [1.33.12-gke.1116000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13312) * [1.34.8-gke.1218000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1348) * [1.35.5-gke.1163000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1355) * The following node versions are now available: * [1.30.14-gke.2608000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.30.md#v13014) * [1.31.14-gke.1986000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.31.md#v13114) * [1.32.13-gke.1657000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.32.md#v13213) * [1.33.12-gke.1116000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13312) * [1.34.8-gke.1218000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1348) * [1.35.5-gke.1163000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1355) * The following versions are no longer available: * 1.33.11-gke.1013000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support). This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.34.6-gke.1154000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support). This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.35.3-gke.1389000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support). This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * 1.35.3-gke.1993000 is [deprecated](https://docs.cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/versioning#patch-version-support). This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner. * Clusters in this channel running the listed minor version have new general auto-upgrade targets. GKE can upgrade control planes and nodes to the following new versions with this release: * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new minor versions if there are no factors, such as [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or deprecated APIs, preventing upgrades: * 1.32 to [1.33.11-gke.1074000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13311) * GKE upgrades clusters to the following new patch versions if no minor version upgrade is available, or if the cluster has [maintenance exclusions](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/concepts/maintenance-windows-and-exclusions#exclusions) or other factors preventing minor version upgrades: * 1.33 to [1.33.11-gke.1074000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.33.md#v13311) * 1.34 to [1.34.7-gke.1499000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.34.md#v1347) * 1.35 to [1.35.3-gke.2190000](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/master/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.35.md#v1353) ## Security Security #### (2026-R22) Security updates This release includes new GKE versions that use updated Container-Optimized OS images. These updated images are cumulative, incorporating security fixes from all Container-Optimized OS versions released since the previous GKE release. To identify the specific vulnerabilities that were resolved in each updated Container-Optimized OS image, see the **Security** release notes for that image. The following table includes links to the release notes for each updated Container-Optimized OS image: | GKE version | Container-Optimized OS version | Details | | ------------------ | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1.34.8-gke.1218000 | cos-125-19216-395-7 | [cos-125-19216-395-7 release notes](https://cloud.google.com/container-optimized-os/docs/release-notes/m125#cos-125-19216-395-7%5F) | | 1.36.0-gke.2684000 | cos-129-19506-120-64 | [cos-129-19506-120-64 release notes](https://cloud.google.com/container-optimized-os/docs/release-notes/m129#cos-129-19506-120-64%5F) | ## Feature Feature GKE Gateway now supports frontend mTLS (client certificate validation). Frontend mTLS allows the Gateway to authenticate client-presented certificates. This feature is available for the following GatewayClasses: * `gke-l7-global-external-managed` * `gke-l7-regional-external-managed` * `gke-l7-rilb` For more information, see [Configure frontend mTLS for a Gateway](https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/docs/how-to/secure-gateway#configure-frontend-mtls).