diff --git a/azure/defaults.go b/azure/defaults.go
index 02e5508fa5c..48a5a35b13a 100644
--- a/azure/defaults.go
+++ b/azure/defaults.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const (
 	// DefaultLinuxGalleryImageName is the default Linux community gallery image definition.
 	DefaultLinuxGalleryImageName = "capi-ubun2-2404"
 	// DefaultWindowsGalleryImageName is the default Windows community gallery image definition.
-	DefaultWindowsGalleryImageName = "capi-win-2019-containerd"
+	DefaultWindowsGalleryImageName = "capi-win-2022-containerd"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ const (
 const (
 	// DefaultWindowsOsAndVersion is the default Windows Server version to use when
 	// generating default images for Windows nodes.
-	DefaultWindowsOsAndVersion = "windows-2019"
+	DefaultWindowsOsAndVersion = "windows-2022"
 )
 
 const (
diff --git a/azure/services/virtualmachineimages/images.go b/azure/services/virtualmachineimages/images.go
index 3a6fcac29ff..33b5060a036 100644
--- a/azure/services/virtualmachineimages/images.go
+++ b/azure/services/virtualmachineimages/images.go
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func (s *Service) GetDefaultWindowsImage(ctx context.Context, _, k8sVersion, run
 		if len(match) != 2 {
 			return nil, errors.Errorf("unsupported osAndVersion %s", osAndVersion)
 		}
-		imageName = strings.Replace(imageName, "2019", match[1], 1)
+		imageName = strings.Replace(imageName, "2022", match[1], 1)
 	}
 
 	// Use the Azure Marketplace for specific older versions, to keep "clusterctl upgrade" from rolling new machines.
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-ci-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-ci-version-windows.yaml
index 9c1fdc31ea8..dffa59df9c0 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-ci-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-ci-version-windows.yaml
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ spec:
         marketplace:
           offer: capi-windows
           publisher: cncf-upstream
-          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
           version: latest
       osDisk:
         diskSizeGB: 128
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml
index 5d82db90e72..05c3ee5d6a1 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/cluster-template-prow-machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ spec:
       marketplace:
         offer: capi-windows
         publisher: cncf-upstream
-        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
         version: latest
     osDisk:
       diskSizeGB: 128
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-ci-version-windows/patches/machine-deployment-ci-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-ci-version-windows/patches/machine-deployment-ci-version-windows.yaml
index a0e8936019e..68d35e65b76 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/prow-ci-version-windows/patches/machine-deployment-ci-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-ci-version-windows/patches/machine-deployment-ci-version-windows.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ spec:
         marketplace:
           publisher: cncf-upstream
           offer: capi-windows
-          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
           version: "latest"
       identity: UserAssigned
       userAssignedIdentities:
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-ci-version/patches/machine-deployment-ci-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-ci-version/patches/machine-deployment-ci-version-windows.yaml
index a0e8936019e..68d35e65b76 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/prow-ci-version/patches/machine-deployment-ci-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-ci-version/patches/machine-deployment-ci-version-windows.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ spec:
         marketplace:
           publisher: cncf-upstream
           offer: capi-windows
-          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
           version: "latest"
       identity: UserAssigned
       userAssignedIdentities:
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-machine-pool-ci-version-windows/patches/machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-machine-pool-ci-version-windows/patches/machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml
index 07beec81a4c..b674abf6f37 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/prow-machine-pool-ci-version-windows/patches/machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-machine-pool-ci-version-windows/patches/machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ spec:
       marketplace:
         publisher: cncf-upstream
         offer: capi-windows
-        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
         version: latest
   identity: UserAssigned
   userAssignedIdentities:
diff --git a/templates/test/ci/prow-machine-pool-ci-version/patches/machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/ci/prow-machine-pool-ci-version/patches/machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml
index 07beec81a4c..b674abf6f37 100644
--- a/templates/test/ci/prow-machine-pool-ci-version/patches/machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/ci/prow-machine-pool-ci-version/patches/machine-pool-ci-version-windows.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ spec:
       marketplace:
         publisher: cncf-upstream
         offer: capi-windows
-        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
         version: latest
   identity: UserAssigned
   userAssignedIdentities:
diff --git a/templates/test/dev/cluster-template-custom-builds-machine-pool-windows.yaml b/templates/test/dev/cluster-template-custom-builds-machine-pool-windows.yaml
index 8b049d46e3e..44e7c413b09 100644
--- a/templates/test/dev/cluster-template-custom-builds-machine-pool-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/dev/cluster-template-custom-builds-machine-pool-windows.yaml
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ spec:
       marketplace:
         offer: capi-windows
         publisher: cncf-upstream
-        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
         version: latest
     osDisk:
       diskSizeGB: 128
diff --git a/templates/test/dev/cluster-template-custom-builds-windows.yaml b/templates/test/dev/cluster-template-custom-builds-windows.yaml
index b0621f1aabd..5d5563fdf00 100644
--- a/templates/test/dev/cluster-template-custom-builds-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/dev/cluster-template-custom-builds-windows.yaml
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ spec:
         marketplace:
           offer: capi-windows
           publisher: cncf-upstream
-          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
           version: latest
       osDisk:
         diskSizeGB: 128
diff --git a/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-machine-pool-windows/patches/machine-pool-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-machine-pool-windows/patches/machine-pool-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
index a18713bbeb2..09dddfc1e7e 100644
--- a/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-machine-pool-windows/patches/machine-pool-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-machine-pool-windows/patches/machine-pool-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ spec:
       marketplace:
         publisher: cncf-upstream
         offer: capi-windows
-        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
         version: latest
diff --git a/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-machine-pool/patches/machine-pool-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-machine-pool/patches/machine-pool-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
index a18713bbeb2..09dddfc1e7e 100644
--- a/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-machine-pool/patches/machine-pool-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-machine-pool/patches/machine-pool-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ spec:
       marketplace:
         publisher: cncf-upstream
         offer: capi-windows
-        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+        sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
         version: latest
diff --git a/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-windows/patches/machine-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-windows/patches/machine-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
index c153570d2eb..782794045ef 100644
--- a/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-windows/patches/machine-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/dev/custom-builds-windows/patches/machine-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
@@ -15,5 +15,5 @@ spec:
         marketplace:
           publisher: cncf-upstream
           offer: capi-windows
-          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
           version: latest
diff --git a/templates/test/dev/custom-builds/patches/machine-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml b/templates/test/dev/custom-builds/patches/machine-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
index c153570d2eb..782794045ef 100644
--- a/templates/test/dev/custom-builds/patches/machine-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
+++ b/templates/test/dev/custom-builds/patches/machine-deployment-pr-version-windows.yaml
@@ -15,5 +15,5 @@ spec:
         marketplace:
           publisher: cncf-upstream
           offer: capi-windows
-          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2019}-containerd-gen1
+          sku: ${WINDOWS_SERVER_VERSION:=windows-2022}-containerd-gen1
           version: latest
diff --git a/test/e2e/helpers.go b/test/e2e/helpers.go
index 0353f08e981..b4a2c65f371 100644
--- a/test/e2e/helpers.go
+++ b/test/e2e/helpers.go
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ func resolveKubernetesVersions(config *clusterctl.E2EConfig) {
 	windowsRequired := testWindows == "true"
 
 	if windowsRequired {
-		windowsVersions := getVersionsInCommunityGallery(ctx, os.Getenv(AzureLocation), capiCommunityGallery, "capi-win-2019-containerd")
+		windowsVersions := getVersionsInCommunityGallery(ctx, os.Getenv(AzureLocation), capiCommunityGallery, "capi-win-2022-containerd")
 		for k, v := range linuxVersions {
 			if _, ok := windowsVersions[k]; ok {
 				versions = append(versions, v)