If you’re staring at your Starz app wondering why the credits just rolled on what felt like a mid-season cliffhanger, you aren't alone. The math for this show has gotten, well, a little complicated lately. Between COVID delays, "supersized" announcements, and the looming shadow of the final season, keeping track of the Fraser family’s timeline is basically a full-time job.
So, let's get right to the point. How many episodes in season 7 of outlander are we actually getting?
The total count is 16 episodes.
Now, if you've been watching in real-time, that might sound like a lie because the show took a massive, year-long breather right in the middle. Starz decided to split this beast into two distinct halves: Part A and Part B. Each half contains eight episodes, making it the longest season we’ve seen since way back in 2014 when the show first premiered.
The breakdown of the 16-episode supersized season
Honestly, we have Season 6 to thank for this "supersized" run. If you remember, Season 6 was painfully short—only eight episodes—because filming during a global pandemic while Caitríona Balfe was pregnant was a logistical nightmare. To make it up to the fans (and to cover the massive amount of plot left in Diana Gabaldon’s books), the producers tacked those "missing" episodes onto Season 7.
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Here is how the 16 episodes are actually distributed:
The First Half (Part 1)
These eight episodes dropped back in the summer of 2023. They focused heavily on the lead-up to the American Revolution and Jamie’s reluctant involvement in the Battle of Saratoga.
- A Life Well Lost
- The Happiest Place on Earth
- Death Be Not Proud
- A Most Uncomfortable Woman
- Singapore
- Where the Waters Meet
- A Practical Guide for Time-Travelers
- Turning Points
The Second Half (Part 2)
After a "Droughtlander" that felt like it lasted a century, Part 2 finally arrived to wrap up the Season 7 arc. These eight episodes transition us from the smoke of the battlefield back to the familiar, albeit changed, shores of Scotland and eventually back to the Ridge.
9. Unfinished Business
10. Brotherly Love
11. A Hundredweight of Stones
12. Carnal Knowledge
13. Hello, Goodbye
14. Ye Dinna Get Used to It
15. Written in My Own Heart’s Blood
16. A Hundred Thousand Angels
Why the split release matters for the story
It’s easy to get annoyed at Starz for making us wait, but looking at the narrative, the split actually makes some sense. Part 1 was very much about the "big" history—the war, the politics, and the feeling of the world shifting under Jamie and Claire's feet.
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Part 2, which concludes in early 2025, is much more intimate. It deals with the fallout of the war and the complicated reunions at Lallybroch. By the time we hit episode 16, "A Hundred Thousand Angels," the stage is meticulously set for the eighth and final season.
There's a lot of ground to cover. We aren't just talking about Jamie and Claire anymore; we have Brianna and Roger dealing with 1980s-era villains (looking at you, Rob Cameron) and William trying to reconcile his identity as a Ransom versus a Fraser. Sixteen episodes sounds like a lot until you realize they are trying to adapt the end of A Breath of Snow and Ashes, the entirety of An Echo in the Bone, and chunks of Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.
Is season 7 the longest Outlander season ever?
Technically, it's tied. Season 1 also had 16 episodes, and funnily enough, it was also split into two parts. Back then, we had to wait six months to see Jamie rescue Claire from Fort William. This time around, the wait was significantly longer due to the Hollywood strikes and the complex post-production required for the battle scenes.
If you’re comparing it to the middle seasons (3, 4, and 5), which usually hovered around 12 or 13 episodes, Season 7 is a massive win for content-hungry fans. It’s basically two short seasons masquerading as one.
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What comes after episode 16?
Once you finish that 16th episode, don't delete your app just yet. While Season 7 is "supersized," it isn't the end of the road.
The production team has already wrapped filming on Season 8, which will be the final chapter of the main series. However, be prepared for a bit of a "content diet." Season 8 is confirmed to have only 10 episodes.
It’s a bittersweet reality. We’re getting a lot of Outlander right now, but the finish line is visible. The final season is slated to premiere on March 6, 2026. Between now and then, we also have the prequel series, Blood of My Blood, to fill the void, which explores the origins of Jamie’s parents and Claire’s parents.
Actionable next steps for fans:
- Verify your subscription: If you’re binging through the back half of Season 7, check if you have the Starz add-on active, as many third-party streamers (like Hulu or Prime) require the specific channel sub to access the new episodes.
- Sync with the books: If the 16 episodes aren't enough for you, Season 7 primarily covers books 7 and 8 (An Echo in the Bone and Written in My Own Heart's Blood). Reading these will give you the internal monologues that the show simply doesn't have time for.
- Mark the calendar: Set a reminder for March 2026. That’s when the final 10 episodes begin, and the Droughtlander will officially be a thing of the past.
Enjoy the ride through the rest of the Revolutionary War. With 16 episodes in the bag, Season 7 is a heavy hitter that manages to bridge the gap between the Ridge and the end of the legend.