diff --git a/.changeset/neat-pigs-lay.md b/.changeset/neat-pigs-lay.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..48fee7a703
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/neat-pigs-lay.md
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+'@backstage/create-app': patch
+---
+
+Switched required engine from Node.js 12 or 14, to 14 or 16.
+
+To apply these changes to an existing app, switch out the following in the root `package.json`:
+
+```diff
+   "engines": {
+-    "node": "12 || 14"
++    "node": "14 || 16"
+   },
+```
+
+Also get rid of the entire `engines` object in `packages/backend/package.json`, as it is redundant:
+
+```diff
+-  "engines": {
+-    "node": "12 || 14"
+-  },
+```
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_template.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_template.md
index 4c91b755ee..4ad3612ac8 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_template.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_template.md
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ labels: bug
 
 <!--- Include as many relevant details about the environment you experienced the bug in -->
 
-- NodeJS Version (v12):
+- NodeJS Version (v14):
 - Operating System and Version (e.g. Ubuntu 14.04):
 - Browser Information:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index d203fafa2c..b68a96efbe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        node-version: [12.x, 14.x]
+        node-version: [14.x, 16.x]
 
     services:
       postgres13:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-win.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-win.yml
index 3e2fbe0863..f39a89e8c6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-win.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-win.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [windows-latest]
-        node-version: [12.x, 14.x]
+        node-version: [14.x, 16.x]
 
     env:
       CI: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
index 0fe1642394..d7754a0046 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
-        node-version: [12.x, 14.x]
+        node-version: [14.x, 16.x]
 
     env:
       CI: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/master-win.yml b/.github/workflows/master-win.yml
index c61ee4798b..873f12086a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/master-win.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/master-win.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        node-version: [12.x, 14.x]
+        node-version: [14.x, 16.x]
 
     env:
       CI: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/master.yml b/.github/workflows/master.yml
index daac9a535d..7bd73e2c61 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/master.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/master.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        node-version: [12.x, 14.x]
+        node-version: [14.x, 16.x]
 
     services:
       postgres13:
diff --git a/contrib/docker/kubernetes-example-backend/Dockerfile b/contrib/docker/kubernetes-example-backend/Dockerfile
index b7d7a9631e..4f4105838d 100644
--- a/contrib/docker/kubernetes-example-backend/Dockerfile
+++ b/contrib/docker/kubernetes-example-backend/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM node:12-buster
+FROM node:14-buster
 
 WORKDIR /usr/src/app
 
diff --git a/docs/tutorials/quickstart-app-plugin.md b/docs/tutorials/quickstart-app-plugin.md
index e123410fe0..938a57198a 100644
--- a/docs/tutorials/quickstart-app-plugin.md
+++ b/docs/tutorials/quickstart-app-plugin.md
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ title: Adding Custom Plugin to Existing Monorepo App
 > functionality, extend the Sidebar to make our life easy. Finally, we add
 > custom code to display GitHub repository information.
 >
-> This document assumes you have Node.js 12 active along with Yarn and Python.
+> This document assumes you have Node.js 14 active along with Yarn and Python.
 > Please note, that at the time of this writing, the current version is
 > 0.1.1-alpha.21. This guide can still be used with future versions, just,
 > verify as you go. If you run into issues, you can compare your setup with mine
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d362338370..47c772a21a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "root",
   "private": true,
   "engines": {
-    "node": "12 || 14"
+    "node": "14 || 16"
   },
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "concurrently \"yarn start\" \"yarn start-backend\"",
diff --git a/packages/backend/package.json b/packages/backend/package.json
index 3240635119..f564dfeeee 100644
--- a/packages/backend/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend/package.json
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@
   "types": "src/index.ts",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "private": true,
-  "engines": {
-    "node": "12 || 14"
-  },
   "homepage": "https://backstage.io",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs
index 3f913102cb..d2cbb8829c 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "version": "1.0.0",
   "private": true,
   "engines": {
-    "node": "12 || 14"
+    "node": "14 || 16"
   },
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "concurrently \"yarn start\" \"yarn start-backend\"",
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/package.json.hbs b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/package.json.hbs
index 44af516099..194892d40f 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/package.json.hbs
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@
   "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
   "private": true,
-  "engines": {
-    "node": "12 || 14"
-  },
   "scripts": {
     "build": "backstage-cli backend:bundle",
     "build-image": "docker build ../.. -f Dockerfile --tag backstage",