diff --git a/pipelines/release.yml b/pipelines/release.yml
index 8cc5768b03..ee8387b52f 100644
--- a/pipelines/release.yml
+++ b/pipelines/release.yml
@@ -7,13 +7,12 @@ pr: none
 jobs:
 - job: validate_version_number
   pool:
-    vmImage: Ubuntu 18.04
+    vmImage: ubuntu-latest
 
   steps:
-  - task: UsePythonVersion@0
-    inputs:
-      versionSpec: 3.8
-    displayName: Configure Python version
+  - template: templates/config-version.yml
+    parameters:
+      platform: ubuntu-latest
 
   - script: |
       echo $(build_type)
@@ -46,13 +45,12 @@ jobs:
   dependsOn: validate_version_number
   condition: succeeded()
   pool:
-    vmImage: Ubuntu 18.04
+    vmImage: ubuntu-latest
 
   steps:
-  - task: UsePythonVersion@0
-    inputs:
-      versionSpec: 3.8
-    displayName: Configure Python version
+  - template: templates/config-version.yml
+    parameters:
+      platform: ubuntu-latest
 
   - script: |
       python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel twine
@@ -92,13 +90,12 @@ jobs:
   dependsOn: validate_version_number
   condition: succeeded()
   pool:
-    vmImage: macOS-10.15
+    vmImage: macOS-latest
 
   steps:
-  - task: UsePythonVersion@0
-    inputs:
-      versionSpec: 3.8
-    displayName: Configure Python version
+  - template: templates/config-version.yml
+    parameters:
+      platform: macOS-latest
 
   - script: |
       python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel twine
@@ -120,13 +117,12 @@ jobs:
   dependsOn: validate_version_number
   condition: succeeded()
   pool:
-    vmImage: windows-2019
+    vmImage: windows-latest
 
   steps:
-  - task: UsePythonVersion@0
-    inputs:
-      versionSpec: 3.8
-    displayName: Configure Python version
+  - template: templates/config-version.yml
+    parameters:
+      platform: windows-latest
 
   - powershell: |
       python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel twine