diff --git a/docs/changelog/85952.yaml b/docs/changelog/85952.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..c580d01147376
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changelog/85952.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+pr: 85952
+summary: Relax data path deprecations from critical to warn
+area: Infra/Core
+type: bug
+issues: []
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/IndexDeprecationChecks.java b/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/IndexDeprecationChecks.java
index 6aeb936331e24..f41f4481ba74b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/IndexDeprecationChecks.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/IndexDeprecationChecks.java
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ static DeprecationIssue checkIndexDataPath(IndexMetadata indexMetadata) {
             final String url = "https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.13/"
                 + "breaking-changes-7.13.html#deprecate-shared-data-path-setting";
             final String details = "Found index data path configured. Discontinue use of this setting.";
-            return new DeprecationIssue(DeprecationIssue.Level.CRITICAL, message, url, details, false, null);
+            return new DeprecationIssue(DeprecationIssue.Level.WARNING, message, url, details, false, null);
         }
         return null;
     }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/NodeDeprecationChecks.java b/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/NodeDeprecationChecks.java
index 5d87d166fec9d..45088f37d97b6 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/NodeDeprecationChecks.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/NodeDeprecationChecks.java
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ static DeprecationIssue checkSharedDataPathSetting(
             final String url = "https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.13/"
                 + "breaking-changes-7.13.html#deprecate-shared-data-path-setting";
             final String details = "Found shared data path configured. Discontinue use of this setting.";
-            return new DeprecationIssue(DeprecationIssue.Level.CRITICAL, message, url, details, false, null);
+            return new DeprecationIssue(DeprecationIssue.Level.WARNING, message, url, details, false, null);
         }
         return null;
     }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/IndexDeprecationChecksTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/IndexDeprecationChecksTests.java
index 99596304cd6ae..4cddab7e21d9a 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/IndexDeprecationChecksTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/IndexDeprecationChecksTests.java
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ public void testIndexDataPathSetting() {
             issues,
             contains(
                 new DeprecationIssue(
-                    DeprecationIssue.Level.CRITICAL,
+                    DeprecationIssue.Level.WARNING,
                     "setting [index.data_path] is deprecated and will be removed in a future version",
                     expectedUrl,
                     "Found index data path configured. Discontinue use of this setting.",
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/NodeDeprecationChecksTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/NodeDeprecationChecksTests.java
index 8939d6f5273ca..eb59a02fc0b9b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/NodeDeprecationChecksTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/deprecation/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/deprecation/NodeDeprecationChecksTests.java
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public void testSharedDataPathSetting() {
             issues,
             contains(
                 new DeprecationIssue(
-                    DeprecationIssue.Level.CRITICAL,
+                    DeprecationIssue.Level.WARNING,
                     "setting [path.shared_data] is deprecated and will be removed in a future version",
                     expectedUrl,
                     "Found shared data path configured. Discontinue use of this setting.",