Milner published the announcement on Instagram, writing: "After 24 seasons in the Premier League, it feels like the right time to bring an end to my playing career."
Born in Wethby, West Yorkshire, he made his top-flight debut for his boyhood club Leeds United on February 10, 2002, aged 16 years and 309 days — then the second-youngest player to appear in the Premier League. He also became the division's third-youngest scorer, netting at 16 years and 356 days, a record since surpassed only by Max Dowman and James Vaughan.
His career took him through eight clubs over those 24 seasons. He spent time at Swindon Town on loan, then moved to Newcastle United before joining Aston Villa, where he established himself as one of the most dependable players in the top flight. Manchester City signed him in 2010 and he won back-to-back Premier League titles under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini.
He also won 61 caps for England, appearing at two European Championships and two World Cups.
In a full written farewell, he paid tribute to supporters on all sides.
"To the fans, thank you. To those who supported me every step of the way, your encouragement meant more than you'll ever know. And to those who gave me grief along the way, thank you too — you all played your part in making the journey memorable and helping shape me as a player and person."
He credited his family throughout.
"To my family, thank you for every sacrifice, every mile travelled and every moment of encouragement. None of this would have been possible without you."
Milner has completed coaching badges with Brighton and expressed an interest in management, but said he intends to step away from football entirely for a period before considering what comes next.
The record he leaves behind is one nobody is close to threatening. At 658 Premier League appearances, he is further ahead of the second-placed player on that list than Gareth Barry was ahead of him when Milner broke it.