diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/annotation/AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/annotation/AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java
index f31d48191a4..77c3d66597f 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/annotation/AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/annotation/AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2021 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2022 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -438,7 +438,6 @@ public class AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor implements SmartInstantiationA
 		}
 	}
 
-
 	private InjectionMetadata findAutowiringMetadata(String beanName, Class<?> clazz, @Nullable PropertyValues pvs) {
 		// Fall back to class name as cache key, for backwards compatibility with custom callers.
 		String cacheKey = (StringUtils.hasLength(beanName) ? beanName : clazz.getName());
@@ -563,7 +562,9 @@ public class AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor implements SmartInstantiationA
 	 * @param type the type of the bean
 	 * @return the target beans, or an empty Collection if no bean of this type is found
 	 * @throws BeansException if bean retrieval failed
+	 * @deprecated since 5.3.24 since it is unused in the meantime
 	 */
+	@Deprecated
 	protected <T> Map<String, T> findAutowireCandidates(Class<T> type) throws BeansException {
 		if (this.beanFactory == null) {
 			throw new IllegalStateException("No BeanFactory configured - " +