Microsoft: Office 2016 and Office 2019 reach end of support in October
Microsoft has reminded customers that Office 2016 and Office 2019 will reach the end of extended support six months from now, on October 14, 2025.
Office 2019 reached the end of mainstream support in October 2023, while Office 2016 reached its end date three years earlier, in October 2020.
"After that date, no further updates, security fixes, or technical support will be available for these versions of Office," the company said in a Microsoft 365 Admin Center update.
"While the applications may continue to function, using unsupported software could lead to potential security risks, compliance risks, system incompatibilities, and other issues.
Redmond also warned that Visio 2016 and 2019, Microsoft Project 2016 and 2019, and several other products will also reach the end of support on October 14, 2025, and advised organizations to upgrade as soon as possible to avoid security, compliance, and performance issues.
To mitigate the risks associated with using unsupported desktop Office apps, Redmond recommends upgrading devices to a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 suite, which provides access to Microsoft 365 Apps.
"Microsoft 365 Apps provides always-up-to-date versions of familiar apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for desktop, mobile, and web with continuous support under the Modern Lifecycle Policy, and is eligible for use with the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on," Microsoft added.
Redmond's support website provides detailed upgrade guidance on migrating from older versions of Office to Microsoft 365 Apps.
Office 2024 or Office LTSC 2024 migration
You can also switch to Office 2024, a standalone Office version released in October 2024 for small businesses and consumers without a Microsoft 365 subscription. This version includes locked-in-time versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook for Windows and macOS systems.
Microsoft also rolled out Office LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel) 2024 in September 2024, a volume-licensed perpetual Windows and macOS version of Office for commercial and government customers.
However, it's important to note that Office LTSC 2024 is designed for devices without internet connectivity that require long-term support, such as specialty systems like medical equipment.
Microsoft will provide four more years of support for Office 2024 and Office LTSC 2024, until October 9, 2029.
Earlier this week, Redmond also reminded IT admins that Exchange 2016 and Exchange 2019 will also reach the end of support six months from now, on October 14, 2025. The company also shared guidance for global admins on the Exchange Online and Microsoft 365 migration paths.
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