Key Takeaways:
- Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 are slated to lose extended support on October 14, 2025.
- Microsoft will no longer provide security patches, bug fixes, or technical support after this date.
- Microsoft recommends customers to migrate to the subscription-based Microsoft 365 service.
Microsoft is reminding customers that Office 2016 and Office 2019 apps and productivity servers will reach end of support on October 14, 2025. After this date, the company will no longer provide security patches, bug fixes, and technical support to both consumers and organizations.
Microsoft announced the end of mainstream support for Office 2016 and 2019 in October 2020 and October 2023, respectively. The October 2025 date will mark the end of extended support for these two Office productivity suites. The end of extended support means that customers who continue to use these products would be vulnerable to security and compliance issues.
Microsoft urges migration from Office 2016 and 2019 to Microsoft 365
Microsoft recommends users of Office 2016 and Office 2019 to migrate to the subscription-based Microsoft 365 service for accessing these productivity apps. The company highlights that the Microsoft 365 E3 subscription plan includes productivity and collaboration features, zero-trust security, and endpoint management tools.
“We recommend migrating devices running end of support products to the cloud with Microsoft 365 E3 to stay continuously supported. Microsoft 365 E3 includes familiar Microsoft 365 apps—such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more—along with online services like SharePoint and Exchange,” Microsoft explained.
What are other options for disconnected enterprise environments?
Office LTSC 2021 will cater to organizations requiring a perpetual Office version that can work offline and are hesitant about transitioning to the cloud. However, keep in mind that it will read end of servicing on October 13, 2026. Microsoft also plans to release Office 2024 and Office 2024 LTSC in the coming months.
Lastly, Microsoft will release the next iteration of Exchange Server in the second half of 2025. In the meantime, the company advises customers in on-premises environments to transition to Exchange Server 2019, which facilitates seamless in-place upgrades to the next version upon its availability next year.