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Microsoft ended support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 on October 14, 2025. The programs do not stop opening: Microsoft says the applications continue to function. However, they no longer receive technical support, bug fixes, security fixes for newly reported vulnerabilities, or Office software updates. Microsoft also says there is no extension and no extended security update program.
What “end of support” means
End of support is a servicing change, not an immediate deactivation. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and the other Office 2016 or 2019 applications can remain installed and may continue to open existing files.
The important change is that Microsoft has stopped maintaining those releases. If a new security vulnerability is discovered, Microsoft will not issue a security fix for the unsupported Office version. Technical-support requests and ordinary product bug fixes are also outside the supported service.
What has stopped
- Microsoft technical support for Office 2016 and Office 2019.
- Bug fixes for problems discovered after the end-of-support date.
- Security fixes for vulnerabilities subsequently reported or discovered.
- Office software updates for those releases.
- Any extension of the deadline or extended security update program.
What has not necessarily stopped
The installed applications can continue to run, subject to the operating system, hardware and local configuration. That continued operation should not be confused with being secure or supported.
Can you still use Office 2016 or 2019?
Yes, you can generally continue using an existing installation after October 14, 2025, but doing so leaves the device on unsupported software. The risk grows over time because newly discovered Office vulnerabilities will not receive Microsoft fixes.
Older Office releases may still connect to Microsoft 365 services. Microsoft describes that connectivity as unsupported, meaning users may encounter unexpected performance or reliability problems and cannot rely on Microsoft to troubleshoot the older client as a supported configuration.
Rank #2
What this means for common tasks
- Opening and editing local files: likely to continue as before while the installation and operating system remain functional.
- Email and cloud services: may continue to work, but connections from the unsupported client can experience compatibility, performance or reliability issues.
- Security compliance: an unsupported Office client may fail an organization’s software-support or vulnerability-management requirements, even when the applications still launch.
- New features: Office 2016 and 2019 will not receive ongoing Office feature updates.
Why continuing indefinitely is a poor security strategy
Microsoft will no longer fix Office 2016 or 2019 vulnerabilities discovered after the deadline. A device can therefore remain exposed even if its antivirus software, Windows installation and other applications are current. Keeping the programs installed may be reasonable as a short transition measure, but it is not a substitute for moving to a supported Office release.
Organizations should also consider the operational risk: an unsupported client that currently connects to Microsoft 365 could become less reliable after a service-side change, with no supported fix available for the old version.
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Home and individual users
Microsoft recommends upgrading to a newer Office version or moving to Microsoft 365. The practical choice depends on whether you want a continuing subscription with cloud-connected services and ongoing updates, or a supported perpetual-style release that is purchased and managed as a specific version.
- Check which Office edition and year are installed on each computer.
- Back up important documents and confirm that files are stored where you can recover them.
- Review add-ins, macros, templates, printers and any line-of-business integrations before changing versions.
- Choose a supported Office release or Microsoft 365, then install it using the provider’s current setup process.
- Open representative documents and test email, add-ins, printing and collaboration after migration.
- Remove the unsupported Office installation when the replacement is verified, rather than leaving both versions in service unintentionally.
Managed workplaces
For organizations, Microsoft recommends Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise and points administrators to FastTrack and App Assure resources for migration and application compatibility. In environments where moving to Microsoft 365 is not possible, Microsoft identifies Office LTSC 2024 as the recommended volume-licensing alternative.
Ask your IT help desk or software-asset team which path is approved. They can account for identity systems, deployment tooling, licensing, regulatory controls, add-ins, shared computers and application testing—factors that a single-user upgrade cannot address on its own.
Microsoft 365 versus Office LTSC 2024
Both are supported directions identified by Microsoft, but they solve different operational needs. Microsoft 365 is designed for organizations able to adopt a subscription and regularly serviced applications. Office LTSC 2024 is intended for volume-licensed environments that need a fixed release and may have constraints that prevent a Microsoft 365 migration.
| Consideration | Microsoft 365 Apps | Office LTSC 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing model | Subscription-based service. | Volume-licensing release; current pricing is not stated in the cited Microsoft guidance. |
| Feature updates | Receives ongoing servicing and feature changes according to the selected update channel. | Fixed-version model rather than the continually evolving Microsoft 365 Apps service. |
| Cloud storage and collaboration | Designed to work with Microsoft 365 cloud services and collaboration workflows. | Can suit deployments where cloud-connected workflows are limited or not the primary requirement. |
| Deployment and migration | Usually requires planning for identity, update channels, policy and application compatibility. | Requires managed volume deployment and testing of the fixed release. |
| Support approach | Supported while the subscription and service configuration remain current. | Support follows the LTSC 2024 lifecycle and licensing terms; the cited guidance does not state a duration here. |
| Disconnected or restricted environments | May require additional planning where regular service connectivity is restricted. | May be appropriate when an organization cannot migrate to Microsoft 365 and needs a more fixed, controlled deployment. |
Microsoft’s recommendation does not make LTSC 2024 a universal replacement. It is the alternative for qualifying volume-licensing scenarios, while Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise is the primary recommendation for managed environments.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to plan a safe transition
Inventory before purchasing
- Record every computer still running Office 2016 or 2019.
- Identify 32-bit and 64-bit installations, add-ins, macros, templates and document workflows.
- List shared, kiosk, laboratory, factory-floor and disconnected devices separately.
- Confirm operating-system support and hardware capacity for the target release.
Pilot before broad deployment
Test the proposed release with representative users and the documents and business applications they actually use. Include Outlook profiles, mail flow, printing, PDF generation, macros, third-party add-ins and access to required Microsoft 365 services.
Set a retirement date
After the replacement passes testing, remove Office 2016 and 2019 from production devices and record exceptions with an owner and a deadline. Leaving unsupported installations untracked makes it difficult to know which systems remain exposed.
Bottom line for Office 2016 and 2019 users
Office 2016 and Office 2019 can still run after October 14, 2025, but they are no longer supported or security-maintained. Treat continued operation as a temporary transition state. Home users should move to a newer Office release or Microsoft 365; managed organizations should work with IT on Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, using Office LTSC 2024 only where the organization’s volume-licensing and operational constraints make that fixed release appropriate.
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