Office 2016 and Office 2019 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025. For more information what this means and what you can do, read on.
Your product will still work, but when Microsoft says a product has reached "end of support", it means the product will no longer receive:
- Security updates
- Non-security updates
- Bug fixes
- New features
- Assisted support (free or paid)
What this means for Access users:
- No more updates: Customers will not receive any new builds, patches, or improvements—even if vulnerabilities are discovered.
- No support: Microsoft will no longer provide technical support or troubleshooting assistance.
- Increased risk: Continued use of unsupported software can expose systems to security threats and compliance issues.
- Migration encouraged: Customers are advised to upgrade to a supported version or product to maintain security and functionality.
We strongly encourage all Access users with perpetual licenses to upgrade to a Microsoft 365 Apps subscription. Subscription users get more out of the same Office desktop apps with artificial intelligence (AI) backed design ideas and analytic insights, rich contents and templates, cloud powered connected experiences and more. They also enjoy additional benefits beyond capabilities in Office apps, such as 1TB storage, Office on multiple devices and mobile, Microsoft Family Safey app, etc.
I've noticed many perpetual users are "subscription adverse." I hear "I've used the desktop version forever and prefer not to switch to the cloud." Migrating to subscription does not mean that you'll get a different version of Access. You'll still get the desktop version you know and love, plus all the premium Office features a subscription provides. My favorites are Editor in Word, Money in Excel, and all the extra OneDrive storage.
Check with Microsoft Sales Support to see if you're eligible for upgrade incentives depending on your region or organization type. (Yes, we know the Access icon does not appear with the other Office apps. You'll find it directly below the icons in the alphabetized apps list.)
Sources:
End of support for Office 2016 and 2019
Overview - Product End of Support and Retirements - Microsoft Lifecycle
Microsoft