Only 6 months until Office 2016/2019 end of support – are you ready?

Continuing to use software after end of support can leave your devices vulnerable to potential security threats, productivity losses, and compliance issues. That’s why it’s important to know that in just six months, on October 14, 2025, support will end for Office 2016 and Office 2019 suites, standalone applications, and servers (see the full list of impacted products below). After that date, Microsoft will no longer provide security fixes, bug fixes, or technical support for these products.  

For small and medium businesses—and for enterprises that haven’t done so already—now is the time to start moving all remaining devices running Office 2016 or Office 2019 to a supported version. Read on for recommended upgrade paths and resources to help you get started today. 

Recommended path: Migrate to the cloud with Microsoft 365  

Businesses that migrate to Microsoft 365 can support the dynamic, anytime-anywhere nature of modern work more easily—and provide stronger security for their data, applications, and people. Organizations with fewer than 300 users should look to Microsoft 365 Business Standard. It pairs cloud-backed versions of familiar apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams with the services your business needs to stay connected and productive, including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive for Business.  

Microsoft 365 is also AI ready, so you can use Microsoft 365 Copilot to assist with tasks large and small—something you can’t do with any on-premises version of Office. 

Fortunately, none of these Microsoft 365 enhancements comes at an extra cost. In fact, a 2025 study on The Total Economic Impact™ of Microsoft 365 for Business found that the suite can deliver annual productivity savings of over 70 hours per user while improving IT specialist productivity by saving over 686 hours annually. It all adds up to a 223% return on investment over three years—a huge benefit in uncertain economic times¹.

Upgrading also brings flexibility without sacrificing continuity. Microsoft 365 Apps—the core suite of desktop and mobile apps included in many Microsoft 365 suites—offers several advantages over on-premises versions of Office. The apps can be installed on up to five PCs, five tablets, and five phones per user, so your team can be productive wherever they choose to work. Updates are applied automatically on a cadence you set, so you avoid disruptive rip-and-replace version upgrades. And because it’s always up to date, Microsoft 365 Apps never goes out of support. Microsoft 365 also offers licensing options to support kiosks and shared devices, as well as users who need to stay offline for extended periods of time. And for organizations with over 150 seats that use custom line-of-business apps that depend on Office to function, Microsoft’s FastTrack App Assure service offers no-cost assistance to help those apps continue to work with Microsoft 365. 

We know there is no “one-size-fits-all" approach for managing end of support—and we encourage you to explore our business and enterprise plans to find the right fit for your organization.  

Fallback for disconnected scenarios: Upgrade to Office LTSC 2024 

For customers and devices that cannot—or cannot yet—move to the cloud, we recommend upgrading to the most recent supported on-premises version of Office for commercial customers, Office LTSC 2024. The Office Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) is designed for devices that can’t accept feature updates or connect to the internet. Office LTSC 2024 was released last year along with new on-premises versions of Project and Visio.  

Prepare to make your move 

As Office 2016 and Office 2019 approach end of support, Microsoft is committed to helping you prepare. Use the resources below to help you get started today: 

• Learn about other Microsoft products reaching end of support in 2025, and bookmark the Microsoft Lifecycle page to stay informed about future events. 
• Learn more about the benefits of moving your small or medium business to the cloud drawing on fresh analysis from Forrester Research.
• Check out Ignite 2024: Are you ready for Office 2016/2019 end of support?, a blog post and video that explore the best upgrade paths, how to make a smooth transition to Microsoft 365, and where to turn if you need more help. 
• Read the upgrade guidance for an overview of how to move from Office 2016 or Office 2019 to Microsoft 365 Apps. 
• For companies with over 150 licenses, consider engaging Microsoft FastTrack for support with moving to Microsoft 365.  

Visit our Office End of Support Tech Community for more information and resources about the end of support for Office. Or fill out this form to get in touch and have a specialist demonstrate how Microsoft 365 can benefit your organization. 

Thank you for being a Microsoft customer! 

¹ The Total Economic Impact™ Of Microsoft 365 for Business, a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Microsoft, February 2025. Results are over three years for a composite organization based on interviewed customers.