Office 2016 & 2019 End of Support for Windows: 2026 Upgrade Guide

Quick Answer

Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 for Windows reached end of support on October 14, 2025.

The apps may still open and work, but Microsoft no longer provides security updates, bug fixes, reliability updates, or standard technical support for these versions.

If you're still using Office 2016 or Office 2019 on a Windows PC, now is a good time to plan your next step. Depending on how you work, that could mean moving to Office 2024, Office LTSC 2024, or Microsoft 365.

October 14, 2025 was also a major milestone for Windows 10 support, so many users may want to review both their Office and Windows setup at the same time.

When Did Office 2016 and Office 2019 Support End on Windows?

Microsoft ended support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 for Windows on October 14, 2025.

That means PCs still running these versions are now using unsupported Office software.

Here are the key dates:

Product	End-of-Support Date
Office 2016 for Windows	October 14, 2025
Office 2019 for Windows	October 14, 2025
Office 2019 for Mac	October 10, 2023

The Mac version has a separate lifecycle, so it should not be treated as the same product for support purposes.

This guide focuses specifically on Office 2016 and Office 2019 running on Windows PCs.

What Does End of Support Mean for Windows Users?

End of support does not mean Microsoft remotely switches off your copy of Office.

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and other installed apps may continue to launch. Your documents will not suddenly disappear, either.

The real change is that Microsoft is no longer maintaining these versions.

That means no more:

• Security updates
• Non-security updates
• Bug fixes
• Reliability improvements
• Standard Microsoft technical support

At first, that may not feel very different. The apps may look and behave exactly as they did before.

The problem is what happens over time.

As Windows, browsers, cloud services, file formats, add-ins, and business applications continue to evolve, older versions of Office can become more difficult to secure and maintain.

For home users, that may be an inconvenience.

For businesses that regularly handle email attachments, financial spreadsheets, customer documents, databases, contracts, or other sensitive information, the risk is more serious.

Is Office 2016 or Office 2019 Still Safe to Use on Windows?

Office 2016 and Office 2019 may still run, but neither should be treated as a good long-term choice for an internet-connected Windows PC.

The biggest concern is security.

Once security updates stop, newly discovered vulnerabilities may remain unpatched in the older software.

That matters more if you regularly:

• Use Outlook for business email
• Open customer or supplier attachments
• Download Office files from the internet
• Work with macros
• Depend on custom Office add-ins
• Handle confidential information
• Work with financial records
• Store employee or customer data
• Operate in a regulated industry

Antivirus software and firewalls are still important, but they cannot replace security fixes inside Office itself.

A protected front door does not help much if an old window has been left unlocked.

What About Office 2019 for Mac?

Office 2019 for Mac follows a different support timeline.

Microsoft ended support for Office 2019 for Mac on October 10, 2023, two years before Office 2019 for Windows reached its support deadline.

The October 2023 version 16.78 update was also the final build that supported Office 2019 license types on Mac.

If you're using macOS, don't follow a Windows upgrade guide as if the two products have identical requirements.

Read our dedicated guide: Office 2019 for Mac End of Support: What It Means and How to Upgrade

The rest of this article focuses on Windows.

What Should Replace Office 2016 or Office 2019 on Windows?

For most Windows users, the decision comes down to two main options:

1. Upgrade to a supported Office 2024 edition
2. Move to Microsoft 365

Businesses with more controlled deployment requirements may also want to consider Office LTSC 2024.

The right choice depends on how you use Office, which apps you need, and whether you prefer a one-time purchase or a subscription.

Option 1: Upgrade to Office 2024

Office 2024 is Microsoft's newer perpetual generation of Office.

Unlike Microsoft 365, it is designed around a fixed release rather than a constantly changing subscription service.

Office 2024 may suit you if you:

• Prefer a one-time purchase
• Mainly use desktop Office apps
• Want a stable feature set
• Do not need frequent new features
• Prefer to manage cloud storage separately
• Want to move away from an unsupported Office version

For many Office 2016 and 2019 users, this is the most familiar upgrade path because the buying model is closer to what they already use.

Office LTSC 2024 Professional Plus

For compatible Windows business environments, Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 Professional Plus can provide a practical upgrade path from older professional Office deployments.

It may be especially useful for organizations that:

• Need desktop Office applications
• Prefer a fixed feature set
• Want tighter control over software changes
• Manage shared or fixed workstations
• Use centrally managed deployments
• Do not need Microsoft 365's continuous feature updates

Before choosing an edition, check which applications you need and make sure the license, Windows version, and deployment method fit your environment.

Option 2: Move to Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 takes a different approach.

Instead of buying a fixed Office generation, you pay an ongoing subscription for access to current Office applications and, depending on the plan, additional cloud services.

Microsoft 365 can include:

• Regular feature updates
• OneDrive cloud storage
• Document sharing
• Real-time collaboration
• Multi-device access
• Web apps
• Mobile Office apps

Microsoft 365 often makes more sense for teams that rely heavily on cloud storage, remote work, shared documents, or frequent collaboration.

Office 2024 or Office LTSC may be a better fit if you prefer a more stable desktop setup with fewer feature changes.

Office 2024 vs Microsoft 365

Feature	Office 2024 / LTSC	Microsoft 365
Payment model	Perpetual or fixed license, depending on edition	Subscription
Feature set	Mostly fixed	Continually updated
Security updates	During the supported lifecycle	While the subscription remains supported
Desktop apps	Yes	Yes on eligible plans
Cloud services	Limited or edition-dependent	Core part of many plans
Best suited to	Stable desktop environments	Cloud-based and collaborative work

Neither option is automatically better for everyone.

The important point is to move away from an unsupported Office 2016 or Office 2019 installation before security or compatibility problems start getting in the way.

What's New in Office 2024 Compared With Office 2016 and 2019?

Office 2024 brings a newer application platform and several improvements over Office 2016 and Office 2019.

Depending on the app and edition, improvements include areas such as:

• Newer Excel functions and data tools
• Better document recovery in Word
• Accessibility improvements
• Support for newer file standards
• Performance improvements
• A more modern interface
• Updated Outlook features
• Newer Access functionality in applicable Windows editions

Not every user needs every new feature.

For businesses, the more important benefit may simply be returning to a supported Office environment with current security updates.

Windows 10 Reached End of Support on the Same Day

Office may not be the only outdated software on your PC.

Major Windows 10 editions also reached end of support on October 14, 2025.

That creates an important planning issue.

Upgrading Office while continuing to run an unsupported version of Windows can leave part of the security problem unresolved.

For a healthier long-term setup, consider moving toward:

• A supported Office release
• Windows 11 on compatible hardware
• Current drivers
• Supported business applications
• Supported add-ins
• Regular system and data backups

If your PC is still running Windows 10, check whether it can run Windows 11 before you make major software purchases.

What If My PC Cannot Run Windows 11?

Not every Windows 10 computer meets the requirements for Windows 11.

Microsoft's Windows 11 hardware requirements include items such as:

• A compatible 64-bit processor
• TPM 2.0
• Secure Boot capability
• At least 4GB of RAM
• At least 64GB of storage
• Compatible graphics hardware

Microsoft's PC Health Check tool can help you determine whether your device is eligible.

If your PC cannot run Windows 11, replacing the hardware may make more sense than investing heavily in software upgrades for an aging machine.

Windows 10 Extended Security Updates may provide additional security coverage in some situations, but they are better viewed as extra migration time rather than a permanent replacement for moving to a supported operating system.

How to Upgrade Office 2016 or Office 2019 on Windows

A little preparation can prevent a straightforward Office upgrade from turning into an afternoon of missing Outlook files, broken macros, and mysterious add-ins.

Here's a practical migration process.

Step 1: Check Which Office Version You Have

Open Word or Excel and go to:

File > Account > Product Information

Make a note of:

• Your Office edition
• Whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit
• Your activation method
• The Microsoft account associated with it, if applicable
• Which Office applications are installed

Businesses should inventory all PCs that still use Office 2016 or Office 2019.

Step 2: Back Up Important Office Data

Before uninstalling anything, back up important data such as:

• Word documents
• Excel workbooks
• PowerPoint presentations
• Outlook PST files
• Email archives
• Signatures
• Templates
• Macros
• Add-ins
• Custom dictionaries
• Access databases
• Product and account information

Pay particular attention to Outlook data stored locally.

If something matters to your business, make sure it exists somewhere other than the PC you're about to change.

Step 3: Check Windows and Hardware

Confirm whether the PC is running Windows 10 or Windows 11.

If Windows 10 is still installed, check Windows 11 compatibility before deciding that the Office upgrade alone solves the problem.

You should also test or review:

• Printers
• Scanners
• Specialist applications
• Hardware drivers
• Business software
• VPN tools
• Document management systems

These are often the forgotten pieces of an upgrade.

Step 4: Choose Your New Office Edition

Next, decide which replacement fits your needs.

If you prefer a one-time-purchase style setup, look at the appropriate Office 2024 edition.

For compatible business environments, Office LTSC 2024 Professional Plus may also be worth considering.

If your priority is cloud collaboration, frequent feature updates, or working across several devices, Microsoft 365 may be the better fit.

Step 5: Check Macros and Add-Ins

Older Office installations often collect years of custom settings and tools.

Before removing Office 2016 or 2019, check for:

• VBA macros
• Excel add-ins
• Word templates
• Outlook add-ins
• Access databases
• COM add-ins
• Third-party integrations

If any of these are important to your daily work, test them with the new Office version before rolling out the upgrade widely.

Step 6: Remove Conflicting Office Versions

Running multiple Office generations side by side can sometimes create compatibility or activation problems.

Unless you have deliberately tested a side-by-side setup, it is usually cleaner to remove incompatible older Office installations before deploying the replacement.

Back up local data first.

Step 7: Install and Activate the New Version

Home users can follow the installation process provided with the Office edition they purchase.

IT teams deploying Office LTSC can use Microsoft's Office Deployment Tool to manage settings such as:

• Product selection
• Languages
• Installation source
• Update settings
• 32-bit or 64-bit architecture
• Deployment configuration

For larger organizations, start with a small pilot group before rolling the new version out to everyone.

Step 8: Test Your Normal Workflow

Once the new version is installed, don't stop at "Word opens."

Test the things people actually use.

For example:

• Open Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Confirm Office activation
• Install available updates
• Test Outlook profiles
• Open PST archives
• Check templates
• Run important macros
• Test add-ins
• Open Access databases
• Test printers
• Confirm network drives
• Check cloud-storage folders
• Verify business applications

The migration is finished when your normal work still works, not simply when the installation completes.

Which Upgrade Path Makes Sense for You?

Home User With Office 2016

If your PC supports Windows 11, upgrading Windows and Office together may be the simplest long-term approach.

Choose an Office 2024 edition if you prefer a one-time purchase, or Microsoft 365 if cloud storage and regular feature updates are more important.

Freelancer or Small Business Using Office 2019

Start with the applications you actually use.

If Outlook is important, make sure your replacement edition includes it. If you use specialist add-ins, templates, or macros, test them before switching completely.

Also check your Windows version before buying new Office software.

Business With Fixed Windows Workstations

Office LTSC 2024 may suit environments that value stability, predictable features, and more controlled deployments.

Office LTSC 2024 Professional Plus may be appropriate where it matches your licensing, application, and deployment requirements.

Remote or Hybrid Team

Microsoft 365 may be the stronger option if employees regularly need:

• Cloud storage
• Document sharing
• Real-time co-authoring
• Mobile access
• Multiple-device support

Restricted or Offline Environment

Office LTSC is designed for organizations that need a more controlled Office environment and do not want continuous cloud-driven feature changes.

The Bottom Line

Office 2016 and Office 2019 for Windows have reached the end of their supported life.

Both versions reached end of support on October 14, 2025.

They may continue to run, but every year spent on unsupported software increases the gap between your setup and a currently supported Office environment.

You don't need to panic or replace everything overnight.

You do need a plan.

Start by backing up your data, checking your Windows version, reviewing any macros or add-ins you depend on, and choosing the Office replacement that best fits how you actually work.

For some users, that will be Office 2024.

For businesses that need a stable, controlled desktop deployment, Office LTSC 2024 may be the better fit.

For teams that rely heavily on cloud storage and collaboration, Microsoft 365 may make more sense.

Whatever route you choose, the goal is the same: move your everyday work onto supported software before an avoidable security or compatibility problem makes the decision for you.