Office 2016 and 2019 End of Support: What to Do Now
Office 2016 and 2019 will no longer receive security updates as of October 2025. What that specifically means, how great the risk is, and which upgrade is worthwhile.
On this page
Short answer: Support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 ended in October 2025 – both versions no longer receive security updates since then. Office 2021 will be supported until October 2026, and Office 2024 until October 2029.
When does support end for which Office version?
| Version | End of Support | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| Office 2016 | October 2025 | ended |
| Office 2019 | October 2025 | ended |
| Office 2021 | October 2026 | expiring |
| Office 2024 | October 2029 | active |
Microsoft occasionally adjusts lifecycle dates. Therefore, before larger rollouts, it's worth checking Microsoft's official lifecycle overview.
What happens after the end of support?
The software continues to function. Word still opens documents, Excel still calculates. What is no longer available are:
- Security updates – newly discovered vulnerabilities are no longer patched
- Technical support from Microsoft
- Compatibility adjustments for new Windows versions and file formats
How dangerous is it really?
That depends on the use case. A computer without internet access, on which only old documents are opened, is at little risk. It becomes critical as soon as Office files arrive via email – specially prepared documents are a classic attack vector.
For businesses, a second point is added: those who process personal data must take measures that comply with the state of the art according to GDPR. Software without security updates is hard to justify in such cases.
“During an internal security audit, we noticed that twelve computers were still running Office 2019 without any updates – that would have raised uncomfortable questions during an external audit." This is how an IT security officer describes how a routine check brought outdated software with expired support to light.
What is the most sensible upgrade?
Anyone coming from 2016 or 2019 should at least upgrade to Office 2021. If the computer is to remain in use for a longer period anyway, Office 2024 is the better choice – with support until 2029, that's five years of peace instead of one.
The upgrade itself is straightforward: uninstall the old version, install the new one, enter the license key. Your files remain untouched.
