Microsoft to end support for Office 2016 and 2019 in 2025, pushing for cloud subscriptions

Microsoft has announced that support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 apps, as well as associated productivity servers, will cease on October 14, 2025. Post this date, these apps and servers will no longer receive security updates, bug fixes, or technical support, potentially exposing organizations to security risks and compliance issues.

The termination will impact various applications such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office Access, Microsoft OneNote, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Publisher, Skype for Business, Microsoft Visio, and Microsoft Word, in addition to Exchange Server 2016, Exchange Server 2019, Skype for Business Server 2015, and Skype for Business Server 2019. The company has also previously announced its plans to retire the Publisher app entirely from Microsoft 365 subscriptions in October 2026.

Microsoft suggests organizations migrate to a Microsoft 365 Copilot E3 cloud-based subscription for uninterrupted access to the latest features and ongoing support. For those unable to transition immediately, Microsoft offers the Office Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) as an alternative, with support ending on October 13, 2026. This provides nearly a year of extra support beyond the termination date for Office 2016 and 2019.