Microsoft announces end of support dates for Office 2016 and 2019
This month saw the release of Office 2024, and Microsoft has important information for users of Office 2016 and Office 2019. These versions of the productivity suite are now in their final year of support and are scheduled to become obsolete on October 14, 2025.
Below is a list of products nearing their end of support:
| Office Suites | Office 2016, Office 2019 |
|---|---|
| Office Applications | Access 2016, Access 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, OneNote 2016, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2019, Project 2016, Project 2019, Publisher 2016, Publisher 2019, Skype for Business 2016, Skype for Business 2019, Visio 2016, Visio 2019, Word 2016, Word 2019 |
| Productivity Servers | Exchange Server 2016, Exchange Server 2019, Skype for Business Server 2015, Skype for Business Server 2019 |
The phase-out of support signifies the cessation of security updates essential for addressing serious vulnerabilities, limited or no technical assistance, and a lack of bug fixes, among other issues. Microsoft warns that using unsupported software can adversely affect both security and compliance for organizations, extending this caution to individual users as well.
To assist customers in planning ahead for the end of support for their software, Microsoft has prepared the following guidelines:
| Office | Exchange Server | Visio | Project | Skype for Business | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended path | Microsoft 365 E3, Office 365 E3, or Microsoft 365 Business Standard | Visio Plan 2 | Planner and Project Plan 3 | Microsoft Teams | |
| Alternative path | Microsoft 365 Apps | Exchange Online | Microsoft 365 plan with Visio | Microsoft 365 | – |
| On-premises options | Office LTSC 2024 | Exchange Server Subscription Edition | Visio 2024 | Project 2024 | Skype for Business Server Subscription Edition (launching Q3 2025) |
Additionally, Microsoft has released comprehensive articles that can aid in determining the best upgrade pathway for users:
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