Microsoft has announced that both Office 2016 and Office 2019 have reached the end of extended support as of October 14, 2025. Despite these versions continuing to function, they are now vulnerable to security risks since Microsoft will no longer provide updates or technical support. Office 2016’s mainstream support ended in October 2020, while Office 2019’s mainstream support concluded in October 2023. Microsoft has urged users to migrate to supported versions like Microsoft 365 Apps or the standalone Office 2024, which was released in October 2024 and offers a range of essential applications. Additionally, users of Visio and Project versions from 2016 and 2019 are also encouraged to upgrade promptly to mitigate security and performance issues. Notably, Microsoft will provide four more years of support for both Office 2024 and Office LTSC 2024, ending on October 9, 2029.
Why do we care?
Microsoft pulled the plug on Office 2016 and 2019 support. No more updates, no more patches, no more help from Redmond. But let’s not make this bigger than it is — your clients’ Excel sheets won’t explode tomorrow.
This is a moment to get proactive. Unsupported software? That’s now a security liability. It’s a compliance red flag. And it’s your opportunity to have a QBR conversation that isn’t just fluff.
Now, are your smaller clients going to care? Not all. Some will say, “If it still works, why fix it?” Fair. But the play isn’t scaring them — it’s advising them. Line up those Office upgrades with other moves — hardware refreshes, security upgrades, maybe even bundling in M365 with backup or MFA.
Microsoft’s playing the long game here. They want you on subscriptions. Office 2024 is just a lifeline for the holdouts. Your job? Help clients make that call in a way that aligns with your recurring revenue strategy.
So don’t overhype this. Just use it. That’s why we care.