Microsoft has announced that the Office 2021 suite will reach its end-of-life on October 13, 2026. After this date, the software will no longer receive official security patches, quality updates, or technical support services. This marks a shift from older versions that previously enjoyed a ten-year support lifecycle.
The company has reduced the support period for Office 2021 to a fixed five-year term with no extended support phase. On the same date, Microsoft will also terminate extended support for Office 2016 and Office 2019. Consequently, these three versions of the perpetual license software will cease to receive updates following the October Patch Tuesday.
Microsoft warns that continuing to use unsupported software exposes systems to potential security threats and vulnerabilities. While core applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint will remain functional locally, users may face compatibility issues with new operating systems or cloud services. The company advises users to migrate to Microsoft 365 or upgrade to Office 2024.
For users who prefer perpetual licenses over subscription models, Office 2024 remains the only official alternative. Additionally, the third-party provider 0patch has announced plans to offer paid, unofficial security patches for Office 2021 after the official support ends, though this service is not affiliated with Microsoft.
