• Older versions of Office apps and servers will no longer get security updates as of October 2025 — when Windows 10 also reaches the end of support.
  • Using these products after the end of support leaves business users vulnerable to potential security threats, productivity losses, and compliance issues.
  • Some smaller businesses will look to migrate to Microsoft’s cloud-based Office apps.

Microsoft is informing users that support for its Office 2016 and Office 2019 suites as well as associated productivity servers will terminate as of October 14, 2025. After the support date has passed, they will no longer receive security updates, bug fixes, and technical updates for the applications in the two Office suites, which include versions of Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, and other programs.

The influence on ending support for Office 2016 and 2019

Business users who continue to use these products after support ends run the risk of “potential security threats, productivity losses, and compliance issues,” according to Microsoft senior product marketing manager Mariana Prudencio.

The impending end of support for Exchange servers should cause businesses particular concern, according to Jack Gold, founder and principal analyst at J. Gold Associates.

He warned that not updating their security would put them at “a lot of risk,” as many attacks target email and email servers, and stolen identities are a major concern in this situation. Smaller businesses are more likely to run Exchange on-premises, so migrating to a cloud environment may be more expensive or challenging for them, according to Gold.

Conversely, Gold claimed that the end of support for the Office suites poses less of an issue, especially for users in small businesses. Smaller businesses often use third-party antivirus software and other security tools that can help mitigate numerous potential threats, even though security updates are still important.

Also read: What AI voice generator is everyone using?

Also read: Microsoft raises business application suite prices

Solutions Microsoft recommends

Microsoft is pressuring users to choose cloud-based services. Microsoft advises users to upgrade to software that is hosted in the cloud, like Microsoft 365 E3. According to Microsoft, users of Office 2016 and 2019 also have the option of using the Office Long-Term Servicing Channel, which offers support through 2026.

Before the end of the support date in 2025, those who wish to keep using Exchange Server on-premises should get ready to switch to the new version of the program, which is expected to arrive in 2025. Microsoft advises users to switch to Exchange Server 2019 in order to facilitate this transition.

While some smaller businesses may choose to switch to Microsoft’s cloud-based Office applications, many will choose to stick with their out-of-date versions of the software long after the support period has passed and update it in tandem with other equipment upgrades.