Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 End of Support: What That Means for Your Business
End of Life and End of Support are common terms often used by Microsoft to announce when support for a system or platform is retired to help make way for a newer version.
According to Microsoft, upon end of support, there will be no new security updates, non-security updates, free or paid assisted support options or online technical content updates for the retired product.
In this instance, Microsoft has announced End of Support for both Office 2016 and Office 2019, as of 14 October 2025.
At Centrix, we understand that these commonly used solutions have been a cornerstone of business productivity for organisations worldwide for many years.
As such, updating your software may feel like a big change for your business, especially if you’ve become accustomed to these older platforms and invested significant time and money into them.
So, in this article, we’ll run you through everything you need to know about what Office 2016 and Office 2019 End of Support means for your business and how you can best prepare.
What does Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 End of Support mean?
Before we begin, it’s important to note that mainstream support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 actually ended in October 2020 and October 2023, respectively. When Microsoft declares end of mainstream support, this means they will no longer provide any new features or enhancements for these software versions.
This is different to the end of extended support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 which will occur on 14 October 2025.
As we stated earlier, this is where Microsoft will no longer provide any security updates, application updates or any means of technical support for these software versions.
This change may cause a variety of problems for Australian businesses still using these Microsoft products.
Essentially, the end of extended support marks a critical point in time for users. With no new features, updates, optimisations or security patches available, you’ll be left highly susceptible to a range of security risks and issues with software compatibility.
And when things do begin to go wrong with your Office 2016 or Office 2019 installation, you won’t have any support to fix them.
This means your business will become vulnerable to:
- operational disruptions,
- potential financial losses, and
- reputational damage.
As a result, organisations still using Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 must prepare for this shift as soon as possible.
Of course, for the best experience, it’s highly recommended to switch from these older versions of Office to one that is officially supported to integrate seamlessly with Microsoft 365.
Here’s our advice on how best to do that.
How to prepare for Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 End of Support
Once you’ve decided that an upgrade is the best course of action for your business, here are the options available to you:
- Upgrade to a Microsoft 365 subscription
The easiest and most effective long-term approach for organisations affected by Office 2016 and Office 2019 End of Support is to upgrade to Microsoft 365.
Not only will this solve your immediate concerns, but it will also eliminate the need to worry about future upgrades, as these will occur automatically as part of your subscription.
- Upgrade to Microsoft Office 2021
As an alternative, you could replace Office 2016 or Office 2019 with Microsoft Office 2021, the next licensed iteration of this software and a natural progression from the older versions.
However, it’s important to realise that this is only a short-term strategy, as End of Support for Office 2021 will occur on 13 October 2026 – meaning you are merely postponing the original issue for another two to three years.
Of course, this option may be most suitable for any organisation unable to switch to Microsoft 365 at this time.
If you’ve still got questions about Office 2016 and Office 2019’s End of Support timeframes, or you’re unsure which approach is best for you, it’s best to speak to IT experts like our team at Centrix.
We can help you manage your Microsoft Office End of Support transition to make it seamless for your business.
Centrix are experts in helping businesses transition from outdated Microsoft Office versions to improve their processes and productivity.
We recognise that transitioning to new software can be a daunting task.
But our team at Centrix is always ready – we help small businesses up to large corporate organisations succeed by managing, supporting and protecting critical IT infrastructure during your transition from Microsoft Office 2016 or Office 2019.
Backed by our extensive knowledge and expertise, Centrix is here to support your organisation with comprehensive solutions, as well as IT Connectivity and Collaboration Service Packages, Cloud IT, Cybersecurity Protection, Managed IT Services and other IT Solutions.
We also offer specific guidance around Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 End of Support and would love to help you find the right strategy for you or your business.
To learn more, contact us today.