Microsoft Office 2016 and 2019 are heading for the scrapheap next month – but there could be a lifeline for those unable to upgrade

Microsoft has urged users of Office 2016 and Office 2019 to upgrade as both applications approach the end of their extended support deadlines next month.

Both applications will no longer receive updates as of 14 October, the tech giant confirmed last week. The move will also see a host of popular apps under the Office umbrella mothballed, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Similarly, Exchange Server 2016 and 2019 will be scrapped alongside Skype for Business.

This doesn’t mean these Office suites will completely stop working. However, Microsoft has been keen to emphasize that they’ll receive no more updates or technical support.

Opting to stick with these versions puts users at greater risk of security breaches, according to Jeremy Carlson, Microsoft's director of product marketing for the Microsoft 365 portfolio.

“Continuing to use software after end of support can leave your devices vulnerable to potential security threats, productivity losses, and compliance issues,” he wrote in a community notice.

“After that date [14 October], Microsoft will no longer provide security fixes, bug fixes, or technical support for these products.”

Microsoft urges users to upgrade

Naturally, Microsoft is urging users to sign up for Microsoft 365, its most up-to-date suite of applications. For those with fewer than 300 users, there is the option of Microsoft 365 Business Standard.

This, Carlson explained, represents a more cost-effective option based on their individual needs and budget.

“We know there is no “one-size-fits-all" approach for managing end of support – and we encourage you to explore our business and enterprise plans to find the right fit for your organization,” he wrote.

Notably, there is a lifeline for those that aren’t keen on switching to the cloud-based option, Carlson revealed. This comes in the form of the Office Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) 2024.

This option will give users access to the most recent supported on-prem versions of Office for commercial customers.

“The Office Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) is designed for devices that cannot accept feature updates or connect to the internet,” Carlson explained. “Office LTSC 2024 was released last year along with new on-premises versions of Project and Visio.”

A big month for Microsoft shops

October is set to be a busy month for Microsoft customers worldwide. In addition to Office 2016 and 2019 being scrapped, the end of life deadline for Windows 10 also falls on 14 October, meaning users will either be forced to upgrade or continue without regular updates.

Once again, there is a lifeline for those opting to stick with the older operating system – but it’ll come at a steep price.

Extended support for Windows 10 will set enterprises back $61 per device, and that’s just for the first year. Thereafter, the price doubles on an annual basis for a maximum of three years.

As ITPro reported earlier this month, the total cost worldwide could reach a staggering sum. Analysis from Nexthink found maintaining custom versions of the operating system could top $7.3 billion globally.

A significant portion of users appear to be content with the situation, or at the very least are taking their time ahead of the deadline. Figures from Statcounter showed the operating system still holds a 43% market share.

Based on the current rate of upgrades, this means that around 121 million devices worldwide will still be running Windows 10 by the October deadline.

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