Office 2021 end of support: what it means for your business (plus Windows 11 24H2 and Publisher)
Office 2021 end of support hit on 13 October 2026 with no extended updates. What it means, what to switch to, and a checklist for Melbourne businesses.
Office 2021 end of support arrived on 13 October 2026, US time. Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 still open and run, but they no longer get security fixes, and Microsoft is offering no Extended Security Updates. For a business, the fix is to move every copy to Microsoft 365 Apps or Office 2024, then remove the old version.
The same Patch Tuesday closed out Windows 11 version 24H2 on Home and Pro PCs, and Publisher has left Microsoft 365. Microsoft publishes these dates in Pacific time, so below we convert each to Melbourne time and put all three changes in one checklist.
What ended on 13 October 2026?
Microsoft's Office 2021 lifecycle page covers Home and Student, Home and Business and Professional, including the Mac editions. The volume-licensed Office LTSC 2021 ended at the same moment: 6:59:59am Pacific time on 14 October, which was 12:59am on Thursday 15 October in Melbourne (AEDT). The final updates came on Patch Tuesday, 13 October in the US; Microsoft's monthly Windows updates typically go out at 10am Pacific time, about 4am on Wednesday 14 October here.
| Product | What changed | When, in Melbourne time | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office 2021 (Windows and Mac) | Support ended: no more security or bug fixes | Cut-off 12:59am Thu 15 Oct (final Windows update early Wed 14 Oct) | Move to Microsoft 365 Apps or Office 2024 |
| Office LTSC 2021 | Mainstream support ended, with no extended phase | Same as Office 2021 | Move to Microsoft 365 Apps or Office LTSC 2024 |
| Windows 11 Home and Pro, version 24H2 | Monthly updates ended | Same as Office 2021 | Update to version 26H2 |
| Microsoft Publisher | Removed from Microsoft 365; perpetual copies lost support | On or shortly after 1 Oct for subscribers; 13 Oct (US time) for perpetual copies | Find and convert your .pub files |
Will Office 2021 still work after end of support?
Yes. Microsoft's end of support notice says your Office 2021 apps "may continue to function", but Microsoft no longer provides technical support, bug fixes or security fixes, and most online help is being retired. The risk builds quietly: Word, Excel and Outlook open files and links from outside the business, exactly where attackers aim, and any flaw found from now on stays open for good.
Email is the other catch. Microsoft's connectivity guidance listed Office LTSC 2021 as supported for connecting to Exchange Online, SharePoint and OneDrive only until 13 October 2026. Older versions "might still be able to connect", but Microsoft no longer tests service changes against them, so Outlook may develop odd faults.
While you plan the move, make sure every Windows PC got the final update. Microsoft's update history shows the October release as Version 2108 (Build 14334.20974) for Office LTSC 2021 and Version 2609 (Build 20430.20182) for retail Office 2021. Find yours under File, then Account, in any Office app.
Is there an Extended Security Updates option for Office 2021?
No. Microsoft says there "will be no extension and no extended security updates" for Office 2021. That is the big difference from Windows 10, where businesses could buy paid updates (our Windows 10 end of life guide covers that route). Still running Office 2019 or 2016? Microsoft's Office and Windows support matrix shows both ended in October 2025, a year earlier.
What should you move to: Microsoft 365 or Office 2024?
There are three realistic replacements: one subscription that keeps improving and two one-off versions that stay still.
| Option | How you pay | Updates | Supported until | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Premium (Microsoft 365 Apps) | Per-user subscription | Security fixes plus new features, as often as monthly | No end date while kept on a supported version | Ongoing cost; apps drop to reduced functionality if the licence lapses |
| Office Home & Business 2024 | One-off purchase | Security updates only | October 2029 | Installs once, on one PC or Mac; no extra cloud storage |
| Office LTSC 2024 | Volume licensing | Security updates only | October 2029 | No Publisher; Teams is a separate download; no real-time collaboration |
Microsoft 365 Apps is the desktop Office included in Business Standard and Business Premium, and Microsoft's Business Premium FAQ says Premium layers two security products on top: Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 and Defender for Business. Each user can install the apps on up to five computers, five tablets and five phones, according to Microsoft's deployment overview, and the apps must check in online at least once every 30 days.
Office 2024 is the closest like-for-like swap for a PC that only needs the core apps. Microsoft's comparison page says a one-time purchase installs once and gets security updates but no new features. Check the licence covers business use, and expect to repeat this in 2029. Office LTSC 2024 is meant for regulated or locked-down machines, not a typical office.
Our advice for most clients is Microsoft 365 Business Premium, because leaving Office 2021 is a good moment to add the device and email security a one-off licence never had. The price gap has narrowed too: in Microsoft's 1 July 2026 price change, Business Standard's US list price rose from US$12.50 to US$14.00, while Business Premium's was left at US$22.00. See our comparison of Business Basic, Standard and Premium and our Microsoft 365 price rise guide.
Has Windows 11 24H2 support ended too?
Yes, for Home and Pro. Microsoft's Windows 11 Home and Pro lifecycle shows version 24H2 hitting the same cut-off as Office 2021. If your business PCs run Windows 11 Pro, this applies to you; Enterprise and Education editions of 24H2 carry on until October 2027. The fix is a feature update, not new hardware:
Version 26H2 arrived on 29 September 2026 (US time) and is supported on Home and Pro until October 2028.
Version 25H2 is supported only until October 2027.
For PCs on 24H2 or 25H2, Microsoft delivers 26H2 as an enablement package (KB5121794) needing one restart, once the 22 September 2026 preview update or a later one is installed.
Check any PC under Settings, System, About. A Home or Pro machine still showing 23H2 has been unsupported since November 2025.
Is Microsoft Publisher leaving Microsoft 365?
Yes. Microsoft's Publisher retirement notice says Microsoft 365 subscribers lose access on or shortly after 1 October 2026 and can no longer open or edit .pub files in Publisher. Support for perpetual (one-off purchase) copies ended on 13 October; Microsoft says those copies can still open and edit your files, but they get no more fixes.
Find the files.
Microsoft suggests searching for ".pub" across PCs, OneDrive and SharePoint.
Convert them while Publisher still opens them.
Save as PDF from Publisher for a viewable copy, then open that PDF in Word to keep editing, though graphics-heavy layouts may shift. Microsoft also offers a sample PowerShell script for bulk conversion.
Rebuild in Word or PowerPoint.
Microsoft maps newsletters, letterhead, labels and envelopes to Word, and posters, signs and banners to PowerPoint, with templates on Microsoft Create.
Why does unsupported Office matter for the Essential Eight and insurance?
It counts against you from the first maturity level. The Essential Eight's "patch applications" strategy requires office productivity suites no longer supported by vendors to be removed at every maturity level, and patches for supported suites applied within two weeks of release at Maturity Levels One and Two. Microsoft's Essential Eight patching guidance lists ASD's control text (ISM-1704 and ISM-1691). One forgotten Office 2021 install on a reception PC is enough to fail the check.
If your insurance renewal form asks whether all software is vendor-supported, Office 2021 changed your answer this week; our guide to the controls insurers ask about covers the rest of the form. ASD has also just published ASD Essentials as the Essential Eight's successor, though iTnews reports the old framework will remain on ASD's website alongside it for now (our ASD Essentials explainer has the detail). Removing unsupported software matters under either, and our Essential 8 compliance work starts with exactly this inventory.
What should you do this week?
Inventory every Office install, Macs included, flagging 2021, LTSC 2021, 2019 and 2016. A vulnerability scan finds outdated software you didn't know was there.
Apply the final Office 2021 update on anything that can't move this week, and set a date for it to go.
Choose each person's replacement
Business Premium, Business Standard or Office 2024.
Install the new apps, then uninstall Office 2021, so nobody ends up with two versions side by side.
Check the Windows version on every PC and move 24H2 Home and Pro machines to 26H2.
Find and convert .pub files before anyone needs next month's newsletter.
Date your evidence.
Record what you removed and when, for your Essential Eight file and your insurer.
Frequently asked questions
When did Office 2021 support end in Australia?
Microsoft lists the end date as 13 October 2026, US time. The lifecycle cut-off, 6:59:59am Pacific time on 14 October, was 12:59am on Thursday 15 October in Melbourne (AEDT), and the final Office updates for Windows landed early on Wednesday 14 October. Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 now get no security fixes, bug fixes or technical support.
Will Outlook 2021 still connect to Microsoft 365 email?
Probably, for now, but it's no longer supported. Microsoft's guidance says Office LTSC 2021 was supported for connecting to Exchange Online, SharePoint and OneDrive only until 13 October 2026. Older versions might still connect, but Microsoft doesn't test its service changes against them, so features and stability can quietly degrade.
Should a small business buy Office 2024 or switch to Microsoft 365?
Office 2024 suits a single PC that only needs the core apps and won't change for years. It installs once and gets security updates, but no new features, until October 2029. Microsoft 365 suits most businesses, because licences follow the person across devices, the apps keep updating and Business Premium adds device and email security.
What about Visio 2021 and Project 2021?
Check them in the same sweep. Microsoft's connectivity guidance lists Project Professional and Standard 2021, and Visio LTSC Professional and Standard 2021, as supported for connecting to Microsoft 365 services only until October 2026. The 2024 versions are supported for connecting until October 2029, and subscription versions stay supported while kept current.
Do Microsoft 365 Apps still get updates on Windows 10 PCs?
Yes, for now. Microsoft's Office and Windows support matrix says it will keep providing security updates for Microsoft 365 desktop apps running on Windows 10 until 10 October 2028. Windows 10 itself is a separate problem, though, so moving Office to Microsoft 365 doesn't make an unsupported Windows 10 PC safe on its own.
Can Key IT handle the switch for us?
Yes. Key IT supplies Microsoft licensing through Microsoft's New Commerce Experience via our IT procurement service, sets up and secures Microsoft 365, and removes the old Office versions afterwards. For managed IT clients, it's part of the ongoing patching work. You can reach the helpdesk Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm.
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