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Office LTSC 2021 Support Is Over: Microsoft Ends Security Fixes
Microsoft Office 2021 LTSC support ended on October 13, 2026. This perpetual version of Microsoft’s office suite will no longer receive security fixes in the months ahead. Here’s what changes.
"Support for Office LTSC 2021 ends today." is the headline of a Microsoft article published on October 13, 2026. The purpose of this post is mainly to remind users that support for the Office LTSC 2021 suite is ending, since the date has been known for a long time. This means Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, bug fixes, or technical support for Office LTSC 2021 applications.
So which applications are affected? The list is long: Access, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Project, Publisher, Skype for Business, Visio, and Word, all in the LTSC 2021 version. This release also includes several editions used by both businesses and home users, including: Office Home and Student 2021 and Office Home and Small Business 2021.
All of these versions reached end of support on the same date. Unlike Windows 10 or some other products, Microsoft does not offer an ESU program for Microsoft Office, so there are no extended security updates.
That said, one thing is still surprising: the lifespan of Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 is particularly short. Just 5 years, with standard support and security-focused support ending at the same time. By comparison, Office 2019 received 7 years of support, while Office 2016 was supported for... 10 years! And for Office 2024 LTSC, the same logic applies: only 5 years of support.
Microsoft 365 or Office LTSC 2024: Microsoft’s Two Exit Paths
"Microsoft wants to push us toward the cloud and Microsoft 365" is probably what you’re thinking. And you would not be wrong. Perpetual versions become less attractive when support is shorter, because it forces you to migrate and buy new perpetual licenses... or switch to a subscription plan.
Subscriptions are in fact what Microsoft highlights in its article. In reality, you have several options, with or without a subscription:
- Large enterprises: Microsoft 365 E3, Office 365 E3, or Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise.
- Organizations with fewer than 300 users: Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, or Microsoft 365 Apps for business.
- Disconnected workstations: Office LTSC 2024, the current perpetual version.
One caution with the last option: Office LTSC 2024 will be supported until October 9, 2029. I don’t know whether Microsoft plans another perpetual release in 2027 or later, but the situation is awkward. This could be a good opportunity for open source alternatives!
Reminder: if Microsoft’s offerings are hard to navigate, this article on Microsoft licensing, its agreements, product families, and purchasing channels will help you make sense of it all.
Outlook 2021 and Exchange Online: the connection is no longer supported
Another point deserves your attention, especially in organizations that use a mix of perpetual Office licenses and Microsoft 365. According to the Microsoft Learn documentation, Office LTSC 2021 was supported for connecting to Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, or OneDrive until October 13, 2026.
After that date, the connection may still work, but it is no longer supported. Microsoft warns that changes to its services are not tested with these older versions, which can lead to performance or reliability issues over time. In other words, an Outlook 2021 client that works today could cause problems tomorrow, without support to help you. This is also another argument in favor of Microsoft 365, without a doubt.
What do you think?
