Quick answer
Office 2021 end of support date: October 13, 2026. It keeps working and stays activated, but receives no further security updates, and there is no paid extension. If you want to keep paying once, Office 2024 is the like-for-like upgrade, supported until October 9, 2029. If you want the newest features, Copilot and cloud storage, Microsoft 365 is the subscription route.
What Microsoft Has Announced
Microsoft publishes a lifecycle page for every Office release. For Office 2021, the retirement date is October 13, 2026 (Pacific Time) for Home & Student, Home & Business and Professional, on Windows and Mac.[1] The volume-licensed Office LTSC 2021 ends on the same date under Microsoft's Fixed Lifecycle Policy, with no extended-support phase.[2]
That date covers every Office 2021 edition:
- Office Professional Plus 2021, Home & Business 2021 and Home & Student 2021
- Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021 and Office LTSC Standard 2021
- Office 2021 for Mac and Office LTSC 2021 for Mac
- Standalone 2021 apps such as Visio 2021 and Project 2021
Unlike Windows 10, there is no Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Office 2021.
The Bigger Story: Support Windows Have Halved
Most coverage stops at the date. The more useful fact for anyone buying Office is how much shorter each version's life has become. Office 2010, 2013 and 2016 each received about ten years of security updates. Office 2019 got about seven. Office 2021 — and now Office 2024 — get five.
Years of security updates per Office version
From release to final security update. Hover a bar for exact dates.
The practical takeaway: one-time-purchase Office now runs on a roughly five-year cycle, with a new version every three years. Buying the newest version as early as possible gets you the most supported years for your money — which is why a 2021 license bought today buys only days of security updates, while Office 2024 still has three years left.
What Changes on October 13
Nothing you'll see on day one. The change is underneath:
Keeps working
- Opens, edits and saves files
- Stays activated — no expiry
- Your documents are untouched
Stops
- Security updates
- Bug fixes and quality updates
- Microsoft technical support
Publisher retires in the same month. Microsoft ends support for Publisher in October 2026, and it isn't part of Office 2024.[6] If you use it, save your .pub files as PDF or Word documents now.
Is It Safe to Keep Using Office 2021?
For a few weeks, nothing visibly changes. The risk builds over time: any new vulnerability found in Word, Excel, Outlook or PowerPoint after October 13 will never be patched for Office 2021 — and Office documents and email attachments are one of the most common ways attackers get onto a PC.
"Nothing bad has happened yet" isn't a security plan.
Keeping Office 2021 on an offline PC, or for occasional trusted files, is lower risk. For everyday email and downloaded documents — and especially for a business handling customer data — move to a supported version.
Microsoft Office End of Support Dates (All Versions)
| Version | End of support | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Office 2010 | October 13, 2020 | Ended |
| Office 2013 | April 11, 2023 | Ended |
| Office 2016 | October 14, 2025 | Ended |
| Office 2019 | October 14, 2025 | Ended |
| Office 2021 / LTSC 2021 | October 13, 2026 | Ending |
| Publisher (all versions) | October 2026 | Ending |
| Office 2024 / LTSC 2024 | October 9, 2029 | Supported |
| Microsoft 365 | Updated while subscribed | Supported |
Still on Office 2019 or 2016? You've been unsupported since October 14, 2025 — everything below applies to you too.
Office 2021 vs Office 2024: What's Actually Different
| Office 2021 Pro Plus | Office 2024 Pro Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | October 2021 | October 2024 |
| Security updates until | October 13, 2026 | October 9, 2029 |
| Apps | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, OneNote |
| New in 2024 | — | Refreshed design, Excel IMAGE function, dynamic charts, OpenDocument 1.4[7] |
| License | One-time purchase | One-time purchase |
| Price at Official Keys Hub | $24.99 | $34.99 |
For $10 more you get three extra years of security updates and the newest features.
Your Three Options, Compared
The real question isn't "does it still work?" — it's which ownership model suits you for the next few years. Over a three-year window (roughly Office 2024's remaining support):
| Upgrade to Office 2024 | Switch to Microsoft 365 | Keep Office 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Once | $99.99/yr (Personal) · $129.99/yr (Family) | Nothing |
| ~3-year cost | $34.99 here | ~$300 / ~$390 | $0 |
| Security updates | Until Oct 2029 | While subscribed | None after Oct 13, 2026 |
| Copilot AI | No | Yes | No |
| Cloud storage | — | 1 TB per person | — |
| You own it | Yes | No — stops editing if you cancel | Yes |
The subscription isn't poor value — Family covers six people, each with 1 TB of storage. But for one person on one PC who doesn't want AI in their documents, paying every year for features they won't use is hard to justify.
Our Recommendation
If you bought Office 2021 because you didn't want a subscription, Office 2024 is the natural next step. Same model, same apps, three more years of patches — for less than a single year of Microsoft 365.
If you share Office with family, rely on OneDrive, or want Copilot, Microsoft 365 earns its price — and this deadline is a sensible moment to switch.
Staying on Office 2021 only makes sense on a PC that rarely touches email or downloads. We wouldn't run a business on it past October 13.
Supported until 2029
Office 2024 Professional Plus
One-time purchase · Instant email delivery · Activation help included
$34.99
Buy Office 2024How to Upgrade Office 2021 (or 2019/2016) to Office 2024
- 1
Back up
Save anything important, and export Publisher (.pub) files to PDF or Word.
- 2
Uninstall your old Office
Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Microsoft Office → Uninstall. Your documents stay where they are.
- 3
Restart
Restart your PC so the old installation is fully removed.
- 4
Redeem your key
Go to www.office.com/setup, sign in with your Microsoft account and enter your Office 2024 product key.
- 5
Install and confirm
Download and run the installer, then open Word and check File → Account shows it as activated.
Screenshots and troubleshooting are in our activation guide, and our team can help on WhatsApp if you get stuck.
Questions Worth Discussing
The deadline raises bigger questions than which box to buy. We'd like to hear where you land:
- Is a one-time Office license still worth it now that new features like Copilot only come with a subscription?
- Would you run an unsupported Office on a work PC — or is that a hard no?
- Five-year support windows: fair for a one-time purchase, or a nudge toward subscriptions?
- Publisher users: with Publisher retiring and missing from Office 2024, what are you moving to?
Share this briefing
Take the question to your team, group chat or community.
Want a second opinion on your setup? Message us on WhatsApp.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Office 2021 support end?
Microsoft ends support for Office 2021 — including Office LTSC 2021, Office Standard 2021 and Office 2021 for Mac — on October 13, 2026. There is no extension and no paid Extended Security Updates program for Office 2021.
Will Office 2021 stop working after October 13, 2026?
No. Office 2021 keeps opening, editing and saving documents, and it stays activated. What stops is Microsoft's security updates, bug fixes and technical support for that version.
Is it safe to keep using Office 2021 after end of support?
It works, but every new security flaw found after October 13, 2026 stays unpatched. Opening documents and email attachments from the internet becomes riskier over time, so moving to a supported version such as Office 2024 or Microsoft 365 is the safer choice.
Is Office 2024 worth it?
For most people who prefer to pay once, yes. Office 2024 is the newest one-time-purchase Office, it gets security updates until October 9, 2029, and over three years it costs far less than a Microsoft 365 subscription. It's not worth it if you need Copilot AI, 1 TB of cloud storage or Office on many devices — that's what Microsoft 365 is for.
Should I upgrade Office 2021 to Office 2024?
If you use Office for email and documents you download or receive, yes. Office 2024 is the like-for-like replacement: same one-time model, same desktop apps (minus Publisher, which Microsoft is retiring), supported three years longer.
Office 2024 vs Microsoft 365 — which is better?
Office 2024 is better value if you want stable desktop apps and no subscription. Microsoft 365 is better if you want the newest features every month, Copilot AI, 1 TB of OneDrive storage and installs on several PCs, Macs, tablets and phones.
How long is Office 2024 supported?
Office 2024 and Office LTSC 2024 are supported by Microsoft until October 9, 2029 — three years longer than Office 2021.
Can I upgrade from Office 2021 to Office 2024 with my old key?
No. Office 2024 needs its own Office 2024 product key; an Office 2021 key only activates Office 2021. Your documents, however, open in Office 2024 without any conversion.
Does Office 2024 include Publisher or Copilot?
Neither. Microsoft is retiring Publisher (support ends in October 2026) and it isn't part of Office 2024. Copilot AI features come with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, not with one-time-purchase Office 2024.
Is Office Home 2024 worth it?
Yes, if you only need Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote for personal use. If you need Outlook or use Office for work, Home & Business 2024 or Professional Plus 2024 is the better fit.
Sources
- [1] Microsoft Lifecycle — Office 2021
- [2] Microsoft Lifecycle — Office LTSC 2021
- [3] Microsoft Lifecycle — Office 2024
- [4] Microsoft Lifecycle — Office 2019
- [5] Microsoft Lifecycle — Office 2016
- [6] Microsoft Support — Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026
- [7] Microsoft Support — What's new in Excel 2024
Microsoft 365 prices are Microsoft's US list prices as of October 2026. Official Keys Hub is an independent reseller of genuine licenses and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft. Product images are our own illustrations.