Microsoft ends support for Office 2016 and 2019, leaving third-party patches as the only option

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Bottom line: Microsoft will soon end security updates for Office 2016 and 2019, leaving millions of users exposed to potential vulnerabilities. Those who don't upgrade to a newer version or Microsoft 365 may have to turn to paid third-party solutions, underlining the costs and trade-offs of sticking with older software.

Microsoft will end official support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 on October 14, 2025. Unlike Windows 10, the company will not offer a paid extended patching plan. Office customers will soon need to upgrade to a newer version, move to the cloud, or rely on third-party patching services such as 0patch.

Slovenia security company Acros developed 0patch to provide highly optimized "micropatches" for likely-to-be-exploited vulnerabilities. The company's tiny patches – often just a few CPU instructions – apply directly to processes in memory, without modifying the original executable files or libraries.

0patch has a track record of protecting older Microsoft software and Windows versions from serious security flaws long after official support ends. The company currently provides five years of extended patches for Windows 10 and has now launched a similar plan for Office products.

0patch criticized Microsoft's plan to push users toward Office 2024 or the Microsoft 365 cloud as costly, intrusive, and "kind of" disruptive. Starting in October 2025, the company plans to "security-adopt" Office 2016 and Office 2019, offering at least three more years of unofficial micropatches – and potentially longer if demand warrants.

0patch will offer two paid plans for Office users: the Pro plan, aimed at individuals and small businesses, costs €24.95 plus taxes per computer; the Enterprise plan, designed for medium to large organizations needing extra management tools, costs €34.95 plus taxes per computer.

Acros offers both plans as annual subscriptions, with prices subject to change. The company emphasizes the convenience of its service and its commitment to keeping older software secure for longer. Acros continues to release in-memory micropatches for Office 2010 and is already planning to extend support for the suite.

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Microsoft ends support for Office 2016 and 2019, leaving third-party patches as the only option

 

[NumberNine]

I'd wager on significant overlap between the people who pay for Microsoft Office at home and people who think Facebook is the internet.

LibreOffice, friends. Don't look back.

 

[candle86]

I'd wager on significant overlap between the people who pay for Microsoft Office at home and people who think Facebook is the internet.

LibreOffice, friends. Don't look back.

Really depends if you need the features that are part of office, I grabbly pay for office because I'll frankly there's not a good alternative for Outlook out there the closest you've got is Thunderbird and that is still light years away from being as good. And honestly Excel is still better than the third party alternatives as well. I mean sure you can use the free stuff I install it for people all the time but it's not as good.

 

[WaphleStomp]

Hilarious; again, M$ ends support for products they haven't finished patching.
Windows OS - more holes than Hedonism II.

 

[guillejp]

Office 2016 is 9 years old, I wouldn't complain. 2019... Honestly, neither.

Unless you really can't "take action yourself" let's say, you could be using 2024 and this is a non issue.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Office 2016 is 9 years old, I wouldn't complain. 2019... Honestly, neither.

Unless you really can't "take action yourself" let's say, you could be using 2024 and this is a non issue.

Let's not normalize corporations dropping support after only 6 years.

I'd wager on significant overlap between the people who pay for Microsoft Office at home and people who think Facebook is the internet.

LibreOffice, friends. Don't look back.

Office 16 and 19 have two crucial components: they are available with publisher, and they have offline installers that don't require the windows store.