If you bought Office once, years ago, and never thought about it again, this one is for you. Microsoft's support for Office 2021 ended this month. Nothing popped up on your screen and nothing stopped working, which is exactly why it's easy to miss.
What has actually changed?
Microsoft's own lifecycle page lists the 2021 editions of Office Home and Business, Home and Student and Professional (including the Mac versions) as retiring on 14 October 2026. The business-licensed Office LTSC 2021, plus the Visio and Project LTSC 2021 versions, were announced to end support on 13 October 2026. Depending on which edition you own, it's a day either side.
After the cut-off there are no more security updates, bug fixes or technical support for these versions. As TechRepublic put it, the apps keep running, but anyone who wants to stay supported has to buy Office 2024 or move to a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Why a working program is still a risk
Office files are one of the most common ways malware reaches a small business: an invoice attachment, a spreadsheet from a supplier, a Word document from someone you half recognise. Security fixes are what close the holes those files try to use. Once the fixes stop, any new hole stays open for good on that version.
Microsoft's own notice warns of security risks, compliance risks, system incompatibilities
for anyone who carries on. If you handle customer data, that compliance point is worth taking seriously.
Your realistic options
Do nothing
Free, and fine for a short while. But the risk grows every month, and it won't pass a cyber-insurance questionnaire or a customer's supplier checklist with a straight face.
Move to a supported version
Either a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-off purchase of Office 2024. Both are supported; which suits you depends on how you work.
Microsoft's own advice is that most organisations move to a Microsoft 365 plan that includes the desktop apps. For firms with fewer than 300 users it points to Business Standard or Business Premium. For machines that are fully disconnected from the internet, it points to Office LTSC 2024, supported until October 2029.
- Subscription (Microsoft 365): always up to date, includes email hosting and OneDrive, and it's easy to add or remove staff. The catch is a monthly cost forever.
- One-off purchase (Office 2024): pay once, no ongoing fee. You'll hit the same cliff again in a few years.
- Check current prices: they change, so look at Microsoft's site or ask a reseller on the day rather than going on a figure you saw months ago.
A sensible way to handle it
Find out what you have
Open Word, go to File, then Account, and note the version on every machine. Plenty of firms discover a mix of 2016, 2019 and 2021.
Decide subscription or one-off
If you already pay for business email or share files between people, a subscription usually works out simpler. If it's one PC doing invoices, a one-off licence may be enough.
Move and back up first
Take a backup before upgrading, then install on the most exposed machines first. Check that any add-ins or macros you rely on still work.
If you are setting up Microsoft 365 for the first time, Fentech's guide price for setting up to five users (tenant, email, Teams, OneDrive and accounts) is on the pricing page.
What to do next
Office 2021 hasn't stopped working. It's just stopped being looked after. Start by checking the version on each machine this week, then pick between a subscription and a one-off licence. Move the PCs that open the most email first.
