On 13 October 2026, extended support for Office LTSC 2021 ends. Security updates, bug fixes, official patches: from that date onward, Microsoft will deliver none of these anymore. For individuals and small offices, a date a few months away still sounds far off. In practice it means: anyone who has not yet started planning will, by autumn at the latest, have to decide under time pressure.
This is not a theoretical threat. Unpatched Office versions are a real attack target. The Microsoft Vulnerabilities Report 2026 shows that critical vulnerabilities in Office products have increased roughly tenfold compared to the previous year. Anyone working in this situation without active patch support carries an elevated risk that simply cannot be justified for many compliance requirements.
From our day-to-day support work at KARINEX, we know this scenario well: many users are aware of the end of support but keep postponing the decision because the concrete need to act remains unclear. This article shows what actually happens after October 2026, which options you have, and which solution suits whom.
What the end of support actually means
Microsoft distinguishes between Mainstream Support and extended support. Office 2021 has been in extended support since October 2023, which covers security updates exclusively. On 13 October 2026, this protection falls away as well.
After that, Office 2021 remains installed and continues to work, as long as no incompatibilities arise. The software does not disappear. What disappears: patch protection against newly discovered vulnerabilities. Every CVE found in Word, Excel or Outlook after this date remains uncorrected. For users in regulated industries, such as healthcare, tax consultancies or public authorities, this can directly affect compliance requirements.
In addition, new Windows features and security architectures will in future be increasingly geared toward newer Office versions. The likelihood of compatibility problems with other applications increases over the years, even if it does not occur immediately.
Why an upgrade to Office 2024 is the obvious choice
Anyone who rejects the Microsoft 365 subscription model or simply does not want recurring monthly costs will find the logical successor version in Office 2024. Office 2024 will be supplied with security updates until October 2029, that is three years longer than Office 2021 still runs from now on.
Functionally, Office 2024 brings several concrete innovations compared to the 2021 version: Excel gains improved functions for dynamic arrays, including extended LAMBDA support and new text functions. Outlook for Windows has been revised with regard to calendar display and rule management. PowerPoint benefits from reworked animation workflows. These are not fundamental paradigm shifts, but for users who work with these tools daily, they are noticeable improvements.
Decisive for the product choice is which applications you actually need. Office 2024 Home for Windows includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, but no Outlook. Anyone who needs Outlook on Windows turns to Office 2024 Standard or a higher-tier version. For Mac users, the situation is different: Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac includes Outlook.
Office 2024 Professional Plus: What's behind it
Office 2024 Professional Plus is the most feature-rich single-license version and includes the full range of applications, including Access and Publisher, which are missing from the consumer editions. Important to understand: Microsoft distributes Professional Plus exclusively through the Volume Licensing programme, not through the Microsoft Store as a consumer product. Providers such as KARINEX distribute these licenses on the basis of the European principle of exhaustion, which, following the ECJ ruling C-128/11 (UsedSoft), permits the transfer of used volume licenses under certain conditions.
For whom is Professional Plus worthwhile? Primarily for users who use Access for database projects, or for small offices that use Publisher for print layouts. Self-employed people and small companies who only need the classic Office applications will, as a rule, get along completely with Standard or Home and Business, without paying for features they never open.
Please check the license terms for your specific type of use, in particular if you use Office on multiple devices or in a commercial environment.
Microsoft Office 2024 Standard Full Version for Windows – Original License | Email Delivery
Microsoft Office 2024 Standard Full Version for Windows The Microsoft Office 2024 Standard Full Version for Windows represents the latest evolutionary stage of the world's leading office soft…
Get it now →Office 2021 on the Mac: Different timelines, same consequence
Office 2021 for Mac is also heading toward its end of support in October 2026. Mac users face a slightly different product landscape: there is no Access and no Publisher for macOS, as these applications were never ported to Mac by Microsoft. The relevant upgrade options are Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac, which includes Outlook, as well as Office 2024 Standard for Mac.
One point that is often overlooked in practice: Office 2021 Standard for Mac and Office 2021 Home & Business differ hardly at all in their feature set for individual users. Home & Business runs on both Windows and Mac and includes Outlook. Standard is a volume-license edition. When switching to 2024, you should check which edition you currently use in order to choose an equivalent successor license.
Now or later: When is the right time?
Technically, Office 2021 continues to work after 13 October 2026. There is no automatic deactivation. The question is therefore less whether you have to act immediately, and more what the optimal time is.
For the self-employed and individual users, the following applies: an upgrade before the end of support is advisable, but does not have to be rushed. The period up to October 2026 offers enough opportunity to compare and decide calmly. Anyone who already knows they do not want a subscription model can secure an Office 2024 perpetual license at current conditions.
For small companies with several workstations, a different perspective is worthwhile. Microsoft has announced that it will significantly increase the prices for Microsoft 365 as of 1 July 2026. Anyone considering switching to the subscription model after all should keep this date in their calendar: annual contracts concluded before 1 July 2026 lock in the old conditions until the end of the contract. For those who want to stay with perpetual licenses, nothing changes directly as a result, but it shows that price calculations for Office software are in motion.
Another practical aspect: anyone still using Windows 10 should bear in mind that Windows 10 also runs out of support in October 2025. A coordinated migration to Windows 11 and Office 2024 is more efficient than two separate projects in quick succession.
Which version suits you?
The following overview summarises the relevant Office 2024 options from the KARINEX range:
| Version | Includes | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| Office 2024 Home (Windows) | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote | Private users without Outlook needs |
| Office 2024 Standard (Windows) | + Outlook | Self-employed, commercial use |
| Office 2024 Home and Business (Mac) | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook | Mac users with Outlook needs |
| Office 2024 Standard (Mac) | Volume edition for Mac | Mac users in a business environment |
| Office 2024 Professional Plus | + Access, Publisher | Access/Publisher users (Volume) |
For most self-employed people and small offices that have so far worked with Office 2021 Standard or Home & Business, Office 2024 Standard is the most direct equivalent. Office 2024 Professional Plus is recommended if Access is actively used.
For anyone who does not yet have a date in the calendar: autumn 2026 will arrive faster than expected. A perpetual license can be purchased today, activated immediately and set up without time pressure. That is more relaxed than a migration under time pressure once support has already expired.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to Office 2021 after 13 October 2026?
Do I have to upgrade to Office 2024 immediately after the end of support?
What is the difference between Office 2024 Home and Office 2024 Standard?
Does the end of support also apply to Office 2021 on the Mac?
Is Office 2024 Professional Plus worthwhile for the self-employed?
Is switching to Microsoft 365 worthwhile instead of a perpetual license?
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