Office 2016 and Office 2019 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. For businesses, the issue is not only whether Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint still open. The bigger issue is whether the productivity layer is supportable, secure, and aligned with Microsoft 365.
Unsupported Office creates operational risk
Unsupported Office clients can complicate security patching, compatibility, add-ins, email authentication, and support. Older applications often remain because they are familiar, not because they are the best fit for modern identity, compliance, and collaboration.
Review Outlook and email dependencies
Outlook is usually the highest-risk Office dependency because it touches email, calendars, contacts, plugins, archives, mobile access, and shared mailboxes. Test line-of-business add-ins, legacy macros, templates, mail merge workflows, and any integrations before broad migration.
Align Office upgrades with device lifecycle
Do not treat Office modernization as a standalone application upgrade. Pair it with Windows 11 readiness, endpoint management, OneDrive Known Folder Move, device encryption, and Microsoft 365 Apps servicing channels.
Use the transition to reduce license waste
A license review can identify inactive users, duplicate subscriptions, old shared accounts, and users who need different plans. Some businesses are paying too much. Others are missing security and compliance features they actually need.
Create a managed rollout
A clean rollout includes inventory, application testing, communication, pilot groups, rollback planning, and post-upgrade support. The result should be a more manageable productivity stack, not just newer icons.
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