Microsoft Office 2021 will reach end of support on October 13, 2026. Microsoft has confirmed that there will be no extension and no Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Office 2021.
Office 2021 applications may continue to function after the end-of-support date. However, using an unsupported version can expose endpoints to security risks, as newly discovered vulnerabilities will no longer receive security fixes.
Once Office 2021 reaches end of support:
Security fixes will stop: Microsoft will no longer provide fixes for newly reported or discovered vulnerabilities in Office 2021.
Software updates will stop: Office 2021 will no longer receive software updates.
Technical support will end: Microsoft will no longer provide phone or chat-based technical support.
Support content will no longer be updated: Microsoft will stop updating Office 2021 support content, and most online help content will eventually be retired.
1. Move to Microsoft 365 Apps or upgrade to a newer Office version: Organizations can transition to Microsoft 365 Apps to receive ongoing feature, security, and quality updates. Alternatively, organizations that prefer a one-time purchase can upgrade to a supported perpetual version, such as Office 2024 (or) Office LTSC 2024, based on their licensing and deployment requirements.
2. Plan and test the migration: Identify devices running Office 2021, review application and add-in compatibility, and test the upgrade on a smaller group of endpoints before organization-wide deployment.
3. Complete the transition before October 13, 2026: Migrating before the end-of-support date helps ensure endpoints continue receiving security updates and remain on a supported Office version.
With the end-of-support date approaching, organizations should identify endpoints still running Office 2021 and plan their transition to a supported Office version. You can use ManageEngine Endpoint Central to identify endpoints running Office 2021 by navigating to Threats > High-Risk Software > End-of-Life. This provides visibility into devices running end-of-life software across your organization. Once the affected endpoints are identified, Endpoint Central can be used to uninstall the existing Office 2021 installation and deploy a newer supported version, across the required endpoints.
To uninstall Office 2021, refer to:
https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/software-deployment/uninstall-microsoft365-2021-2019-apps.html
To deploy Office 2024, refer to:
https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/deploy-ms-office-2024-how-to.html
This enables you to identify affected devices and carry out the transition to a supported Office version before October 13, 2026.
For more details refer to: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/system-requirements/end-of-support-for-office-2021
Regards,
The ManageEngine Team.