Office 2021 end of support: How to upgrade to a newer version without unnecessary costs or macro compatibility issues
Microsoft Office 2021 support ends October 13, 2026. Explore upgrade options – Microsoft 365, Office 2024, or secondary licenses and ensure VBA macro compatibility.
The year 2026 marks an important milestone for businesses and users who are still running Microsoft Office 2021. On October 13, 2026, Microsoft will officially end support for this software suite. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint will not stop working on that date, but Microsoft will no longer release security updates or patches for the product. From a cybersecurity perspective, this represents a significant risk: any newly discovered vulnerability will remain unpatched, making unsupported Office software an easier target for attackers. Opening a single infected file could potentially put an entire corporate network at risk.
For businesses, this primarily means that the next steps need to be planned well in advance. Before starting the migration, it is advisable to audit the software currently in use and verify the compatibility of business documents, macros, add-ins, and other dependent tools.
What are your options after Office 2021 reaches end of support?
When planning their next steps, businesses have several options. They can move to a Microsoft 365 subscription or choose a perpetual licence without recurring monthly fees, either through the secondary software market or by purchasing a new copy of Office 2024.
Microsoft 365: A continuously updated subscription
Microsoft 365 operates on a subscription-based Software as a Service (SaaS) model. In return for a regular monthly or annual fee, users gain access to current application versions and, depending on their chosen plan, a range of cloud services.
The main advantage of this model is continuous access to new features without having to purchase a new major version of Office every few years. It is a suitable choice for businesses that actively use cloud collaboration and services such as OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams.
However, not every business needs these services. Organisations primarily looking for stable desktop applications that want to avoid ongoing subscription costs may wish to consider a perpetual licence instead.
Secondary-market licences: A smart way to own software without subscription fees
An alternative to Microsoft 365 is Office 2024, which is available as a perpetual licence. This means businesses do not have to pay recurring fees to continue using that particular version of Office. Microsoft support for Office 2024 is scheduled to continue until October 2029, providing several years of support without the need to upgrade immediately to another major version.
For businesses that want to avoid recurring subscription fees, secondary-market (used) software can be a cost-effective option. These are full perpetual licences that were previously placed on the market within the EU and may be transferred to a new owner, provided the applicable legal requirements are met.
European law and relevant case law from the Court of Justice of the European Union permit such transfers under the appropriate conditions. The main benefit of the secondary market is a significant reduction in acquisition costs, whether a business chooses an established older generation of Office or a newer version.
Businesses can therefore acquire licensed, fully functional desktop software at a fraction of the standard list price, without committing to recurring monthly payments. However, it is always important to verify the licence's origin and the documentation supporting its transfer when evaluating a specific offer.
What happens to business macros and VBA?
For many businesses, compatibility is a more important consideration than the licence price when moving from one Office version to another. This is particularly true when they rely on custom macros, automation, and reporting tools.
What is a macro, and why is it important to a business?
A macro is an automated sequence of instructions, most commonly created using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). While a typical user processes data manually, a macro can perform the same steps automatically in a matter of seconds.
In many businesses, VBA-based solutions have evolved into sophisticated tools backed by years of development. To an employee, they may appear to be little more than “an Excel spreadsheet with a button,” but in reality, they can underpin critical business processes, save dozens of hours of work, and eliminate errors caused by manual data entry.
Does Office 2024 support macros created in Office 2021?
Yes. Office 2024 continues to support VBA. For typical solutions, migrating from Office 2021 to Office 2024 does not require the code to be rewritten. A macro created in Excel 2021 will generally also work in Excel 2024.
However, compatibility should not automatically be assumed to be 100%. Potential issues are more likely to arise from external dependencies and connected components than from the VBA language itself.
What should you check before migrating?
Before deploying the new version across the organisation, we recommend testing the following in a dedicated test environment:
Whether each macro runs without errors and processes data correctly.
Whether forms, buttons, and generated output files work as expected.
External database connections and data import/export processes.
Any add-ins and ActiveX components in use.
Compatibility between 32-bit and 64-bit Office installations.
VBA project digital signatures and macro security settings.
Perpetual licence vs. subscription: What should you consider?
The choice between Office 2024 and Microsoft 365 depends on how the software is used.
Office 2024 (perpetual licence) makes sense for businesses that prefer a one-time purchase, want predictable software costs, require stable desktop applications, and rely on internal macros without needing advanced cloud capabilities.
Microsoft 365 (subscription) is better suited to businesses that actively work in the cloud, use OneDrive, SharePoint, or Teams across multiple devices, and require continuous access to the latest features.
The end of support for Office 2021 does not automatically mean that a business must switch to a subscription model. The key is to inventory existing licences in good time, test business-critical VBA macros, and choose a licensing model that best matches the organisation's needs and budget.