A number of Microsoft products will reach their end of support (EOS) in a little over a month – on October 14, 2025. Among them are Office 2016 and Office 2019, still widely used thanks to their consistent stability, familiar interface, standard functions, and low cost of operation. If your organization is among these Office users, then it’s time to consider the following questions:
How does this impact you? Should you make a change and adopt the subscription Office model that Microsoft has been so heavily pressing for? Perhaps there’s no need to do anything at all?
Find out what’s the best course of action you could take to avoid unnecessary risks and spare your company from a straining IT budget.
What does End of Support mean for software?
When a product reaches End of Support (EOS), Microsoft stops providing:
- Security patches
- Feature updates
- Technical support
The software continues to work, but the security and compliance risks keep increasing. Continuing to use Office 2016/2019 without any intervention could expose your company data to breaches, hacks and errors.
What are your real options?
1. Switch to an Office subscription
This is Microsoft’s default recommendation. But for many organizations, it’s not a feasible path due to:
- Significantly higher operational costs
- Migration complexity and training needs
- Unnecessary app and services clutter
- Incompatibility with older systems and hardware
- Potential unavailability due to service blackouts (no internet, provider servers down etc)
If your organization hasn’t adopted Microsoft 365 yet, it may simply be because you don’t need it – migrating just for the sake of it might be unnecessary.
2. Upgrade to Office LTSC 2024
If you want to continue using a non-subscription (perpetual) Office suite beyond the year 2025, the Office LTSC 2024 (Long-Term Servicing Channel) edition is a reliable option:
- No feature updates – only essential security patches
- Familiar environment with minimal clutter
- Stability and permanent service availability
- Supported until 2029 (included)
Available through secondary software channels like Forscope, Office LTSC 2024 adds some new feature updates but lets you continue using your current infrastructure securely and largely unchanged.
How does Office LTSC 2024 compare to Microsoft 365? See our article for more info:
forscope.eu/office-2024-vs-microsoft-365
3. Consider hybrid deployment
Did you know it’s possible to combine perpetual Office suites with Microsoft 365? Get only the apps, services, and features your business actually needs, streamline your IT infrastructure and optimize your budget with hybrid licensing!
Compare the costs in the following simplified example:
3 solutions for an organization with 500 employees over a period of 3 years
After the initial investment in the first year, the hybrid solution quickly becomes significantly less expensive than its subscription-only counterpart.
Naturally, we at Forscope understand that reality is often more complex – our experts provide custom solutions tailored to the specific needs of our customers. Learn more here: forscope.eu/software-solutions/365-hybrid-licensing
4. Use 0patch for micro-patching your software
Developed by ACROS Security, 0patch is a lightweight, efficient way to keep EOS software protected:
- Security patches are delivered quickly and seamlessly (no need to restart!)
- Support for a variety of perpetual Office versions
- Used by governments, hospitals, banks, and manufacturers worldwide
- Significantly more affordable than Microsoft 365
A 3-year 0patch business plan costs about 80% less than the cheapest Microsoft 365 business variant for the same period of time.
Which path is right for you?
There is no universal answer; the right approach depends on:
- Security and compliance needs
- Budget constraints
- Long-term digital strategy
With just a little over a month to go, it is high time to choose your new Office strategy. Don’t let the deadline pass you by – take action now!
Looking for advice? We can help you!
Our experts will analyze your current infrastructure, segment it by devices and license types, and match the right solution to each scenario. Reach out to us and receive a personalized, cost-effective roadmap.
