Microsoft is preparing to end support for two widely used software releases on October 13, 2026, giving users and businesses a final week to move to newer versions if they want to continue receiving routine security and reliability updates.
Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 will reach the end of their support lifecycle on October 13, while Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro editions will reach end of servicing on the same date.
The Windows deadline does not apply to every 24H2 edition. Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise versions remain supported until October 2027.
Office 2021 Support Ends October 13
Microsoft lists Office 2021 among the products reaching retirement on October 13, 2026.
The affected product family includes Office 2021 as well as individual applications such as Word 2021, Excel 2021, PowerPoint 2021, Outlook 2021, OneNote 2021, Access 2021, Publisher 2021, Project 2021 and Visio 2021.
Office LTSC 2021, Microsoft’s long-term servicing release for organizations, reaches end of support on the same date.
After support ends, Microsoft says it will no longer provide technical support, bug fixes or security updates for the affected Office products.
Office Will Keep Working, but Without Security Updates
End of support does not mean Office 2021 suddenly stops launching on October 14.
Existing installations can continue to run, but Microsoft will no longer issue security fixes for newly discovered vulnerabilities.
That distinction is important for businesses and organizations handling sensitive data.
Microsoft warns that unsupported Office versions may become increasingly exposed to security, reliability and compliance risks over time because new vulnerabilities will no longer receive fixes.
Which Office 2021 Editions Are Affected?
Microsoft’s lifecycle documentation lists several consumer and business editions under the Office 2021 lifecycle.
These include:
- Home and Student 2021
- Home and Business 2021
- Professional 2021
- corresponding Mac editions
- Office LTSC 2021 for commercial customers
Microsoft's lifecycle pages show the Office 2021 family ending support in October 2026.
Some Microsoft lifecycle pages display October 14 because support dates are shown in Pacific Time and can reflect timezone formatting, but Microsoft’s end-of-support guidance consistently identifies October 13, 2026 as the practical support deadline.
Microsoft Recommends Moving to Microsoft 365 or Office LTSC 2024
For organizations still running Office LTSC 2021, Microsoft recommends moving to Microsoft 365 Apps or to the most recent supported on-premises release, Office LTSC 2024.
The company has been shifting customers toward Microsoft 365, which receives continuous feature and security updates rather than following a fixed five-year lifecycle like Office 2021.
Users who prefer a perpetual-license version can instead move to a supported Office LTSC release.
Windows 11 24H2 Also Reaches a Major Deadline
Microsoft is also ending servicing for Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro editions on October 13, 2026.
The affected editions include:
- Windows 11 Home
- Windows 11 Pro
- Windows 11 Pro Education
- Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
These editions will no longer receive routine monthly security and preview updates after the deadline.
What Happens to Windows 11 24H2 After October 13?
Microsoft says devices running unsupported 24H2 Home and Pro editions will no longer receive:
- monthly security updates;
- fixes for known issues;
- time-zone updates;
- preview updates; or
- standard technical support associated with the release.
That can leave systems increasingly exposed to newly discovered vulnerabilities.
The operating system will continue to boot and function, but remaining on an unsupported release becomes progressively riskier.
Microsoft Is Automatically Moving Some PCs to Windows 11 25H2
Microsoft says unmanaged consumer devices running Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro may automatically receive Windows 11 version 25H2 as the end-of-servicing deadline approaches.
Users can still choose when to restart or temporarily postpone the update, but eligible devices are being moved to a supported version to keep security updates flowing.
Microsoft currently lists Windows 11 25H2 and 26H1 among supported releases, depending on hardware and servicing channel.
Enterprise and Education Users Get Another Year
The October 13 deadline does not apply to all Windows 11 24H2 systems.
Microsoft lists Windows 11 Enterprise and Education version 24H2 as supported until October 2027.
The same longer servicing window also applies to certain enterprise-focused variants, including IoT Enterprise.
This reflects Microsoft’s different lifecycle structure for consumer and enterprise editions.
Home and Pro typically receive a shorter servicing period, while Enterprise and Education releases receive longer support.
Why Windows Version Support Ends Even Though Windows 11 Remains Supported
Windows 11 itself is not reaching end of support.
Microsoft services Windows 11 by individual feature version.
That means version 24H2 can reach end of servicing even while newer releases such as 25H2 and 26H1 remain fully supported.
Microsoft’s release-health page currently shows 24H2 Home and Pro ending updates in October 2026, while newer versions have later retirement dates.
Users therefore do not necessarily need a new PC. In many cases, they simply need to update to a supported Windows 11 version.
How to Check Your Windows Version
Users can check which version of Windows 11 they are running by pressing:
Windows key + R
then typing:
winver
and pressing Enter.
The About Windows window will show the installed version and build number.
Users can also open:
Settings > System > About
or check for newer releases under:
Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates
Microsoft recommends moving to a supported release before 24H2 reaches end of servicing.
Businesses Face a Larger Security Risk
The deadline is particularly important for businesses running both Office 2021 and Windows 11 24H2.
If both the operating system and Office suite become unsupported at the same time, organizations could lose security updates across two major layers of their desktop environment.
That can create additional compliance and cybersecurity concerns, particularly in industries with strict software-maintenance requirements.
Microsoft explicitly warns that unsupported Office releases can increase exposure to security threats.
The same principle applies to unsupported Windows releases that stop receiving monthly security updates.
Office 2021 Had a Five-Year Lifecycle
Office 2021 launched in October 2021 and was designed around a five-year support lifecycle.
Microsoft previously explained that it shortened the support period compared with some older Office releases because modern software changes more rapidly and older code becomes harder to secure over long periods.
Office LTSC 2021 followed a similar five-year support model.
The October 2026 retirement therefore reflects the lifecycle Microsoft announced when the products were introduced rather than a sudden withdrawal of support.
Users Do Not Have to Move to a Subscription
Although Microsoft promotes Microsoft 365 as its main productivity platform, users are not strictly required to move to a subscription.
Businesses that want an on-premises perpetual-license product can move to a newer supported Office LTSC version.
For commercial customers, Microsoft specifically lists Office LTSC 2024 as an upgrade option from Office LTSC 2021.
The appropriate choice depends on licensing, update preferences and organizational requirements.
October 13 Is the Key Date
The overlap between Office 2021 and Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro creates an unusually significant Microsoft lifecycle deadline.
On October 13, 2026:
Office 2021 reaches end of support.
Office LTSC 2021 reaches end of support.
Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro reaches end of servicing.
Enterprise and Education users on Windows 11 24H2 have approximately another year before their corresponding deadline.
Conclusion
Microsoft will end support for Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 on October 13, 2026, after which the products will no longer receive routine security fixes, bug fixes or technical support.
On the same date, Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro editions will reach end of servicing, meaning those devices will stop receiving monthly security and quality updates unless they move to a supported Windows release.
The Windows deadline does not apply to every edition. Enterprise and Education users running 24H2 remain supported until October 2027.
For individuals and organizations still using the affected products, the practical issue is security rather than functionality. The software will continue to run, but staying on unsupported versions means newly discovered vulnerabilities may remain unpatched.
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