Office 2016 has had no security updates since 14 October 2025. Don’t move to Office 2021: its support ended on 13 October 2026. The version to upgrade to is Office 2024, supported until 9 October 2029, or a Microsoft 365 subscription if you want ongoing new features. Your existing Word, Excel and PowerPoint files open without conversion. Uninstall Office 2016 first, back up your Outlook data, then install and activate Office 2024.
Check which version of Office you have
Open Word, Excel or any Office app and go to File › Account. The product name and version are shown on the right, as in the replica below.
User Information
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Office Background:
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ColorfulProduct Information
Product Activated
Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016 1
This product contains
Office Updates
Updates are automatically downloaded and installed.
About Word 2
Learn more about Word, Support, Product ID, and Copyright information.
Version 2016 (Build 16.0.4266.1001) 32-bit
Support dates for every Office version
No security updates, bug fixes or support. There is no paid extension programme for Office.
Ended on the same day as Office 2016.
Only five years of support under Microsoft’s Modern Lifecycle Policy. Already out of support.
The current one-time-purchase version, and the only perpetual Office still receiving security updates.
Dates are from Microsoft’s lifecycle pages for Office 2016 and Office 2024.
Why not upgrade to Office 2021?
Until recently, Office 2021 was the cheap, safe step up from 2016. That is no longer true. Office 2021 left support on 13 October 2026, so moving to it today means moving from one unsupported version to another. If you are paying for an upgrade, Office 2024 gives you three more years of security updates for a similar outlay.
The same advice applies: plan your move to Office 2024 or Microsoft 365. Our Office 2021 end-of-support guide covers your options.
What’s new in Office 2024 compared with Office 2016
Skipping two versions means you get eight years of improvements at once. These are the changes Office 2016 users notice most:
Microsoft lists the full set of changes in its Office LTSC 2024 overview. Office 2024 does not include Microsoft 365 cloud features such as Copilot, and Microsoft Publisher is no longer part of Office.
Office 2016 vs Office 2024 vs Microsoft 365
| Office 2016 | Office 2024 | Microsoft 365 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security updates | Ended Oct 2025 | Until Oct 2029 | Ongoing while subscribed |
| How you pay | Paid once (already owned) | Pay once | Monthly or yearly |
| New features | None | None after release | Added continuously |
| Cloud storage | No | No | 1 TB OneDrive per user |
| Copilot AI | No | No | Included in consumer plans |
| Devices | 1 PC | 1 PC or Mac | Multiple devices per user |
Which Office 2024 edition should you choose?
| Edition | Apps | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Office Home 2024 | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote | Home and school use. No Outlook, no commercial use. |
| Office Home & Business 2024 | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook | Sole traders and small businesses that use Outlook. |
| Office Professional Plus 2024 | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access | Users replacing Office 2016 Professional Plus, or anyone who needs Access databases. Windows only. |
How to upgrade from Office 2016 to Office 2024
Office 2024 is supported on Windows 11. It still installs on Windows 10, but Windows 10 itself no longer receives regular support, so upgrade Windows too if you can.
In Outlook 2016, use File › Open & Export › Import/Export to export your mail to a .pst file if you use a POP account. Also copy any custom Word templates and Excel add-ins you rely on.
Press Win + I, open Apps › Installed apps, select Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016 (or your edition) and choose Uninstall. Restart the PC. Your documents are not removed.
Home and Home & Business are redeemed at office.com/setup with a Microsoft account. Professional Plus installs from the download link and instructions that come with your key. Choose the same 32-bit or 64-bit version as before if you use older add-ins.
Open Word, go to File › Account and confirm it says Product Activated with the 2024 product name. For Professional Plus you can also activate from Command Prompt; see activating Office 2024 with ospp.vbs.
Common problems and fixes
Office 2016 MSI and Office 2024 Click-to-Run installs conflict, or a leftover Office 2016 component remains.
Office is installed but still in its grace period, not yet activated.
cscript ospp.vbs /act. Our guide to Office error 0x4004F00C walks through each step.The edition installed does not match the key, or the key was redeemed to a different Microsoft account.
POP accounts store mail in a local .pst file that the new profile does not open automatically.
If you are on a Mac, the steps are different. Follow our guide to installing and activating Office on Mac.
FAQs
Is it safe to keep using Office 2016?
It still opens and saves files, but it has received no security updates since 14 October 2025. Opening documents and email attachments from others becomes riskier over time, so upgrading is recommended.
Should I upgrade to Office 2021 or Office 2024?
Office 2024. Office 2021 reached end of support on 13 October 2026, while Office 2024 is supported until 9 October 2029.
Will my Office 2016 files work in Office 2024?
Yes. Office 2024 uses the same .docx, .xlsx and .pptx formats, so your files open without conversion. Macros and add-ins usually work too, but test any critical ones after upgrading.
Can I use my Office 2016 product key for Office 2024?
No. Office 2016 keys only activate Office 2016. Office 2024 needs its own product key or a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Do I have to uninstall Office 2016 before installing Office 2024?
Yes, in most cases. Running both side by side causes setup and activation conflicts. Uninstall Office 2016, restart, then install Office 2024. Your documents stay on the PC.