End of support for Office 2016 for Mac
Applies To
Office 2016 for MacPublished: October 2020
Support for Office 2016 for Mac ended on October 13, 2020. Rest assured that all your Office 2016 apps will continue to function—they won't disappear from your Mac, nor will you lose any data. However, you could expose yourself to serious and potentially harmful security risks.
Here's what the end of support means for you:
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You'll no longer receive Office 2016 for Mac software updates from Microsoft Update.
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You'll no longer receive security updates. Security updates are what help protect your Mac from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
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You'll no longer receive phone or chat technical support.
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No further updates to support content will be provided. In fact, most online help content will be retired.
Important: In order to upgrade to Microsoft 365 or Office 2019, your Mac needs to meet the minimum operating system and hardware requirements. With the release of macOS 10.15 Catalina, Microsoft 365 for Mac and Office 2019 for Mac currently support macOS 10.15, 10.14, and 10.13. For more information, see this article.
Why is Microsoft doing this?
Office 2016 for Mac, like most Microsoft products, has a support lifecycle during which we provide new features, bug fixes, security fixes, and so on. This lifecycle typically lasts for 5 years from the date of the product’s initial release.
For more information about the support lifecycle for Microsoft products, see Microsoft Lifecycle Policy.
What are my options?
Although you'll still be able to use Office 2016 for Mac, you will no longer receive security updates and bug fixes after October 13, 2020. Upgrade to a newer version of Office so you can stay up to date with all the latest features, patches, and security updates.
Upgrade options include:
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Recommended: Upgrade to Microsoft 365, the subscription version of Office that comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other apps, depending on the plan you choose. With Microsoft 365, the apps are available on your computer and via browser; one subscription enables you to use them on both your Mac and PC. With Microsoft 365, you get the latest version of the apps and receive regular feature updates.
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Buy Office 2021 for Mac. Office Home & Student 2021 for Mac or Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac is a one-time purchase (not a subscription) for installation on one Mac only.
Office 2016 for Mac license
If you choose to upgrade to Microsoft 365 or Office 2019 for Mac, you'll simply need to remove the existing Office 2016 for Mac license, but you won't need to remove your Office apps.
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Open any Office app, and sign in with the account associated with your new Office.
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On the top menu, click Help > Check for Updates. For more information about updating your apps, see this article.
Related Topics
What version of Office am I using? Lifecycle FAQ—general policy questions
macOS requirements for Office 2019 for Mac and Office 365 for Mac
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