Three-Year Grace Period for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10

Security maintenance for Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 will ultimately extend through October 2028.

Originally, the plan was to terminate these updates in October 2025, in step with the end of support for the operating system. That synchronized end-of-life approach had been adopted for Windows 8 (no longer supported since January 2016) and Windows 8.1 (January 2023).

On Windows 7, Microsoft 365 apps enjoyed three additional years of security updates (until January 2023). The same will apply for Windows 10.

Windows 10 remains widespread within the desktop Windows ecosystem. In StatCounter’s figures, it still accounts for 52.94% of devices (−16.95 points year over year), versus 43.72% for Windows 11 (+17.59 points). Its resilience—almost a decade after its launch—recalls the era Windows 7 enjoyed.

A Windows Server-specific handling

On Windows Server, support for Microsoft 365 apps traditionally extends beyond the OS’s standard support period. It will, for example, endure until October 2025 on Windows Server 2019 as well as on Windows Server 2016, both having moved into extended support in January 2024 and January 2022 respectively.

Windows Server 2008 R2 was treated as an exception akin to the Windows 7 case. Microsoft 365 apps received security updates until January 2023, i.e., three years after the OS’s extended support ended.

Other standalone versions of Office have their own lifecycle policy. Office 2016 and 2019 are supported through October 2025. The LTSC 2021 edition through October 2026. The LTSC 2024 edition through October 2029.

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