If you’re still using Microsoft Office 2021, an important deadline is approaching.
Microsoft has confirmed that Office 2021 reaches the end of support in October 2026. Microsoft’s lifecycle information currently lists Office 2021 retirement on 14 October 2026, while Microsoft’s broader 2026 retirement guidance lists the Office 2021 applications on 13 October 2026.
Either way, October 2026 is the point at which Office 2021 users need to have an upgrade plan in place.
For Australian home users, families and small home offices, this is a good opportunity to consider moving away from the traditional one-time-purchase Office model and switching to a Microsoft 365 Personal or Microsoft 365 Family subscription.
What Does End of Support Mean for Office 2021?
End of support does not necessarily mean Office 2021 will suddenly stop opening the next morning.
The bigger concern is what happens afterwards.
Once a Microsoft product reaches end of support, Microsoft no longer provides the updates and ongoing support available to supported versions. Microsoft’s lifecycle guidance specifically warns that unsupported Office versions can become more vulnerable to security threats when security updates are no longer available.
That means continuing to use Office 2021 after October 2026 could leave you with:
- ❌ No further security updates
- ❌ No ongoing bug fixes
- ❌ No new features
- ❌ No Microsoft technical support for the product
- ❌ Increasing compatibility and security concerns over time
For a computer used for email, banking, business documents or storing personal information, running unsupported software isn’t something we recommend.
Why Microsoft 365 Is Different
Office 2021 was designed as a one-time purchase which you purchased that particular version of Office and continued using it until you decided to replace it.
Microsoft 365 takes a different approach.
Instead of purchasing a particular Office release, you pay a monthly or annual subscription and receive continually updated Microsoft 365 applications.
Microsoft says its Microsoft 365 subscriptions provide up-to-date productivity applications, along with ongoing features, fixes, security updates and technical support.
For most home users upgrading from Office 2021, there are two plans worth considering:
Microsoft 365 Personal
Best for one person.
At the time of writing, Microsoft lists Microsoft 365 Personal at AU$159 per year or AU$16 per month in Australia.
Microsoft 365 Personal includes:
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Outlook
- OneNote
- 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage
- Use across PCs, Macs, phones and tablets
- Sign-in on up to five devices simultaneously
- Microsoft Copilot features
- Ongoing feature and security updates
It is an excellent choice if you’re the only person who needs Microsoft Office on your computers and devices.
Microsoft 365 Family: Excellent Value for Households
If there are two or more Microsoft Office users in your household, Microsoft 365 Family is particularly attractive.
Microsoft currently lists Microsoft 365 Family in Australia at AU$179 per year or AU$18 per month.
That’s only AU$20 more per year than Microsoft 365 Personal at Microsoft’s currently advertised annual prices.
Microsoft 365 Family supports one to six people, with each person able to use their account across their devices. It also provides up to 6 TB of OneDrive storage, allocated as 1 TB per person for up to six people
For a family, that can represent excellent value.
For example, different family members can have their own:
- Microsoft account
- Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps
- Outlook
- 1 TB OneDrive storage
- Files and documents
- Personal OneDrive backup
- Devices
Their files don’t have to be mixed together simply because they’re sharing the same Family subscription.
One important point is that AI/Copilot benefits are available to the Microsoft 365 Family subscription owner and are not shared with the other family members.
What About Microsoft Copilot?
Another major difference between Office 2021 and today’s Microsoft 365 subscriptions is Microsoft Copilot.
Microsoft now includes Copilot capabilities with Microsoft 365 Personal and Family, allowing AI assistance within applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Usage limits apply, and on a Family subscription the AI benefits belong to the subscription owner rather than every family member.
Can I Still Buy Office Without a Subscription?
Yes.
If you really don’t want a subscription, Microsoft still offers Office 2024 as a one-time purchase.
However, Microsoft points out an important distinction: a one-time Office 2024 purchase is for one PC or Mac, doesn’t receive ongoing new features and doesn’t include an upgrade to the next major Office release. If you eventually want the next major version, you’ll need to purchase it separately.
