Microsoft will soon pull the plug on these programs: Here’s what you can do

On October 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop supporting and providing security updates not only for Windows 10. Some other programs will no longer receive patches from this deadline. An overview of the software that will be discontinued by the Redmond software group in a year.

These are the consequences of the end of support

According to Microsoft, if a software has reached the end of its support, these problems may arise:

• Newly discovered security gaps and vulnerabilities are no longer closed. This makes the affected products vulnerable to attacks.
• Newly discovered errors and problems that may affect the stability of the software will no longer be eliminated.
• Microsoft no longer provides technical support

Windows 10

With the Windows classic, there is still the option of continuing to receive updates for a fee. Microsoft will also expressly offer these ESU updates for private users. You can read more about using Windows 10 safely even after 2025: This is how it works and this is how much it costs.

alternative: You are switching to Windows 11.

Reading tips: Windows 10 – Microsoft makes upgrading to Windows 11 23H2 much easier and more Windows PCs now get the free upgrade to Windows 11: the reason.

Saving tip: Buy Windows 11 Pro for just 70 euros instead of 259 euros.

Windows 11 Pro in price comparison:

€13.20

€152.76

Office 2016 and 2019

For these two Office veterans it will also end in October 2025, when they too will reach the End of Service (EOS), as Microsoft calls it (Microsoft is discontinuing support for Office 2016 and 2019: users can do that). The Extended Service will then also end, as Microsoft announces here.

View Microsoft 365 Single on Amazon

The discontinuation of support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 also affects these individual applications: Access 2016, Access 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, OneNote 2016, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2019, Project 2016, Project 2019, Publisher 2016 , Publisher 2019, Skype for Business 2016, Skype for Business 2019, Visio 2016, Visio 2019, Word 2016 and Word 2019.

Alternatives: Microsoft would of course like to block users of Office 2016 or Office 2019 from Microsoft 365. But as a subscription-free alternative, the recently released Office LTSC 2024 is also available for corporate users for a one-off payment. You can read more about this in Microsoft Office 2024 without a subscription requirement for private users – the release date is now approximately known.

Private users, on the other hand, can buy Office 2024: Microsoft Office 2024 for private users is here – without any obligation to subscribe. Prices and scope.

Microsoft Office 2024 in price comparison:

€49.90

€99.90

€229.95

€299.00

Exchange Server 2016 and 2019

You can read detailed information about the end of these business products here at Microsoft.

alternative: Microsoft recommends switching to Exchange Online or Microsoft 365.

Skype for Business Server 2015 and 2019

Microsoft provides further information on this here.

Alternatives: Microsoft recommends, among other things, switching to Teams.

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