Support and patches for Office 2011 for Mac have only a few months left to run

Mainstream supports ends on 10 October 2017

That date is based on the release of Service Pack 3 on 29 January 2013 plus a special extension by Microsoft.  According to Microsoft the 21 month extension was “… to provide all customers with the standard lifecycle transition timeline.”.

What to do?

Microsoft’s advice for Office 2011 users is to buy Office 2016 for Mac or rent it via an Office 365 plan.

That’s Redmond’s usual self-serving line.  In this case it’s good advice. Office 2011 for Mac was ‘behind the times’ when it was released, compared to Office for Windows.

Office 2016 for Mac isn’t quite so old-fashioned and Microsoft is adding features that Office for Windows users take for granted.  Outlook 2016 for Mac will soon get Read and Delivery Receipts and Drag to create a new item, things that Outlook for Windows had for over a decade.

Office 2011 is shortchanged

Microsoft’s support and lifecycle policies are like political promises and about as reliable.

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According to Microsoft, business products get 10 years of support. Five years of Mainstream support and other five years of Extended support.

Office 2011 for Mac was sold to business users via Microsoft’s volume licencing programs and there was even an Office 2011 Home and Business pack.

Guess what?  Office 2011 for Mac isn’t a business product!  According to Microsoft, Office for Mac is a consumer product. That lets the company cut the support time in half and do it with a straight face.