Microsoft is extending availability of cloud services like OneDrive, Skype for Business and MS hosted Exchange for Office 2016 perpetual licence customers including Office 365 ProPlus
At the moment, Office 2016 single-payment and Office 365 ProPlus would be blocked from OneDrive, Skype for Business and Microsoft supplied Exchange Server after 13 October 2020.
This does NOT apply to Office 365 annual payment customers (Personal, Home, University or other plans).
October 2023
Microsoft has now extended that support by three years to October 2023.
After then, Office software will still work but won’t connect to the cloud services mentioned.
More time to move to the cloud
Despite this change, Microsoft’s intention for customers is clear. They expect everyone to move to ‘the cloud’ sooner or later.
In the announcement, Microsoft explains the three year extension as “… more time to transition fully to the cloud,”.
‘The cloud’ means an annual subscription via an Office 365 or volume license plan. Cloud linked services being one lure to paying annually for Office.
What about Office 2019?
While Office 2016 perpetual licence has received extended support to October 2023 there’s no change in Office 2019’s reduced support allowance.
Office 2019 has already had it’s ‘fixed policy’ support shortened by three years to 14 October 2025.
