Note: If you’re an IT Pro responsible for deploying Office in an enterprise, you should see Windows 7 end of support and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise.
Microsoft 365
Windows 7 and Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 is governed by the Modern Lifecycle Policy which requires customers to stay current as per the servicing and system requirements for the product or service including using Microsoft 365 on a Windows operating system that is currently in support.
Using Microsoft 365 on older, unsupported operating systems may cause performance and reliability issues over time. As a valuable Microsoft 365 subscriber, we want to continue to provide a stable Microsoft 365 experience. Therefore, if you’re using Microsoft 365 on a computer running Windows 7 we strongly recommend you move to Windows 10.
Support for Windows 7 ended on January 14, 2020. Even though Windows 7 is no longer supported, we’ve decided to continue to provide you with security updates for Microsoft 365 for the next 3 years, until January 2023. We’re doing this to give you additional time to make the transition from running Microsoft 365 on devices running Windows 7 to a supported operating system, such as Windows 10. But, during that time, as long as the device is still running Windows 7, Microsoft 365 won’t receive any new features updates.
Once you move to a supported Windows operating system all Microsoft 365 feature and security updates will resume as usual. At this time, you can run an Office update to make sure you have the latest version.
How to get Windows 10
To maintain the reliability and stability of Microsoft 365, we strongly recommend you move to Windows 10.
Windows 10 is available for purchase to upgrade an existing PC, however, PCs have changed substantially since Windows 7 was first released ten years ago. Today’s computers are faster, more powerful, and sleeker—plus they come with Windows 10 already installed!
For help with finding one that fits your needs and budget, see Help me choose a PC and Why Windows 10 computers?
If you’ve purchased a new Windows 10 PC, but need help with transferring your files, see Moving to a Windows 10 PC.
Tip: If your computer is managed by your work or school and you received a notification about upgrading to Windows 10, consult with your IT Help Desk or IT admin about how to upgrade. Follow your organization’s recommendations for how to transfer your files and apps.
Other Office versions
Windows 7 and other versions of Office
Non-subscription versions of Office such as Office Home & Student or Office Home & Business will continue to be fully supported based on the Fixed Lifecycle Policy. However, Windows 7 itself will no longer receive security updates, leaving it vulnerable to security threats. As such, if you’re running Microsoft Office on a Windows 7 PC, we recommend you move to Windows 10
The following table shows the supported versions of Office and Windows operating system.
| Windows OS | Office 2010 | Office 2013 | Office 2016 | Office 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 7 | Supported (with exceptions*) | Supported (with exceptions*) | Supported (with exceptions*) | N/A |
| Windows 8.1 | Supported | Supported | Supported | N/A |
| Windows 10 | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
*These versions of Office will continue to be supported so long as they are within the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy. The exception to this is if you’re running Office on Windows 7 and we determine your issue is caused or related to Windows 7, and not an issue with Office. In this case, your problem won’t be supported.
How to get Windows 10
To maintain the reliability and stability of Microsoft 365, we strongly recommend you move to Windows 10.
Windows 10 is available for purchase to upgrade an existing PC, however, PCs have changed substantially since Windows 7 was first released ten years ago. Today’s computers are faster, more powerful, and sleeker—plus they come with Windows 10 already installed!
For help with finding one that fits your needs and budget, see Help me choose a PC and Why Windows 10 computers?
If you’ve purchased a new Windows 10 PC, but need help with transferring your files, see Moving to a Windows 10 PC.
Tip: If your computer is managed by your work or school and you received a notification about upgrading to Windows 10, consult with your IT Help Desk or IT admin about how to upgrade. Follow your organization’s recommendations for how to transfer your files and apps.