When software reaches end of support: what to do
Internet Explorer, Windows 10 and Office 2016 have all lost support, and Windows Server 2016 follows in January 2027. What end of support means and what to do.
Every piece of software has an end date. After it, the maker stops releasing security fixes. The software keeps working, which is exactly why it gets left running, but every new hole found in it stays open for good.
Recent and coming end dates
- Internet Explorer was retired in June 2022. Microsoft Edge replaced it, with an “IE mode” for old websites that still need it.
- Windows 10 reached end of support in October 2025. Computers still on it no longer get security updates unless the business has paid for Microsoft’s extended security updates.
- Office 2016 and Office 2019 also reached end of support in October 2025.
- Windows Server 2016 reaches end of extended support in January 2027.
Why it matters
Attackers go after old software because it is easy. Once support ends, a known flaw stays open on every machine still running it. Cyber insurers and industry bodies increasingly ask whether your systems are supported, so out-of-support software can affect a claim as well as your security.
What to do
1. Find out what you have. List every computer and server with its operating system version, plus key software like Office and your line-of-business applications. Your IT provider should be able to produce this list.
2. Check each against its end date. Microsoft publishes end-of-support dates for its products. Most other software makers do too.
3. Plan the upgrade before the date, not after. Some computers can be upgraded. Others are too old for the new version and need replacing. Either way, it is cheaper and calmer done on a plan than in a rush.
4. Check your line-of-business software first. Practice management, accounting or job management software may need a particular version of Windows or Office. Talk to the vendor before upgrading so nothing breaks on the day.
5. Tell your staff what is changing. A short note and a few minutes of help on the day saves a flood of “where has my button gone” calls.
6. Retire the old software properly. Uninstall it or turn it off once the replacement is working, so nobody quietly keeps using it.
Our standard
Our equipment requirements page sets out the standard we work to.
If you are not sure what in your office is out of support, book a meeting and we will help you find out.