Office 2021 vs Office 2024: Which One Fits You?
If you’ve been searching for “Office 2021 end of support”, here’s the short version: Microsoft’s support period for Office 2021 ended on October 13, 2026. Since then Microsoft no longer releases updates for it or provides technical support. The apps themselves keep working, so Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook 2021 open, edit and save files just as before.
That leaves a practical question for anyone buying Office today: Office 2021 or Office 2024? Both are one-time purchases with the familiar desktop apps. They differ in cost, features and how long Microsoft supports them. This guide lays out the differences so you can pick the one that suits how you work.
The quick answer
Office 2021 suits you if you want a lower-cost one-time purchase and the familiar classic apps, and you don’t need the newest features.- Office 2024 suits you if you want the newest features and Microsoft support through October 9, 2029.
Both are sold as one-time purchases, so you don’t pay a subscription for either one.
What’s in each Office 2021 edition
According to Microsoft, the Office 2021 editions include:
| Edition | Apps | Platforms | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Home & Student 2021 | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote | Windows and Mac | Home and school use |
| Office Home & Business 2021 | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook | Windows and Mac | Home or work use, including small businesses that use Outlook |
| Office 2021 Professional Plus | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access, Publisher | Windows | Users who want Access and Publisher on a Windows PC |
A few details worth knowing:
- Office 2021 Professional Plus is the only edition in this guide that includes Publisher. Microsoft has retired Publisher, and Office 2024 doesn’t include it. Microsoft says perpetual versions of Publisher, like the one in Office 2021, can still be installed and used. If you regularly open or edit .pub files, that’s worth factoring in.
- Access and Publisher are Windows only. On a Mac, look at Home & Student 2021 or Home & Business 2021.
- Office 2021 brought features such as XLOOKUP and dynamic arrays in Excel, along with performance and accessibility improvements. For many everyday documents, spreadsheets and presentations, it covers what people need.
Browse all Office 2021 and other editions in our Microsoft Office category.
What’s in each Office 2024 edition
| Edition | Apps | Platforms | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Home 2024 | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote | Windows and Mac | Home and student use (Microsoft lists it for non-commercial use) |
| Office Home & Business 2024 | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook | Windows and Mac | Home or work use, including small businesses |
| Office 2024 Professional Plus | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access | Windows | Users who want Access on a Windows PC |
Browse the full Office 2024 range, including Mac editions.
What’s new in Office 2024 compared with 2021
According to Microsoft, Office 2024 adds:
- A refreshed Office theme with a new color palette across the apps
- Word session recovery, which reopens the documents you had open if Word closes unexpectedly
- New Excel functions for working with text and arrays, the IMAGE function, and dynamic arrays in charts that update automatically
- PowerPoint cameo, which puts your live camera feed on a slide, and Recording Studio, which records a presentation and exports it as a video
- Improved search in Outlook
- OpenDocument Format (ODF) 1.4 support in Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- Accessibility improvements across the apps
If none of these matter for your work, Office 2021 will feel very similar day to day.
Side-by-side comparison
| Office 2021 | Office 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | One-time purchase | One-time purchase |
| Core apps | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook (by edition) | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook (by edition) |
| Access | Professional Plus (Windows) | Professional Plus (Windows) |
| Publisher | Professional Plus (Windows) | Not included |
| Newest features (listed above) | No | Yes |
| Microsoft support period | Through October 13, 2026 | Through October 9, 2029 |
| Cost | Typically the lower-cost option | Newer release |
| Activation | Product key; see product page | Product key; see product page |
Who Office 2021 fits
Office 2021 is a sensible pick if:
- You want to keep costs down and prefer a one-time purchase.
- You know the apps already. Office 2021 has the classic layout and tools many people have used for years.
- Your needs are straightforward: letters, invoices, spreadsheets, presentations and email.
- You use Publisher and want it included in your Office suite (Professional Plus).
- You’re matching other PCs that already run Office 2021, so everyone has the same version.
To check which version your other PCs run, Microsoft’s What version of Office am I using? page shows where to find the Office product name.
Who Office 2024 fits
Office 2024 is the better fit if:
- You want the newest features, such as the new Excel functions, Word session recovery or PowerPoint cameo.
- You want Microsoft support for longer, through October 9, 2029.
- You connect to Microsoft 365 services such as Exchange Online, SharePoint or OneDrive. Microsoft lists Office 2024 (LTSC) as supported for these connections through October 9, 2029.
- You’re setting up a new computer and want it to stay on one Office version for as long as possible.
Thinking about a subscription instead? Our guide Office 2024 vs Microsoft 365 for small businesses compares the one-time and subscription routes.
Installing and activating either version
Check the system requirements on the product page for your Windows or Mac version.
If you’re replacing an older Office version on the same computer, Microsoft recommends uninstalling it first to avoid conflicts.
Install and activate with the product key you receive. Your product page lists the device and activation details. You’ll need an internet connection to install and activate.
Need a hand? Our support team helps with installation and activation at support@solveditservices.com.
Microsoft doesn’t offer an upgrade path from one one-time-purchase version to the next. If you later decide to move from Office 2021 to Office 2024, you’d get a separate Office 2024 license.
Frequently asked questions
Office 2021 Professional Plus includes Publisher. Microsoft has retired Publisher and doesn’t include it in Office 2024, but says perpetual versions like the one in Office 2021 can still be installed and used.
Yes. Microsoft says Office 2021 apps continue to function, so you can still open, edit and save documents.
It can be, if you want a lower-cost one-time purchase and the familiar classic apps, and you don’t need the features added in Office 2024. If you want the newest features and support through October 9, 2029, Office 2024 is the better fit.
Office 2024 adds a refreshed design, Word session recovery, new Excel functions and charts, PowerPoint cameo and Recording Studio, Outlook search improvements and ODF 1.4 support. Office 2021 Professional Plus includes Publisher, which Office 2024 doesn’t. Microsoft supports Office 2024 through October 9, 2029.
Office Home & Business 2021 and Office 2021 Professional Plus include Outlook. Office Home & Student 2021 doesn’t.
Yes. Office Home & Student 2021 and Office Home & Business 2021 are available for Mac. Access and Publisher, and so Office 2021 Professional Plus, are Windows only.
Not sure which to choose?
Tell us how many computers you’re setting up and which apps you use, and we’ll recommend the right Office 2021 or Office 2024 edition. Request a quote, or email our support team at support@solveditservices.com with any installation or activation questions.
Ready to browse? See Office 2021 Home & Student, Office 2021 Home & Business, Office 2021 Professional Plus, or the full Office 2024 range.