Microsoft will launch Office 2021 as a standalone software package for Windows and macOS later in 2021. Many of the news here has already landed with the subscribers to the Office Pact, and then already two years ago.
A standalone Office 2021 means you do not have to pay monthly or yearly for a subscription to Office programs. Instead, you get a basic set with, among other things, Word, Excel, OneNote, Outlook and PowerPoint that you only pay for once.
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There are only a few details on exactly what Office 2021 will offer for news.
Microsoft has revealed that support for Dark Mode, Dynamic Arrays and XLOOKUP in Excel. There are also many performance fixes and optimizations for all applications included in the software package.
Office 2021 will be released sometime in 2021. The software package will not be released as a preview, so you can not try a beta or similar in advance. All programs in Office 2021 are included as 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
Microsoft Office Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC)
Microsoft has also revealed that there will be a new Office Long-Term Servicing Channel version (Office LTSC). It is sold exclusively to companies that need licensed versions of Office with a very long lifespan. Previously, support for this type of license was a full seven years, but it will now be reduced to just five years.
Office LTSC is an indication that Microsoft is not ready to pressure all companies to move into the cloud right yet.
To the website The Verge, Jared Spataro, who is responsible for Microsoft 365, says that it is just a matter of meeting the customers where they are. IN his interview with the site Jared also says that many have already switched to cloud solutions, but that some situations prevent some from making the move.
A preview of Office LTSC is scheduled for April 2021. A full launch is expected at a later date this year.
Office 2021 FAQ
Sometime during the latter part of 2021.
There is no official price for Office 2021 at the time of writing.
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook are confirmed.
Dark mode support, Dynamic Arrays, XLOOKUP in Excel and a large number of performance fixes are confirmed. There is a lot of information missing today about what Office 2021 offers in the news.
No. Office 2021 has a fixed one-time cost and does not require a monthly or annual payment.
Yes, you must link a Microsoft account to your license to use Office 2021.
