Office 2021 release date revealed - and it might sound very familiar

Office
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The next consumer version of Office 2021 will be available on the same day as Windows 11, Microsoft has revealed.

In a blog post, the company added that the next version of Office LTSC will also be on offer right away for both Windows and macOS.

Since announcing the release of Office 2021 earlier this year for both Windows and macOS, users have been wanting to discover when the update would be landing and what it would entail. 

A new look has been one of the biggest rumors for the next versions of both Windows and Office, especially as the Ribbon interface, first introduced in 2007, had been going stale, with an overload of features causing confusion for some users.

The company has been showcasing the new look for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook this year, but with a release date set in stone, businesses can prepare for the update.

Office 2021 and LTSC available soon

Microsoft's Office LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel) option is for commercial operations that for whatever reason cannot update their software frequently or even at all, whether out of practical necessity or regulatory compliance.

While the October 5 release for Office 2021 was mentioned in passing on the blogpost, Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft 365 announced that the newest version of Office LTSC is available for both Windows and macOS.

“We also know some customers aren’t ready to move to the cloud. We remain committed to supporting our customers and these scenarios. Earlier this year, we previewed Microsoft Office Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) for Windows and macOS. Today, we’re announcing the general availability of this next perpetual version of Office for commercial and government customers.”

Like previous releases, Office LTSC will be offered with a perpetual, device-based license for those with no access to the cloud. Announcing availability of this and Office 2021 for consumers means that both users and organizations can prepare for the major upgrade as October 5 approaches, alongside Windows 11.

Daryl Baxter
Software & Downloads Writer

Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he's written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider'. His second book, '50 Years of Boss Fights', came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2026. He also has a newsletter called 'Springboard'. He's usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that's about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.

Read more
A Microsoft Surface Laptop being shown at Microsoft's Copilot Plus PC Showcase
Microsoft is officially cutting support for Office apps on Windows 10, so update now
A man sitting at his desk in the evening and using a desktop computer
Office 2021 vs Office 2024: is it time to upgrade?
Person at laptop
Windows 11 vs Windows 365: which is the best choice for businesses?
Microsoft 365 product logos on an orange background
Best Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 deals in January 2025
A Windows 11 laptop sitting on a desk in front of a window
Microsoft really wants you to update to Windows 11 in 2025
Microsoft 365 Business app logos
Office 2024 LTSC vs Microsoft 365 Business: what are the differences?
Latest in Software & Services
TinEye website
I like this reverse image search service the most
A person in a wheelchair working at a computer.
Here’s a free way to find long lost relatives and friends
A white woman with long brown hair in a ponytail looks down at her computer in a distressed manner. She is holding her forehead with one hand and a credit card with the other
This people search finder covers all the bases, but it's not perfect
That's Them home page
Is That's Them worth it? My honest review
woman listening to computer
AWS vs Azure: choosing the right platform to maximize your company's investment
A person at a desktop computer working on spreadsheet tables.
Trello vs Jira: which project management solution is best for you?
Latest in News
Power cables stretching out in front of the horizon
Solar grids could be hijacked and even potentially disabled by these security flaws
Lenovo | Thinkpad T14s Gen 6 Snapdragon
Windows 11’s latest patch declares war on BIOS updates for some Lenovo laptops, blocking them as a security risk in a bizarre turn of events
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Samsung confirms Galaxy Watches aren't tracking sleep properly – here's the fix if you're affected
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream screenshot showing a Mii smelling some fresh flowers.
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a sequel to my favorite 3DS game, and I think it's already packing the charm that inZOI lacks
Spam messages
Microsoft Stream classic domain hijacked, causing spam across SharePoint
ChatGPT logo
ChatGPT 4o just got better, although I’m yet to notice a difference