Microsoft warns customers about end of support for Access 2016 and 2019

Although Windows 10 is losing support on October 14, 2025, it is not the only product reaching end of life (EOL) this year - we have a full list of impacted software items here. Now, Microsoft has warned customers about the upcoming end-of-support dates for Access 2016 and 2019, both of which are on a deadline of October 14, 2025 too.

For those unaware, Access 2016 and 2019 are available as a part of Office 2016 and 2019 suites, and since those products are reaching EOL on October 14, so are their bundled versions of Access. Microsoft Access is a relatively simple database management system (DBMS) compared to SQL Server and is primarily meant for environments with basic use-cases, limited concurrency requirements, and basic security. However, it is an enterprise product at the end of the day.

Microsoft has told customers that while Access 2016 and 2019 will continue to function after October 14, they will no longer receive security and non-security updates, bug fixes, new features, or any form of support, even if customers offer to pay Microsoft for troubleshooting guidance.

What this means is that even if vulnerabilities are discovered in either of these applications, Microsoft will not patch them. As such, customers who continue using them will be exposed to cybersecurity risks since Access may be leveraged as an attack surface by malicious actors.

Microsoft has urged customers to upgrade to a supported version of Access. This can be Access 2021 or 2024 available through Office 2021 and Office 2024, respectively, but Redmond's recommendation is to get a perpetual license through the Microsoft 365 Apps subscription. Microsoft explains that this unlocks further benefits through Microsoft 365 such as AI features, cloud storage, and other cloud-connected experiences. The firm has assured customers that they do not need to be afraid of subscriptions, they'll get the same desktop application along with many other benefits.

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Posted Friday 5 September 2025 at 2:12 pm AEST (my time).

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