Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for volume licence customers

Following the preview in April this year, Microsoft released Office LTSC 2021 for Windows and macOS on 16 September 2021.

This new software comes with some exciting new features.

In our blog you will learn:

• what Office LTSC is
• which products the new Office LTSC version contains
• and what changes Office LTSC 2021 brings with it.

 

What is Office LTSC?

The Microsoft Office 2021 Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC for short) version does not require a subscription, unlike Microsoft 365 Apps. The LTSC edition works offline and therefore does without all AI and cloud-based functions. It also only receives security updates and no regular function updates, as is usual with other Microsoft apps.

The LTSC version is therefore purchased once and can then be used indefinitely as well as without changes to the range of functions.

But beware – as with Office 2021, the support period is limited to 5 years. After 14 October 2026, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates.

Office 2021 LTSC should not be confused with Office 2021 “without” LTSC. The latter is the on-premises purchase version that will continue to exist, but with (presumably sparse) feature updates as part of the same five-year support period.

Which devices is Office LTSC 2021 compatible with?

Office LTSC 2021 is a volume licence developed for companies that do not allow monthly feature updates or for devices whose long-term stability is more important than their up-to-dateness.

This licence is particularly suitable for the following devices and requirements:

• regulated devices
• process control devices and special systems that do not allow internet connection
• companies and businesses whose work processes do not allow apps to change continuously

 

Which products does Office LTSC 2021 contain?

Office LTSC 2021 is available for Windows and macOS in 32- and 64-bit versions. Windows users can choose between the following products:

• Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021
• Office LTSC Standard 2021
• Project Professional 2021
• Project Standard 2021
• Visio LTSC Professional 2021
• Visio LTSC Standard 2021

For macOS, only Office LTSC Standard Mac is available.

 

What’s new in Office LTSC 2021?

A lot has happened in recent years and Office LTSC 2021 offers several new features compared to its predecessor, Office 2019.

The main changes include:

• The ability to activate dark mode in different applications.
• The improvement of accessibility.
• Language support in English (UK), French (Canada) and Spanish (Mexico).
• The support of OpenDocument Format 1.3.
• A performance increase for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• A new support period of five years instead of the previous seven years.
• Dynamic Arrays and XLOOKUP as new functions in Excel.
• Some new Office add-ins like JavaScript APIs.
• Office LTSC 2021 comes with the free version of the Microsoft Teams app instead of Skype for Business Clients.
• OneDrive for Business, the Office Telemetry Dashboard and Power View in Excel are no longer supported in the new version.

 

Our conclusion concerning Microsoft Office LTSC 2021

Office LTSC 2021 is an alternative worth recommending for businesses that rely on the stability of their products for their devices or often work without the internet. However, if you want to use all the functions that Microsoft has to offer, the cloud-based subscription version of Microsoft Office 365 is certainly the better choice. This gets regular software updates and is therefore always up to date.

However, there is no absolute right or wrong. When deciding on a version, you should always consider the requirements and needs of your company.

Office 2021 release on 5 October

Office LTSC 2021 is by no means the last major update this year. Office 2021 for private users and small businesses will be released on 5 October. Just like Office LTSC 2021, Office 2021 will also be available as a one-off purchase and not (yet) as a subscription. You can find out everything you need to know about Office 2021 in our blog article on the topic.