Microsoft Access and Office end-of-support dates
Access versions bought outright have fixed end-of-support dates. The version that comes with a Microsoft 365 subscription is updated continuously. This page lists each version, its dates and where it stands today.
Support dates by version
Status as of 3 October 2026. Dates come from the Microsoft product lifecycle; check there before relying on them for a decision.
| Version | Released | Mainstream support ended | Security fixes end | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office and Access 2010 | 15 July 2010 | 13 October 2015 | 13 October 2020 | Support ended |
| Office and Access 2013 | 9 January 2013 | 10 April 2018 | 11 April 2023 | Support ended |
| Office and Access 2016 | 22 September 2015 | 13 October 2020 | 14 October 2025 | Support ended |
| Office and Access 2019 | 24 September 2018 | 10 October 2023 | 14 October 2025 | Support ended |
| Office and Access 2021 | 5 October 2021 | – | 13 October 2026 | Ending within a year |
| Office and Access 2024 | 1 October 2024 | – | 9 October 2029 | Supported |
How Access support works
Access is part of Microsoft Office and follows the support dates of the Office release it came with. There are two kinds of licence, and they behave differently.
Bought outright. Each version has a fixed end date, after which it receives no security fixes. Access 2016 and Access 2019 both ended on 14 October 2025. Access 2021 ends on 13 October 2026. Access 2024 is supported until 9 October 2029.
Microsoft 365 subscription. The Access included in the Microsoft 365 desktop apps has no version end date. It is updated continuously for as long as the subscription runs.
Access itself has not been discontinued. Microsoft released Access 2024 in October 2024.
What to do if you are out of support
An out-of-support version of Access keeps working. The risk is that Office on each PC no longer receives security fixes, and that compatibility with new versions of Windows is no longer assured.
- On Access 2019 or earlier: move to the Microsoft 365 version or to Access 2024. Test the database on a copy first.
- On Access 2021: make the same move around 13 October 2026.
- On Microsoft 365 or Access 2024: you are supported.
For many businesses the version is the smaller problem. The bigger one is that the database has outgrown Access: several people using it at once, a file on a shared drive that corrupts, staff who need it from home and one person who understands it. A newer version of Access fixes none of that. There are two usual ways forward:
- Keep the Access screens and move the data to SQL Server. This deals with file corruption and size while leaving the screens as they are. It is a useful intermediate step.
- Replace it with a web application. Our Access database to web application package does this at a fixed price.
Our Microsoft Access page and the page on replacing an Access database go into the choice.
Things that are easy to miss
- Mixed versions. Different PCs often have different versions of Access, and a database shared between them can behave inconsistently. List what is installed where.
- 32-bit and 64-bit. Current versions of Office install as 64-bit by default. VBA code that calls Windows functions, and some older add-ins and ActiveX controls, were written for 32-bit Office and need changes.
- The Access Runtime. PCs that use the free runtime in place of full Access need upgrading as well.
- Linked files. Databases that link to Excel workbooks, other Access files or SQL Server depend on file paths and drivers that change when PCs are replaced.
Questions we are asked
Is Microsoft Access being discontinued?
No. Access 2024 was released on 1 October 2024 and is supported until 9 October 2029, and Access is also part of the Microsoft 365 desktop apps for Windows. What has ended is support for older versions bought outright.
When did Access 2016 support end?
Support for Access 2016 ended on 14 October 2025, the same day as Access 2019. Neither version now receives security fixes.
When does Access 2021 support end?
Support for Access 2021 ends on 13 October 2026. After that date it receives no further security fixes.
Will our Access database stop working when support ends?
No. The database carries on opening and running. What stops is security fixes for the Access and Office programs installed on each PC, and compatibility with new versions of Windows is no longer assured.
Will an old Access database open in the current version?
Usually, yes. The parts that most often need attention are VBA code written for 32-bit Office, ActiveX controls and references to old libraries. Always test on a copy first.
Running a version that is out of support?
Tell us which version, what depends on it and how it is hosted. We will set out the upgrade route and what it is likely to involve.