PCWorld reports that Microsoft is ending support for Microsoft Store versions of Office apps by December 2026, cutting off security updates.
Users must migrate to Click-to-Run versions to maintain ongoing security patches and feature updates, as new features already stopped in October 2025.
The Office Deployment Tool facilitates this transition, offering background updates and immediate app launch capabilities for continued protection.
About a year ago, we reported on Microsoft imposing a deadline for users who still rely on Microsoft Store versions of Office apps: starting December 2026, the Store versions of Office apps will no longer be supported, meaning they won’t receive security updates anymore.
That deadline is on our minds again as Microsoft has recently updated this support page (spotted by Windows Latest), urging users to switch to Click-to-Run versions of Office sooner than later:
Support for the Microsoft Store installation type of Microsoft 365 Apps is ending. New feature updates stopped in October 2025 and security updates will end in December 2026.
If you have the Microsoft Store installation type of Microsoft 365 Apps, you must upgrade to the Click-to-Run installation type for continuing new features and security updates.
That means if you’re still running versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. that were installed via the Microsoft Store, you’ll need to switch to their Click-to-Run alternatives.
Unlike a traditional installer file, which holds the entire app and must install the entire thing before you can start using it, Click-to-Run is more like a patcher that lets you immediately launch an app and start using it while it downloads and installs the rest of it in the background.
Furthermore, whereas a traditionally installed app requires periodic update checks and patches, Click-to-Run apps are automatically updated in the background and don’t require restarts, so your workflows remain uninterrupted even as components are updated.
The easiest way to switch from Microsoft Store Office apps to their Click-to-Run variants is to download the Office Deployment Tool (ODT), a command-line utility that lets you download and deplay Click-to-Run versions of Office apps.
Mikael writes news across all our consumer tech categories. He has previously worked with Macworld, but today mainly writes for our sister sites PC för Alla and M3. Mikael has a firm grasp on which gadgets are released, and what is happening with the streaming services and the latest AI tools.
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