Microsoft has unveiled a preview of its latest Office Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) 2024, which is available for both Windows and macOS platforms. This version is specifically designed for commercial customers, catering to those who use devices that require long intervals between updates, lack internet connectivity, or operate specialized systems such as medical equipment. The LTSC version, similar to its 2021 predecessor, maintains a perpetual license model, allowing organizations to use the software without the recurring costs associated with subscription services. This release is strategically positioned for industries where stability and lack of change are critical to operations.
Office LTSC 2024, while providing the same licensing rights as the 2021 version, comes with notable enhancements over previous iterations. These improvements include better performance, heightened security measures, enhanced accessibility features, and more robust search capabilities in Outlook. Excel users will particularly benefit from new features like Dynamic Charts and Arrays. However, it’s important to note that this version will not include Microsoft Publisher, which is being retired, and Microsoft Teams, which now requires a separate download.
Microsoft emphasizes that while Office LTSC 2024 has fewer features compared to the continuously updated Microsoft 365 Apps suite, it incorporates a blend of past features and a subset of innovations already available to Microsoft 365 enterprise users. This makes it a suitable option for environments that favor a more static software setup without the need for frequent feature updates. Microsoft also assures that the LTSC version will be supported for five years under the Fixed Lifecycle Policy, which aligns with the launch of Windows 11 LTSC later in the year.
For deployment, Microsoft continues to support common tools used across both Office LTSC and Microsoft 365 Apps, facilitating mixed software environments within organizations. Detailed guidance on installing and activating the preview versions of Office LTSC, as well as Project and Visio, is available for both Windows and Mac users, ensuring they can leverage the full capabilities of the software. Additionally, Microsoft plans to release an on-premises Office 2024 suite for home users later this year, which will also follow the one-time purchase model with five years of support, catering to those who prefer traditional software licensing.
