Microsoft has revealed that Office LTSC 2024, the next iteration of its Office LTSC release, will initiate a commercial preview phase next month. This preview will precede its general availability later in the year. Alongside Office LTSC 2024, Microsoft will introduce Office 2024 for consumers, featuring a traditional “one-time purchase” model with five years of support.
Office LTSC 2024 is set to deliver fewer features compared to the Microsoft 365 Apps suite while refining elements introduced in previous versions. Key enhancements include improved performance, security, and accessibility across the platform. Notable additions in applications like Outlook and Excel promise enhanced meeting creation options, advanced search capabilities, and features like Dynamic Charts and Arrays.
Despite its improvements, Office LTSC 2024 will not incorporate Microsoft Publisher, which is slated for retirement, or the Microsoft Teams app, available separately. Microsoft emphasizes that while Office LTSC 2024 offers significant enhancements over previous releases, it won’t provide the cloud-based capabilities of Microsoft 365 Apps. Instead, it will maintain its device-based perpetual licensing model with a five-year support period under the Fixed Lifecycle Policy.
The forthcoming Office LTSC 2024 aligns with the impending release of Windows 11 LTSC, maintaining its support for both Windows 10 and Windows 10 LTSC devices. It will also support 32-bit and 64-bit architectures and offer versions for both commercial and consumer customers on Windows and Mac platforms. Microsoft plans to facilitate deployment across various devices within organizations using the same deployment tools, ensuring a seamless transition for users.
