Microsoft has announced the upcoming release of Office LTSC 2024, with a commercial preview becoming available next month and a full launch later in the year. The Long-Term Servicing Channel for Office will be supported for five years, which is expected to be attractive for businesses that prefer a non-subscription model. In addition to the business-focused LTSC version, there will also be a consumer-focused version called Office 2024, which will be available as a traditional “one-time purchase” model.

Microsoft acknowledges the preference for a subscription model but acknowledges the need for non-subscription options in certain cases. Microsoft highlights that there are niche yet critical scenarios that require a long-term servicing channel, such as regulated devices, process control devices, and specialty systems. For these cases, Microsoft will continue to offer and support the Office LTSC.

The upcoming Office LTSC 2024 release will be available for macOS, Windows 10, and Windows 11, with both 32- and 64-bit versions. For consumers, Microsoft plans to release Office 2024 with support for five years and no change in the pricing at the time of release. More details on new features included in Office 2024 will be announced closer to the general availability.

Notably, Microsoft has expressed its commitment to future releases of subscription-free editions of Office, ensuring that non-subscription options will continue to be available in the future.