MS Office 2016: Features, Applications and Support Guide
Microsoft Office 2016: Features, Apps and Support
Microsoft Office 2016 is a desktop productivity suite for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations and email. It introduced a refreshed design and collaboration features while retaining familiar applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Although it is now an older release, some people and organisations continue to use it for everyday work.
What is included in Office 2016?
The applications included depend on the edition purchased. Common Office 2016 apps include:
- Word for writing and formatting documents
- Excel for spreadsheets, calculations, charts and data analysis
- PowerPoint for presentations and slide shows
- Outlook for email, calendars, contacts and tasks
- OneNote for collecting and organising notes
- Access and Publisher, included in some editions for database and desktop-publishing tasks
Not every edition contains every application, so it is worth checking the product details before buying or installing a licence.
Notable features
Office 2016 brought several improvements to the familiar Office applications. Word, Excel and PowerPoint gained real-time co-authoring, allowing people to work on the same document together when it was stored in a supported online location. The suite also included sharing options designed to make it easier to send files to colleagues.
Other useful features included the Tell Me search box, which helped users find commands by typing what they wanted to do, and Smart Lookup, which provided contextual information from within an Office document. Excel received new chart types and data-analysis tools, while Outlook offered improved attachment handling and inbox features.
Office 2016 and cloud services
Office 2016 could be used with cloud services such as OneDrive, making it possible to save and access files online. Some collaboration features relied on an internet connection and compatible services. Office 2016 itself, however, was a particular version of the desktop software; it was not the same as a Microsoft 365 subscription, which provides ongoing updates and may include online services.
System compatibility
Office 2016 was released for Windows and macOS, but the two versions do not have identical features or system requirements. Compatibility depends on the computer’s operating system, the specific Office edition and the installation media or licence available. Before installing it, check that the computer meets the requirements for the relevant version.
Is Office 2016 still supported?
Support for Office 2016 has ended. For the Windows version, Microsoft’s extended support ended on 14 October 2025. Support for Office 2016 for Mac ended earlier, on 13 October 2020.
When support ends, the software no longer receives regular security updates or technical support from Microsoft. It may continue to run, but using unsupported software can increase security and compatibility risks, particularly on a computer connected to the internet or used to handle sensitive information. Some online services may also change their requirements over time.
Should you continue using Office 2016?
For basic offline tasks, Office 2016 may still meet some users’ needs. However, anyone relying on it for work, storing sensitive information or sharing files with others should consider moving to a supported version. Options may include a newer one-off Office release or a Microsoft 365 plan, depending on whether ongoing updates, cloud storage and collaboration features are required.
Before upgrading, check which applications and features are essential, confirm that existing files can be opened in the replacement software, and make a backup of important documents. Organisations should also review licence terms and compatibility with their other systems.
Summary
Microsoft Office 2016 remains a recognisable productivity suite, with tools for documents, spreadsheets, presentations and email. Its co-authoring and sharing features were useful additions, but support has now ended for both its Windows and Mac versions. For continued security updates and dependable compatibility, moving to a currently supported Office solution is the safer long-term choice.
8 Essential Tips for Mastering MS Office 2016
- Use Tell Me to find commands quickly.
- Save files to OneDrive for easy access across devices.
- Use Word’s Styles to keep headings consistent.
- Freeze panes in Excel to keep headings visible.
- Try Flash Fill to split or combine data automatically.
- Use PowerPoint Designer for quick slide layout ideas.
- Schedule emails in Outlook with the Delay Delivery option.
- Press Ctrl+Z to undo a change.
Use Tell Me to find commands quickly.
Use the Tell Me box in Office 2016 to find commands quickly without searching through menus and tabs. Click the box—usually labelled “Tell me what you want to do”—and type the action you need, such as “insert a table” or “change page orientation”. Office will suggest relevant commands, which you can select straight away to get on with your work.
Save files to OneDrive for easy access across devices.
Save your files to OneDrive to access them from different devices, wherever you are. In Office 2016, choose OneDrive as the save location when you save a document, spreadsheet or presentation, then sign in to your Microsoft account. Your files will be stored online, making them easier to open, share and work on from another computer or compatible device with an internet connection.
Use Word’s Styles to keep headings consistent.
Use Word’s Styles to keep headings consistent throughout your document. Choose a built-in style, such as Heading 1 or Heading 2, from the Styles gallery rather than formatting each heading manually. This keeps fonts, sizes and spacing uniform, and makes it easier to update the appearance of every heading at once. Applying heading styles also helps Word create a navigation pane or table of contents, making longer documents easier to organise and read.
Freeze panes in Excel to keep headings visible.
In Excel 2016, use Freeze Panes to keep column or row headings visible while you scroll through a large worksheet. Select the cell below the rows and to the right of the columns you want to keep on screen, then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. You can also select Freeze Top Row or Freeze First Column for a simpler setup. To undo it, return to View > Freeze Panes and choose Unfreeze Panes.
Try Flash Fill to split or combine data automatically.
Use Flash Fill in Excel 2016 to split or combine data automatically, without writing a formula. Enter an example of the result you want in the first cell next to your data—for instance, a first name separated from a full name—then start typing the next example. When Excel recognises the pattern, press Enter to accept its suggestions, or choose Data > Flash Fill (or press Ctrl+E). Check the results, especially when your data is inconsistent, as Flash Fill follows the pattern it detects rather than updating automatically when the original data changes.
Use PowerPoint Designer for quick slide layout ideas.
Use PowerPoint Designer in Office 2016 to quickly explore layout ideas for your slides. Add a photo, list or other content, then open the Design Ideas pane to see suggested arrangements and visual styles. Choose a design that suits your message, and adjust it as needed to keep the presentation clear and consistent. Availability may depend on your Office 2016 edition, updates and connected services.
Schedule emails in Outlook with the Delay Delivery option.
In Outlook 2016, you can use the Delay Delivery option to write an email now and have it sent later. Compose your message, open the Options tab, select Delay Delivery, then tick Do not deliver before and choose the date and time. Close the window, select Send, and the email will remain in your Outbox until the scheduled time. Outlook must be running and connected to send it, so check that it is open before the message is due.
Press Ctrl+Z to undo a change.
Made a change by mistake in Microsoft Office 2016? Press Ctrl+Z to undo your most recent action. You can press the shortcut repeatedly to reverse several changes, or use the Undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar. The number of actions you can undo depends on the application and what you have been doing.