Office LTSC comes in two main suites, Standard and Professional Plus, and the names alone do not tell you what is inside. The difference is smaller than many buyers expect: in the 2024 release it comes down mostly to one app. This guide shows exactly which apps each edition includes, what "LTSC" means for updates and activation, and how to pick the right one for your work.
| App or feature | LTSC Standard 2024 | LTSC Professional Plus 2024 | LTSC Standard 2021 | LTSC Professional Plus 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Outlook | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OneNote | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Access (Windows only) | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Publisher | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Skype for Business | Not listed | Optional install | Not listed | Yes (not installed by default) |
| Teams | Separate download | Separate download | Separate download | Separate download |
| Visio and Project | Sold separately | Sold separately | Sold separately | Sold separately |
| Support end date | October 2029 | October 2029 | 13 October 2026 | 13 October 2026 |
What is the difference between Office LTSC Standard and Professional Plus?
The difference between Office LTSC Standard and Professional Plus is the app list, because Professional Plus includes everything in Standard plus Microsoft Access, the desktop database app, while both editions share Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, the same update channel, the same activation methods and the same support end date for each release year.
Microsoft's own volume licensing suites comparison describes Professional Plus 2024 as "everything in Office LTSC Standard 2024, plus" Access, which is available on PC only.
The nuance is that the documents you create are identical in both editions. A spreadsheet built in Excel from Standard opens exactly the same in Excel from Professional Plus, so the choice is only about whether anyone on that PC needs Access.
What does LTSC mean in Microsoft Office?
LTSC stands for Long Term Servicing Channel, Microsoft's name for the fixed, non-subscription versions of Office sold through volume licensing, which receive monthly security and quality updates for five years but no new features after release, and which use their own update channel such as PerpetualVL2024 instead of the Microsoft 365 channels.
Microsoft's Office LTSC 2024 overview describes it as a release for organisations that need a stable, locked-in feature set, including devices that are not connected to the internet. Updates come from the Office Content Delivery Network, normally on the second Tuesday of each month, and each update is cumulative.
The cause and effect for buyers is simple: because LTSC never gains new features, an LTSC install behaves the same in year five as on day one. That suits offices that want predictable training and templates, but anyone expecting new Excel functions and AI features over time should consider Microsoft 365 instead.
Which apps are included in Office LTSC Standard 2024?
Office LTSC Standard 2024 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, which covers documents, spreadsheets, presentations, email, calendars and notes, while Access is not included, Publisher has been removed from every 2024 edition, and the Teams app is not preinstalled but is available as a separate download.
For many offices this is the complete toolkit. Microsoft also offers Office LTSC Standard for Mac 2024 to volume customers, but there is no Professional Plus for Mac, because Access does not run on macOS.
If this matches your needs, our Office LTSC Standard 2024 licence is the edition to look at.
Which apps are included in Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024?
Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024 includes Access, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word, with Skype for Business available as an optional install, so it is the right edition when someone needs to build, edit or run Access databases on Windows, while the other apps are exactly the same as in Standard 2024.
Access matters more than its size suggests. Many small firms run stock lists, client records or reports from an Access file that was built years ago, and only Professional Plus can open and edit it with the full desktop app.
What we commonly see in support is a customer buying Standard for a team, then finding one person who maintains the company's Access database. If you are not sure, check whether any PC has files ending in .accdb or .mdb before you order. For multi-PC offices, see our Office 2024 Professional Plus LTSC 3-device licence.
How is Office LTSC 2021 different from LTSC 2024?
Office LTSC 2021 Standard and Professional Plus both still include Publisher, and Professional Plus 2021 adds Access and Skype for Business, but the 2021 release has a support end date of 13 October 2026, while LTSC 2024 is supported until October 2029 with new Excel functions, a refreshed design and ODF 1.4 support.
Publisher is the main reason anyone still asks for 2021. Microsoft has confirmed that Publisher support ends in October 2026, at the same time as Office LTSC 2021, so this is a short-term choice rather than a long-term one.
Keys for the earlier release, such as Office 2021 Standard LTSC, still make sense when you must match existing PCs. For a full feature comparison, read Office 2024 vs Office 2021.
Is Office LTSC a retail or volume licence?
Office LTSC is a volume-licensed product, which means it is installed with the Office Deployment Tool using product IDs such as ProPlus2024Volume or Standard2024Volume and activated with a Multiple Activation Key (MAK) or a Key Management Service (KMS) host, rather than through the Microsoft account dashboard used by retail editions such as Office Home & Business 2024.
This has a direct effect on installation. If you install a retail build and then enter a volume key, or the reverse, activation fails, because Microsoft states that using the wrong product ID prevents Office from activating. Our guide to Office product IDs for the Office Deployment Tool explains how to match the ID to your key.
MAK activation needs an internet connection at the moment of activation, while KMS needs a KMS host on the organisation's own network. A MAK carries a set number of activations, which is why the device count on a volume key matters.
Should you choose a 1-device or 3-device LTSC licence?
Choose a 1-device licence when you are setting up a single PC, and a 3-device licence when you want the same edition on up to three PCs, such as a small office or a desktop and laptop, because each activation is counted against the key and a 1-device key cannot be stretched to cover more machines.
Microsoft's volume licensing terms license desktop applications per device, and only one user may use the software on a licensed device at a time. Activations are used up as each PC is activated, so plan the device count before buying.
A practical tip from support: keep a simple list of which PC used which key and when. If a PC is replaced later, that record makes it much easier to request help with reactivation through support@licencehouse.com within the warranty period.
Which edition should you buy: Standard or Professional Plus?
Buy Office LTSC Standard if your users work in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote only, and buy Professional Plus if anyone needs Microsoft Access, because Access is the only app that separates the two 2024 editions and adding it later means buying and installing a different suite rather than a simple upgrade.
| User type | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Office staff using documents, email and spreadsheets | Standard 2024 |
| Accountant or analyst with Access reports | Professional Plus 2024 |
| Developer building small database tools | Professional Plus 2024 |
| Office relying on Publisher templates for a short time | LTSC 2021 Standard |
| Offline or air-gapped PC | Either LTSC edition, installed with the Office Deployment Tool |
You can compare all editions in the Office 2024 collection. Installation steps for the volume editions are in our Office 2024 Pro Plus LTSC install guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Office LTSC Standard 2024 include Access?
No. Access is only included in Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024, and only on Windows. Standard 2024 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote. If you need Access on a PC that already has Standard, you need the Professional Plus suite, installed in place of Standard, rather than an add-on.
Does Office LTSC 2024 include Publisher?
No edition of Office 2024 or Office LTSC 2024 includes Publisher. Microsoft removed it because Publisher support ends in October 2026 across all versions. Office LTSC 2021 Standard and Professional Plus still include it, but Microsoft recommends Word and PowerPoint for most publishing tasks going forward.
Can I upgrade from Standard to Professional Plus?
There is no in-place upgrade key for Office LTSC. To move from Standard to Professional Plus, you uninstall Standard, then install Professional Plus with the Office Deployment Tool using the ProPlus volume product ID and your new key. Your documents, emails and settings stay on the PC during this change.
Is Office LTSC the same as Office 2024 Home & Business?
No. Office Home & Business 2024 is a consumer retail product installed through a Microsoft account, while Office LTSC is a volume-licensed product installed with the Office Deployment Tool. They share the same app versions, but they use different product IDs, update channels, lifecycle policies and activation methods.
Do Standard and Professional Plus get the same updates?
Yes. Both editions use the same update channel for their release, such as PerpetualVL2024 for the 2024 versions, and receive the same monthly security and quality updates. Neither edition receives new features after release, and both reach their support end date on the same day.