Current Support Issues

What's changing

• 32-bit Windows: from 1 January 2027 the 32-bit Windows version of Lightning Payroll will no longer be supported or updated. It will keep running, but it won't get tax table, compliance or other updates after that date.
• Mac: Lightning Payroll for Mac now needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later. Macs on macOS 14 Sonoma or earlier can't run the current version.

Why we've made this change

Lightning Payroll holds some of your most sensitive information: tax file numbers or IRD numbers, bank account details and pay history. It also sends reports directly to the ATO and Inland Revenue. Keeping that safe means keeping the software it's built on up to date.

That job has grown a lot. Security weaknesses in software are now found and exploited much faster than they were a few years ago, partly because attackers use AI tools to hunt for them. Software that once stayed safe for years now needs regular security fixes, and the parts it's built on have to be versions that still receive them.

Several of the parts Lightning Payroll was built on had reached the end of their supported life, so we've moved the app onto current versions, and we now keep them current as a matter of routine. Those versions don't run on 32-bit Windows or on macOS before version 15. A 32-bit computer is already on Windows 10 or older, since Windows 11 only comes in 64-bit, and Microsoft ended standard support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025.

Windows: switch to the 64-bit version

Most computers showing the 32-bit message are already 64-bit and just need the 64-bit version installed. If your message says "Good news: this computer can run the current version", follow these steps on the same computer:

1. Open Lightning Payroll and take a backup.
2. Close Lightning Payroll.
3. Download and run the 64-bit installer: https://www.lightningpayroll.com.au/download
4. Open Lightning Payroll from your desktop shortcut. Your payroll data is kept and the 32-bit message no longer appears.

AM-Win exports work the same in the 64-bit version.

Not sure if your computer is 64-bit? In Windows, go to Settings > System > About and check System type. It should say "64-bit operating system".

If your message doesn't say your computer can run the current version, the computer is 32-bit or older than Windows 10. You can move Lightning Payroll to a newer computer or use the online version.

Mac: macOS 14 or earlier

Update to macOS 15 or later if your Mac supports it. You'll find this under Software Update in System Settings (System Preferences on older Macs). If your Mac can't be updated, use the online version.

The online version

Every Lightning Payroll subscription already includes the online version at no extra cost: https://app.lightningpayroll.com.au (New Zealand: https://app.lightningpayroll.co.nz). Contact our support team and we'll help you move your data across.