Following a recent Windows update, Microsoft Office is no longer accessible via third-party applications. Microsoft is working on a solution.
Microsoft acknowledges a problem with Office. Several third-party applications can no longer access Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, or are unable to edit documents. As is often the case, a Windows update is the cause.
After installing the latest Windows security update, rolled out on June 9, users reported that they can no longer access Microsoft Office via third-party software. This specifically affects applications that use OLE automation to interact with Office. “In some cases, the Office application or document may not open without an error message being displayed,” Microsoft writes in a statement.
Microsoft working on a solution
A solution is not yet available, but Microsoft says it is working on one. In the meantime, Microsoft recommends opening Office applications and files directly rather than through third-party platforms. Business customers can contact Microsoft’s support team for a solution. Once available, a patch will be included in a subsequent update.
For now, no (other) major issues have been reported regarding the latest Windows update. Since something goes wrong every month, that could still happen. Microsoft is struggling with security issues in Windows. A recently discovered zero-day can bypass Bitlocker.