Microsoft's latest security update for Excel has introduced a silent paste failure that disrupts daily workflow for thousands of users. The bug prevents data from transferring between cells without any error message or audible alert, leaving spreadsheets in an inconsistent state. Office workers relying on these specific legacy versions must now verify their clipboard actions or roll back the patch to restore basic functionality.
Legacy Excel versions lose clipboard functionality after patch
The issue stems from security update KB5002914, which Microsoft shipped on September 8. This patch targets perpetual license versions of Excel, specifically Excel 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024. It also affects the long-term servicing channel releases, Office LTSC 2021 and Office LTSC 2024. Microsoft 365 subscribers on the Current Channel or Monthly Enterprise Channel do not appear to be affected by this specific defect.
According to Microsoft, the paste operation might fail silently in the affected Excel versions. The company notes that the source cell remains selected while the destination cell stays unmodified. Users receive no indication of this failure, such as a beep or an error message box. The bug also disrupts other core functions, as users report that the fill handle no longer drags formulas down a column. Copying an entire worksheet inside a workbook can also stall, and some users have seen VBA macros stop working entirely.
In one reported case, the instability caused Excel to crash with an access violation error code 0xc0000005. Microsoft confirmed the known issue two days after the update shipped. Users can temporarily work around the problem by using Paste Special > Values instead of the standard paste command. Those who cannot tolerate the disruption can uninstall the update, though this option is only available for MSI-based installations. The update itself closes 29 vulnerabilities, including risks related to remote code execution.
Previous reports have documented comparable stability problems during Microsoft's update cycles. The confirmed bug affects a wide range of established Excel versions that many enterprises still depend on for daily operations. Users should check their clipboard behavior immediately after applying KB5002914 to ensure their data transfers correctly.
Source: NotebookCheck
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