Microsoft fixes broken copy and paste for Excel 2016 users
A Microsoft update (KB5002914) released in September 2026 caused copy-and-paste functionality to fail silently in Excel across multiple versions, including Excel 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel Online. Microsoft identified this as a code regression and released a fix (KB5002655) that resolves the issue only for the Microsoft Installer (.msi)-based edition of Office 2016. Other Excel versions remain affected, with Microsoft recommending workarounds such as using the Paste Special option. Uninstalling KB5002914 restores functionality but removes important security patches.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
The September 2026 security update KB5002914 introduced a regression in Microsoft Excel that causes certain paste operations to fail silently without error messages or user notification. This affects Excel Online and Excel versions 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024. Microsoft released update KB5002655 to mitigate the issue specifically for the MSI-based Office 2016 edition. The fix does not apply to Click-to-Run editions such as Office 365 Home. Until a comprehensive fix is available, Microsoft advises using the Paste Special feature as a workaround. Uninstalling KB5002914 restores copy-and-paste functionality but removes critical security patches addressing remote code execution and information disclosure vulnerabilities.
Potential Impact
The regression causes copy-and-paste operations in Excel to fail silently, disrupting user productivity and workflows. There is no direct security impact from the regression itself, but uninstalling the problematic update to restore functionality removes important security fixes, potentially exposing systems to remote code execution and information disclosure vulnerabilities.
Mitigation Recommendations
Microsoft has released update KB5002655 to fix the copy-and-paste issue for the MSI-based Office 2016 edition. For other affected Excel versions, Microsoft recommends using the Paste Special option as a workaround. Uninstalling KB5002914 restores functionality but is not recommended due to removal of critical security patches. Users should apply the official fix if applicable and follow Microsoft's guidance until a permanent solution for all affected versions is released.
Microsoft fixes broken copy and paste for Excel 2016 users
Description
A Microsoft update (KB5002914) released in September 2026 caused copy-and-paste functionality to fail silently in Excel across multiple versions, including Excel 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel Online. Microsoft identified this as a code regression and released a fix (KB5002655) that resolves the issue only for the Microsoft Installer (.msi)-based edition of Office 2016. Other Excel versions remain affected, with Microsoft recommending workarounds such as using the Paste Special option. Uninstalling KB5002914 restores functionality but removes important security patches.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The September 2026 security update KB5002914 introduced a regression in Microsoft Excel that causes certain paste operations to fail silently without error messages or user notification. This affects Excel Online and Excel versions 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024. Microsoft released update KB5002655 to mitigate the issue specifically for the MSI-based Office 2016 edition. The fix does not apply to Click-to-Run editions such as Office 365 Home. Until a comprehensive fix is available, Microsoft advises using the Paste Special feature as a workaround. Uninstalling KB5002914 restores copy-and-paste functionality but removes critical security patches addressing remote code execution and information disclosure vulnerabilities.
Potential Impact
The regression causes copy-and-paste operations in Excel to fail silently, disrupting user productivity and workflows. There is no direct security impact from the regression itself, but uninstalling the problematic update to restore functionality removes important security fixes, potentially exposing systems to remote code execution and information disclosure vulnerabilities.
Mitigation Recommendations
Microsoft has released update KB5002655 to fix the copy-and-paste issue for the MSI-based Office 2016 edition. For other affected Excel versions, Microsoft recommends using the Paste Special option as a workaround. Uninstalling KB5002914 restores functionality but is not recommended due to removal of critical security patches. Users should apply the official fix if applicable and follow Microsoft's guidance until a permanent solution for all affected versions is released.
Technical Details
- Classification
- {"confidence":0.67,"severitySource":"default","classifier":"rss-v2"}
- Article Source
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Threat ID: 6aacefea55bf5e2cf5b50849
Added to database: 09/18/2026, 08:01:46 UTC
Last enriched: 09/18/2026, 08:01:50 UTC
Last updated: 09/18/2026, 20:27:06 UTC
Views: 25
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