Microsoft released non-security updates for Microsoft Office 2010, 2013 and 2016 yesterday. The company releases non-security updates for Office on the first Tuesday of each month, and security updates along with security updates for Windows and other Microsoft products on the second Tuesday of each month.
Note that the updates listed below are only available for Microsoft Installer (MSI) based editions of Office.
The updates don't apply to click-to-run editions of Microsoft Office such as Microsoft Office 365 Home.
Microsoft released a single patch for Microsoft Office 2010 that fixes an Outlook issue.
The update fixes the error message "CompareStringOrdinal not found in dynamic link library KERNEL32.dll" when Microsoft Outlook 2010 starts on Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.
Fixes a display issue for some double-byte character sets (DBCS) symbols and characters.
The update fixes several issues in Microsoft Internet Explorer and Office Store. Office displays an error message after installation of the update when Internet Explorer protected mode for a restrictive zone is disabled (nothing happened before).
The update adds translations for messages that are displayed to "prevent applications from starting" when Internet Explorer protected mode is enabled.
KB4011152 corrects a display issue in Office Store furthermore which limited the list of displayed Office add-ins to two or three.
The update fixes the DBCS issue described in KB3172471 and another issue that prevented users from setting the default custom dictionary using the Word Visual Basic for Applications object model.
Corrects translations in the French version of PowerPoint 2013 and the Danish version of Excel 2013.
KB4018292 introduces several Project 2013 fixes. It prevents unnecessary modified task notifications, corrects an incorrect work values issue, a .mpp file cannot be opened issue if the file path is longer than 128 characters, a time-phased data on assignments display issue, and a slow calculations issue.
Fixes a DBCS symbols issue in exported PDF or XPS files that displayed the symbols rotated.
An update for Skype for Business 2015 (Lync 2013).
Fixes a crash in Word 2016, Excel 2016 or PowerPoint 2016 when selecting the Font tab of the graph edit dialog box.
The Office update enables the Document Information Panel feature in Office 2016. You can access it by selecting View > Properties.
Corrects a move or resize issue for chart objects in protected worksheets when the Edit objects check box is selected.
The update addresses several issues. It fixes an issue in the Discard Check out menu during save as processes, and an issue with Information Rights Management templates not appearing in the template drop-down menu.
KB4018295 introduces the Document Information Panel feature and corrects several translations on top of that.
The update introduces translations for Document Information Panel strings.
The update fixes the cause for error messages such as " We couldn't open that location. It might not exist or you might not have permission to open it.
Please contact the owner of TargetNotebook/TargetSection/TargetPage for more information.".
The update fixes the cause of the error message "Outlook cannot track the program used to open this document. Any changes you make to the document will not be saved to the original document".
Furthermore: Fixes a crash when adding a non-specification complication RSS feed, and a crash when adding email accounts if the Exchange Autodiscover settings are not available.
It fixes a "cannot copy and paste an SMTP address" issue, and addresses an issue with the Autodiscover feature that never attempts to do anonymous HTTP requests.
The update fixes several issues in Project 2016 including issues listed under KB4018292 for Project 2013.
Additionally, it fixes the cause of the error message "ActiveCacheQueuedMessageExecutionError error="System.InvalidCastException: Specified cast is not valid”, an issue where the summary row displays "#ERROR" and the grouping row displays incorrect values, and a issue where MOD_DATE and baseline values are identical.
Addresses the rotated DBCS symbol issue when exporting as PDF or XPS files in Visio 2016.
Updates Skype for Business 2016 to version 16.0.4666.1000.
Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in 2005 by Martin Brinkmann. It has since then become one of the most popular tech news sites on the Internet with five authors and regular contributions from freelance writers.
Thanks again Martin for this like always ferry handy and informative monthly update article.
Did I notice that now over the years there is a trend that how older the version (like say for instance office 2010 versus office 2016) the fewer the updates are becoming in numbers?
I can imagine that how older the product is becoming that it has a reached a certain level of perfection but on the other hand office 2010 was not so custom made of Windows 10 as the Office 2016 has, and also there are always new security developments rising on the horizon?
So main question’s are do you not only notice this development but do you maybe also suspect a more specific reason behind this, if so?
@Paul(us):
I think that the code base has changed drastically over the six years between 2010 and 2016. Some security issues that are present in Office 2016 might not be present in Office 2010, due to revised code opening up new issues. I am sure Microsoft cross-checks whether or not a specific vulnerability exists across all supported Office versions. When they find that an older version is not vulnerable, then there is no need to patch it.
@Appster, Thanks for taking the time to answer main questions.
I am also quite sure that the code base has changed drastically and that the office 2016 is much more effective (slim & lean! :-) ) than the “outdated” office 2010 code.
The only thing that I cant oversee is or this newer office 2016 code who is connecting to the older office 2010 (and vice versa) is not only going perfectly smoothly but also opening possibilities for hacks (or is this what you are calling “opening up new issues” ?) or otherwise?
And are the issues where office 2016 is suffering under opening possibilities for hacks in office 2010?
@Paul(us):
The Office code is always in flux. They kept the Office design relatively stable since 2010 (or even 2007), but the under the hood changes are considerable. New or revised code being present in Office 2016 could potentially make new hacks possible that wouldn’t have an effect on Office 2010. Hence the difference in the updates.
So yeah.
Microsoft left me in the dust when they announced that Office 2019 would only be available for Windows 10. Yet my Windows 8.1 + Classic Shell configuration is doing totally fine. I am not going to buy it as a consequence, and will go to Office 2022 or something straight away, as long as they still offer a permanent license.
Before anyone comes up with updating to Windows 10, let me tell you that I totally dislike forced updates as well as unstable feature updates twice a year. I can do without those.
@Appster,
Comming from Windows 7 pro. I have to write despite many very annoying features, lack of features, the forced updates, and unstable feature updates (from who most I have to write I do not want) stability wise Windows 10 pro. is a step forward.
I have installed Windows 8.1 for a few people and there where ferry pleased with it.
And maybe with LibreOffice (or WPS office) and the almost discontinued Thunderbird, you (and I ) have an alternative for office?
So for me, the problem personly is the email program this because I personly prefer (even want) a installer program not a (or any) online email program.
Any thoughts maybe for alternative for the email program Thunderbird?
@Paul(us):
Postbox would be my best guess as a Thunderbird alternative. It’s based on Thunderbird code, but is far more feature-rich and has a better design, IMHO. It is not available for free, though. That’s the client I am using currently.
Otherwise: Mailbird, eM Client seem to do very well.
By the way, Thunderbird is NOT almost discontinued: https://blog.mozilla.org/thunderbird/2017/12/new-thunderbird-releases-and-new-thunderbird-staff/ Whatever they do, I’ll stay with Postbox for certain features anyway.
When it comes to Office, LibreOffice and WPS Office would also be my only go-to options should Microsoft carry on with its campaign against their users.
@Appster,
Bad news, office 2019 is the last traditional edition; its extended support will end in 2022, the same as office 2016’s. After that, Ms. will only provide office 365.
Even today, in sector such as education, Ms only provides office 365 volume license, not the traditional version.
@gef950:
I can totally imagine Microsoft going Office 365-only at some point. Then I will have to jump ship. I am not going to bow to a subscription model. Anyway, both Office 2016 and 2019 have extended support until 2025, so there is plenty of time for alternatives to further improve.
I must say that Microsoft diminishing total support from 10 years (until Office 2016) to 7 years (starting with Office 2019) is pretty lame for a company of this size. A pure money grab.
As far as I can tell, Microsoft has not yet announced to end development of perpetual office versions. They have merely announced that only perpetual Office versions still being in mainstream support will have the ability to connect to their Office 365 servers starting October 13, 2020. Since I don’t want or need those servers anyway, I couldn’t care any less.
source: https://blogs.office.com/en-us/2017/04/20/office-365-proplus-updates/
By the way, mainstream support for Office 2016 will end as soon as October 13, 2020. Yet the extended support (security updates) will only end in October 14, 2025. So there is plenty of time for me to consider other options. As I said, should Microsoft go rogue and try to force subscriptions on me, this will mean bye-bye MS here.