Microsoft releases buggy Office 2016 Patch KB4462238
Microsoft released non-security updates for Microsoft installed-based versions of Microsoft's Office suite on May 7, 2019. These updates address and fix issues in supported versions of Office but sometimes, they introduce issues of their own.
Turns out, KB4462238 for Microsoft Office 2016 falls in that category of updates. Released to fix synchronization issues in OneNote 2016, the update introduces a bug of its own that affects any installed Office application.
It appears that it breaks hyperlinks in any Office application. Microsoft notes that clicking on hyperlinks may cause the Office application to stop working altogether.
After this update is installed, clicking a hyperlink in an Office application, such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or Outlook, may cause the application to stop working.
Microsoft suggests that the update is uninstalled from the system to resolve the issue.
If you experience this issue, you can uninstall the update by following the instructions in the "More information" section.
The company provides removal instructions for the update. You may want to check out our in-depth tutorial on uninstalling Windows updates (including Office updates).
One has to wonder how a major bug like this one slipped through the testing cracks. It is certainly possible that the bug is affecting only a tiny number of machines; Microsoft would have pulled the update, probably, if it would affect all Office installations it is installed on or the majority of them.
Then again, Microsoft has a track record of releasing buggy updates. Windows 10 version 1809 is a prime example of this; the whole Windows community, at least those on Windows 10, hopes that Microsoft gets Windows 10 version 1903 right the first time it is released later this month.
Closing Words
A bug that stops any Office application dead in its track is quite serious; Office administrators and users who have not installed the patch yet may want to consider skipping it until the issue is resolved. OneNote 2016 users who require Sync may want to try installing the patch. Those who don't click on hyperlinks or can avoid clicking on them may do so as well.
Now You: What is your take on Microsoft and update testing? Should the company invest more in this area? (via Woody)
