● Covered by 1 source · 3 reportsMedium impact1 negative2 neutral
Microsoft Excel KB5002914 Update Breaks Copy/Paste and Formula Dragging for Some Users
Key points
- KB5002914 update breaks Excel copy/paste and formula dragging.
- Problem reported across various Office versions (2016-2024).
- Uninstalling the update restores functionality.
- Workarounds include downgrading or replacing excel.exe.
- Microsoft released update KB5002655 to fix the issue.
- The fix is only for Microsoft Installer (.msi)-based Office 2016.
- The issue affects Excel Online, 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016.
- Microsoft confirmed the issue earlier this week.
- Microsoft described the problem as a code regression.
- Users receive no indication of failure when the issue occurs.
- The issue also affects autofill.
- The issue was caused by September 2026 security updates.
- The fix for Office LTSC 2019 is Build 10417.20208.
- The fix for Office LTSC 2021 is Build 14334.20918.
- The fix for Office LTSC 2024 is Build 17932.21000.
- Paste operations may still fail if the workbook contains conditional formatting.
Excel Functionality Impaired by Security Update
Microsoft Excel users are reporting that the KB5002914 Office security update, released this week, is causing issues with core functionalities. Specifically, copy-and-paste operations and formula dragging are failing for some users after installing the update. Reports of the problem emerged shortly after the update's release on Reddit and Microsoft Q&A forums.
Widespread Impact Across Office Versions
The issue appears not to be isolated to a single Office release or installation method. Users have reported the same problem on Office LTSC Standard 2021, and it affects both MSI and Click-to-Run installations, spanning Office versions from 2016 through 2024. This broad impact suggests a significant compatibility conflict introduced by the update.
Restoration of Functionality Through Rollback
Affected users have found that uninstalling the KB5002914 update from MSI-based Office installations successfully restores Excel's copy-and-paste functionality. For Click-to-Run installations, downgrading the Office build using XML or Group Policy has also resolved the problem. A PowerShell command for removing the update has been shared by users.
Unrecommended Workaround Identified
Another workaround circulating among users involves replacing the updated excel.exe executable with an older version while keeping KB5002914 installed. However, this method is not recommended due to potential risks of mismatched files, leading to stability, compatibility, or security issues.
Updates
- The issue also affects autofill.
- The issue was caused by September 2026 security updates.
- The fix for Office LTSC 2019 is Build 10417.20208.
- The fix for Office LTSC 2021 is Build 14334.20918.
- The fix for Office LTSC 2024 is Build 17932.21000.
- Paste operations may still fail if the workbook contains conditional formatting.
- Microsoft released update KB5002655 to fix the issue.
- The fix is only for Microsoft Installer (.msi)-based Office 2016.
- The issue affects Excel Online, 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016.
- Microsoft confirmed the issue earlier this week.
- Microsoft described the problem as a code regression.
- Users receive no indication of failure when the issue occurs.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
Microsoft has issued fixes for a bug preventing copy and paste functionality in Excel versions 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel Online, which arose after the September 2026 security updates. This fix is important for users experiencing disruptions to basic spreadsheet operations, though a temporary workaround is still needed for workbooks with conditional formatting.
Microsoft has issued an update, KB5002655, to resolve a copy-and-paste functionality issue in Excel 2016 that was caused by the September 2026 KB5002914 security update. The bug affected various Excel versions, but the current fix is only for the Microsoft Installer (.msi)-based edition of Office 2016, leaving other versions still impacted.
Microsoft's KB5002914 security update for Office, released as part of September 2026 Patch Tuesday, is causing copy-and-paste and formula dragging functionality to fail for some Excel users. Affected users report that uninstalling or rolling back the update restores normal functionality, indicating a direct impact on productivity for those relying on these core Excel features.