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Unable to open embedded word files in excel - 'cannot start the source application for this file' error message

Patrick Poore 0 Reputation points
2023-01-18T16:23:17.8833333+00:00

Updated to windows 11 start of the year (unable to roll back) - all excel documents that have 1 or more word documents in them cannot be opened- 'cannot start the source application for this file'.

=EMBED("Document","" is in the formula box.

these word documents are not saved anywhere else, so i need to be able to access them.

Office version is home and business 2016

i can see similar questions online, but nothing i have tried so far has made a difference - any ideas?

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Word
Word
A family of Microsoft word processing software products for creating web, email, and print documents.
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Excel
Excel
A family of Microsoft spreadsheet software with tools for analyzing, charting, and communicating data.
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Windows 11
Windows 11
A Microsoft operating system designed for productivity, creativity, and ease of use.
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  1. Emi Zhang-MSFT 22,236 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2023-01-19T08:09:47.63+00:00

    Hi @Patrick Poore ,

    What's kind of file format for the Word document?

    I suggest you try to reset file associations:

    1. Please go to Control Panel.
    2. Click Default Programs, and then click Set your default programs.
    3. Under Settings- Default apps, select Set default by app.
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    4. Click Word, and then reset file associations one by one.

    If your issue still exists after resetting file associations, please try to repair Office:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/repair-an-office-application-7821d4b6-7c1d-4205-aa0e-a6b40c5bb88b

    Just checking in to see if the information was helpful. Please let us know if you would like further assistance.

    If the response is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.

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