All my ActiveX controls are failing and being replaced with images. Anyone else having the same problem?

Question

I'm on build 2311, but I don't see any discussion on this in the community, so I'm' wondering if maybe it's just my computer. I have written many VBA apps over the years and now all of them are failing because of the ActiveX controls I have in my apps. When I try to open one of my XLSM or XLSB workbook that contain ActiveX controls (Usually buttons and checkboxes), I get one of the following results:

1. Workbook closes before finishing opening. When I try to open it again, I get the suggestion of opening in safe mode, but that fails to open too.
2. Workbook closes and then reopens and says "repaired" in the title. The repair seems to be that all the activeX controls have been replaced by images.
3. Workbook opens ok, but when I try to close and save changes it tells me it couldn't save the file. Saving to a different name also fails.

If I delete the ActiveX controls (in cases where I can) and add new ones to replace them, it still fails. If I replace the ActiveX controls with Form controls, everything works, but i hate using Form controls in my applications since they are so limited. Regardless, I have many apps and it's a lot of work to replace them all. One of my apps has over 800 worksheets and every worksheet contains an ActiveX control (command button).

It might be related, but I store all my apps on OneDrive and work on them, offline, from my local copy of OneDrive. I live in an area with poor internet and sync when I can, but most of the time, I'm offline. Some of my apps seemed to open Ok when I was online, but not all of them.

I've reported this through the feedback channel.

Answer 1

Hi,

I appreciate the time and effort posting in Microsoft Community.

It looks like you are experiencing some issues with ActiveX controls in Excel. Based on your explanation, this could really have something to do with ActiveX Controls.

To better understand the situation, I would like to ask some questions, such as:

• What Windows Version & Edition are you using? ex. Windows 10/11 Home, Pro, Enterprise
• You mentioned that you are using Version, how about the build? see this link for reference Update History for Office Beta Channel - Office release notes | Microsoft Learn

We have received similar reports from other users, and our development team is currently investigating the issue. In the meantime, we suggest that you try the following workaround:

1. Open Excel in Safe Mode by holding down the Ctrl key while opening Excel. This will disable all add-ins and extensions.
2. Try opening your workbook again and see if the issue persists.
3. If the issue persists, try repairing your Office installation - Repair an Office application - Microsoft Support
4. If the issue still persists, I recommend installing the latest build/version released last November 07, 2023 Version 2312 (Build 17031.20000) - Update History for Office Beta Channel - Office release notes | Microsoft Learn

We appreciate your patience and understanding as our Developer still working to resolve this issue. Please continue to provide feedback through the feedback channel so that we can better understand the impact of this issue on our users.

Sincerely,

Leonardo_Y

Answer 2

Wow, what a great response!! Thank you. I'll try all that.

Answer 3

4. If the issue still persists, I recommend installing the latest build/version released last November 07, 2023 Version 2312 (Build 17031.20000) - Update History for Office Beta Channel - Office release notes | Microsoft Learn

Hi Leonard_Y,

Repair didn't help. I'm currently on Build 17010.20000. I was going to update to the most current build as you suggested, but I'm not sure how. When I go to the list of builds you sent me, I don't see any option to install the build. When I select the option in my account (from the file menu in Excel) to update to the latest version, it tells me I'm up to date. Can you tell me how to update to the latest build?

I'm ok doing a full uninstall and reinstall if that will help, but I'd like to try this first. BTW, I'm also having trouble now with my form controls failing. Sure seems like a problem on my end.

I have another concern in that I'm not sure my computer is consistent on what channel I'm on. E.g., when i click the feedback button, it's only letting me get to the feedback page for the current retail release.

Thanks,

Herrick Andrews

P.S., I used to be the dev lead for Visual Studio setup (shared with Office setup) at Microsoft back in the early 2000s (rickan). I'm eagerly willing to do whatever helps to ensure a successful release.

Answer 4

Please ignore my last message. Turns out the repair failed because my computer started an automated process that did a reboot during the download that I forgot about. i ran the repair again and it finished successfully. It also updated my computer to the latest beta release. :-) That was pretty cool. Initial tests indicate that my problem may be fixed, but still testing.

Answer 5

I'm on build 2311, but I don't see any discussion on this in the community, so I'm' wondering if maybe it's just my computer. I have written many VBA apps over the years and now all of them are failing because of the ActiveX controls I have in my apps. When I try to open one of my XLSM or XLSB workbook that contain ActiveX controls (Usually buttons and checkboxes), I get one of the following results:

1. Workbook closes before finishing opening. When I try to open it again, I get the suggestion of opening in safe mode, but that fails to open too.
2. Workbook closes and then reopens and says "repaired" in the title. The repair seems to be that all the activeX controls have been replaced by images.
3. Workbook opens ok, but when I try to close and save changes it tells me it couldn't save the file. Saving to a different name also fails.

If I delete the ActiveX controls (in cases where I can) and add new ones to replace them, it still fails. If I replace the ActiveX controls with Form controls, everything works, but i hate using Form controls in my applications since they are so limited. Regardless, I have many apps and it's a lot of work to replace them all. One of my apps has over 800 worksheets and every worksheet contains an ActiveX control (command button).

It might be related, but I store all my apps on OneDrive and work on them, offline, from my local copy of OneDrive. I live in an area with poor internet and sync when I can, but most of the time, I'm offline. Some of my apps seemed to open Ok when I was online, but not all of them.

I've reported this through the feedback channel.

Subject: Issue with ActiveX Controls Being Replaced by Images - Seeking Community Input

Dear [Community/User],

I hope this message finds you well. Recently, I have been experiencing a significant issue where all my ActiveX controls are failing and being replaced by images. This unexpected behavior is causing disruptions in my usual workflow.

I wanted to reach out to the community to inquire if anyone else is facing a similar problem. If you have encountered or resolved a similar issue, your insights would be greatly appreciated. Understanding if this is an isolated incident or a broader issue will assist us in finding a solution more efficiently.

If you have any information or suggestions on how to address this matter, please share them in this thread. Your input is valuable, and together, we can work towards resolving this issue.

Thank you for your assistance.