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ITVGuy2000's avatar
ITVGuy2000
Copper Contributor
Feb 26, 2026

Excel not publishing OLE

Excel no longer publishes any OLE clipboard formats in build 16.0.19725.20078. Copying a cell and using Paste Special in Word/OneNote shows no “Paste Link” and no “Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object.” Only text/HTML/bitmap formats appear. This blocks creation of linked or embedded Excel objects.

Issue is fully reproducible: new workbook, enter value, copy, open Word → Paste Special. Expected: Paste Link + Excel object formats. Actual: missing.

Verified after full repair, reinstall, Safe Mode, new profile, add‑ins disabled. Excel→Excel copy works; Excel→external OLE formats do not. This appears to be a regression in the OLE clipboard publishing pipeline for this build family.

excel
office 365

1 Reply

  • NikolinoDE's avatar
    NikolinoDE
    Platinum Contributor
    Mar 01, 2026

    Since you've already performed the standard first-aid, you need to engage with the problem at a higher level.

    What you can try…

    Reset Office Upload Center settings

    • Close all Office applications.
    • Open File Explorer and navigate to %localappdata%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache.
    • Delete all the files in this folder. Be careful not to delete the folder itself.
    • Restart your computer and then try the OLE copy operation again.

    Examine Office registry entries related to OLE

    • Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
    • Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\OLE.
    • Check if there are any abnormal or missing registry values. You can compare these values with a working system (if possible). For example, some values might control how Excel exposes its OLE objects to other applications. If you find any suspicious values, you can try resetting them to their default values or deleting them (after backup).
    • Also, check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\OLE for any system - wide OLE - related settings that might be affecting Excel.

    Carefull: Modifying the registry can be risky. Make sure to back up the registry before making any changes. Incorrect registry modifications can cause serious system problems.

    Test with a different user account

    This could help determine if the problem is related to your specific user profile settings or permissions.

    Check for software conflicts with other applications

    Some third - party applications might interfere with Excel's OLE functionality. Like, Antivirus Software, Third - Party Excel Add – ins, Screen Capture and Recording Software, File Synchronization and Backup Software, Other Office Suites or Productivity Software, etc.

    These are all just suggestions as to possible causes, based on the information you provided. However, more detailed information could lead to more specific suggestions. Information about the operating system, storage medium, network, etc., could also be helpful.

     

    I hope this information has been helpful to you.