Excel 2016 Users: MS KB5002653 Breaks Opening Add-Ins

Update: Microsoft has released an update to fix this issue

Microsoft update KB4484305 from November 19 fixes an issue in which Excel add-ins that were enabled the last time that you used Excel might not load correctly when you open Excel.

• November 19, 2024, update for Excel 2016 (KB4484305)

What happened?

A Microsoft update from November 12 for Excel 2016, KB5002653, has introduced a bug that affects users of Excel add-ins, including ASAP Utilities. After installing the update, Excel 2016 users may encounter an error where Excel fails to load add-ins. Specifically, the error message states that it "couldn't find" the XLAM file, with the drive letter missing from the path:

Error: Sorry, we couldn't find :\Program Files\ASAP Utilities\ASAP Utilities.xlam. Is it possible it was moved, renamed, or deleted?

This issue, confirmed as a bug in the KB5002653 update released on November 12, 2024, prevents Excel 2016 from correctly recognizing XLAM add-ins that were previously enabled. Microsoft acknowledged the issue and updated their release notes to include additional details.

Temporary Workarounds

Until Microsoft provides a solution, affected Excel 2016 users can try the following:

• Uninstall KB5002653: This will restore Excel's functionality with add-ins.
• Manually Load the Add-In: Open the add-in by double-clicking its file or selecting File > Open within Excel.

Official Microsoft Resources

For more information, see the following:

• Microsoft Answers Forum
• Microsoft Tech Community Discussion
• Reddit SysAdmin Thread

You can also review the official update notes from Microsoft:

• Description of the Security Update for Excel 2016: November 12, 2024 (KB5002653)

Update November 20: Microsoft has released an update to fix this issue

Microsoft update KB4484305 fixes an issue in which Excel add-ins that were enabled the last time that you used Excel might not load correctly when you open Excel.

• November 19, 2024, update for Excel 2016 (KB4484305)