According to the source review from TechRadar, a security update released in September 2026 caused a silent paste failure in several Excel versions including Excel 2016 and non-Microsoft 365 editions. While Microsoft quickly issued a partial fix for Excel 2016, some versions continue to experience challenges despite ongoing mitigation efforts.
- Partial fix issued shortly after bug introduction
- Paste failure occurs silently—no error alerts
- Workaround involves using Paste Special functionality
Product angle
The review from TechRadar highlights that the issue stemmed from a Microsoft security update disrupting paste operations across several Excel standalone versions, including Excel 2016, 2019, and various Office LTSC editions. The problem caused users to experience silent failures where paste commands appeared to complete but the destination did not update, complicating workflows especially around conditional formatting.
Microsoft's response was swift, delivering a partial hotfix just days after the problem surfaced. While some editions like Office LTSC 2021 and 2024 have received full fixes, earlier versions such as Excel 2016 and Office LTSC 2019 have only received mitigations. The source review emphasizes that many users of Microsoft 365 Excel versions were unaffected, with the issue primarily impacting perpetual license holders.
Best for / avoid if
This product update and fix information is most relevant for professionals and organizations relying on standalone Excel licenses outside Microsoft 365, particularly those using Excel 2016, 2019, or Office LTSC versions. Users facing paste operation challenges, especially when working with complex spreadsheets involving conditional formatting, will benefit from applying the available fixes and following Microsoft’s temporary workaround.
Conversely, customers heavily invested in Microsoft 365 Excel or those who avoid complex conditional formatting scenarios will experience minimal to no disruption from this bug. Additionally, users requiring a completely seamless experience with ongoing automated updates might prefer Microsoft 365, since standalone editions depend on manual update application and may encounter pending fixes.
Pricing and alternatives to check
The impacted Excel versions include standalone purchases such as Excel 2016 and various Office LTSC editions, which use perpetual licensing rather than subscription-based Microsoft 365 access. Buyers considering new Excel licenses should account for update support and responsiveness; Microsoft 365 offers more frequent and automated updates compared to standalone packages.
Alternatives to consider include cloud-based spreadsheet platforms like Google Sheets or LibreOffice Calc, which might avoid such platform-specific bugs but differ in feature sets and integration. For users prioritizing robust, up-to-date Microsoft Office features and seamless patching, Microsoft 365 remains the primary alternative to standalone Excel versions.