Microsoft has released an update to fix a well-known issue causing crashes in its Microsoft 365 apps and Classic Outlook on Windows Server systems. The problem was identified after users complained of the Outlook email client and Office 365 apps, such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, crashing within 15 seconds of startup.
According to Bleeping Computer, the cause of the crash was a recent Office update that integrated the React Native framework for specific features. Microsoft released an Office Suite update on Thursday that addresses the bug, which affects users who have updated their Classic Outlook and Microsoft 365 apps to version 2412 (Build 18324.20168).
The fix is available now, and users can download and deploy it through the Office Content Delivery Network (CDN) if configured for automatic updates. For managed users, the update will be rolled out gradually starting January 16th, 2025.
For those who cannot install the update immediately, Microsoft provides a temporary workaround to revert to version 2411 (Build 18227.20162). To do this, users can follow these steps:
1. Open a Command Prompt with administrator privileges.
2. Type `cd %programfiles%CommonFilesMicrosoft SharedClickToRun` and press Enter.
3. Then type `officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.18227.20152` and press Enter.
Additionally, users can disable updates by going to File > Office Account > Update Options and clicking Disable Updates.
Source: https://www.techzine.eu/news/security/127939/microsoft-fixes-problems-with-crashing-office-365-apps-on-windows-server-systems