Pasting from Word to PowerPoint is causing an error message

Anonymous
2024-11-30T13:57:38+00:00

When I copy and paste or cut and paste text from Word to PowerPoint, I get an error message that says "We're sorry. Something went wrong that might make PowerPoint unstable. Please save your presentations and restart PowerPoint."

  • It is Microsoft 365 and PowerPoint version 2411 (Build 18227.20046 Click-to-Run)
  • It is only text from Word. Text from other sources work fine.
  • It is only text. Images can be copied and pasted with no problem.
  • It is text of all sizes, including just one word from a brand-new doc.

I've tried:

  • Restarting PowerPoint
  • Restarting Word
  • Restarting the computer
  • Restarting PowerPoint in Safe Mode
  • I've tried text from different Word documents, including new docs I've just created for this purpose
  • I've tried text with just one word, and text with a lot of words
  • I've tried adding a new user and doing it from that user's account (same computer though)
Microsoft 365 and Office | PowerPoint | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-03-26T12:38:25+00:00

    Note for troubleshooting: A friend of mine also has this problem with Office 2016. However, it only started when he logged into Office 2016 with his Microsoft account. Before that, the error didn't exist. It's possible that the MS account is causing this problem for some people. After he logged out of Office 2016 from his MS account, the error persisted and now permanently disrupts his work.

    By the way: He has a freshly installed Windows computer. Apart from Windows and Office 2016, there's nothing on this device.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-03-25T17:39:39+00:00

    Thanks so much!

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-03-25T16:40:13+00:00

    Press Windows+R --> Enter: winword /safe

    :)

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-03-25T16:23:42+00:00

    Sorry, I'm unable to figure out how to open in safe mode. Can someone please help?

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  5. Anonymous
    2025-03-25T15:20:43+00:00

    I've had the same problem with Office 2019 (click to run) since September. [Is it possible, it's only a click-to-run problem??]

    When I try to copy Word text to PowerPoint, an error message appears. It's not PowerPoint's fault, though, as I can copy text/graphics from all other programs to PowerPoint. It's also not possible to copy Word text to OpenOffice 4. This means that something in the Word clipboard isn't working.

    What I've already tried:

    Reinstalled Office 2019 --> no success

    Deleted this registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office
    --> It worked for two days, then the error came back (a friend also has the same problem and the error came back after a short while after deleting this registry key).

    Started Word in Safe Mode --> that works, copying is possible again. I then restarted Word without add-ons --> the error reappeared, it's not the add-ons.

    There are many internet sites where the error has been reported, but Microsoft hasn't added it to its to-do list yet, probably because it doesn't occur on all devices. Interestingly, it affects the entire Office product family. I know users with Office 2016 who have the error, as well as with 2019 and Office 365.

    Anyone who has the error, please post here to bring it to MS's attention: https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/c85d63b1-b1ee-ef11-a4dd-7c1e52c1c6b2

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