Inability to insert certain scriptable ActiveX controls into Office 2013 documents can occur due to security settings, system updates, or compatibility issues. Here’s how to troubleshoot and resolve this problem:
1. Check ActiveX Control Security Settings
- Open the relevant Office application (Word, Excel).
- Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.
- Select ActiveX Settings and choose Enable all controls without restrictions (not recommended) for testing purposes.
- If this works, adjust the settings for safer use.
2. Check Windows Updates (KB Patches)
- Some security updates disable older ActiveX controls.
- Review installed updates by going to Control Panel > Programs > View installed updates.
- Look for updates like KB2553154 or KB2596927, known to disable ActiveX controls.
- If necessary, uninstall these updates for testing, but be aware of potential security risks.
3. Enable ActiveX Controls in the Registry
- Open Registry Editor (
regedit). - Navigate to:phpCopy code
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\<Version>\Common\Security - Add or modify the DWORD values:
EnableUnsafeActiveXPrompt=1DisableAllActiveX=0
4. Check Office Trust Settings
- In Office, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.
- Ensure that Trusted Locations are configured, and the document’s folder is listed.
5. Register the ActiveX Control Manually
- Use
regsvr32to register the control:Copy coderegsvr32 controlname.ocx
6. Compatibility Mode and 64-bit Office
- Ensure that the control supports 64-bit Office if applicable.
- Use 32-bit Office if the control lacks 64-bit support.
7. Developer Tab and Legacy Controls
- Enable the Developer tab in Office:
- File > Options > Customize Ribbon, check Developer.
- Use Legacy Tools in the Controls group if available.
8. Disable Protected View (Temporary)
- Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Protected View.
- Uncheck Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet (for testing only).
