Active X Will Be Disabled By Default In Microsoft Office 2024

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hlewton
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Active X Will Be Disabled By Default In Microsoft Office 2024

Post by hlewton »

Active X Will Be Disabled By Default In Microsoft Office 2024
Picture1.jpg

ActiveX controls are small building blocks that create applications that work over the Internet through Web browsers. Examples include customized applications for collecting data, viewing certain kinds of files, and displaying animation.

Nowadays ActiveX is the source of many if not most Web viruses and spyware1. The best way to prevent this malware from entering your computer in the first place, is: disable Active X whenever feasible.
In reference to the above attachment, I use Microsoft 365 Home Professional, I believe it is, because it includes Access also.

In the attachment above the only the rectangular box was drawn by me, the oblong one was part of the article itself. I wanted to point out that it mentions Win32 Desktop versions. I assume it means the 32Bit version and I am using the 64Bit version. Does this mean I will not be affected either way?

The other 2 statements are what I found when searching what ActiveX means or does. I can't remember the last time, if ever, I was asked if ActiveX should be enabled. Plus the second statement seems to indicate it is the source of most WEB viruses and spyware and, as suggested, should be disabled when feasible. Not sure when it is feasible and since I can't remember being prompted to enable it, do you think I need to take any precautions especially in view of, what I think, means it only will affect the 32Bit versions of the apps? Thanks.
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hlewton

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HansV
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Re: Active X Will Be Disabled By Default In Microsoft Office 2024

Post by HansV »

If you don't really know what an ActiveX control is, you probably don't use or need them, so there is nothing to worry about.

S2609.png

Standard ActiveX controls don't work in 64-bit versions of Microsoft 365 and Office. For a small number of ActiveX controls, there is a 64-bit version.

Apart from that, as the article implies, disabled will be the default setting. If you can use ActiveX controls and need them, you can change the setting to enable them.
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Hans

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stuck
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Re: Active X Will Be Disabled By Default In Microsoft Office 2024

Post by stuck »

I'm glad I'm retired as I'm pretty sure I used some ActiveX controls on some of the stuff I developed for our team, and I'm also pretty sure the team are still using the stuff I developed for the team :laugh:

Ken

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hlewton
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Re: Active X Will Be Disabled By Default In Microsoft Office 2024

Post by hlewton »

HansV wrote:
11 Sep 2024, 17:34
If you don't really know what an ActiveX control is, you probably don't use or need them, so there is nothing to worry about.


S2609.png


Standard ActiveX controls don't work in 64-bit versions of Microsoft 365 and Office. For a small number of ActiveX controls, there is a 64-bit version.

Apart from that, as the article implies, disabled will be the default setting. If you can use ActiveX controls and need them, you can change the setting to enable them.
Thank you for that information.
Regards,
hlewton

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hlewton
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Re: Active X Will Be Disabled By Default In Microsoft Office 2024

Post by hlewton »

stuck wrote:
11 Sep 2024, 17:46
I'm glad I'm retired as I'm pretty sure I used some ActiveX controls on some of the stuff I developed for our team, and I'm also pretty sure the team are still using the stuff I developed for the team :laugh:

Ken
I have been retired for almost 23 years now. But when I was working and had to make the switch from some version of IBM's DW? word processor to Word and from Lotus 123 to Excel, I seem to remember something about ActiveX. Excel was supposed to be much easier and more intuitive than writing Lotus 123 macros, but for some reason I found writing the Lotus 123 macros much easier and more intuitive for me than using and trying to write Excel and its macros.

I know a lot of you will find this hard to believe, but some of my associates came to me to either write or help them in designing Lotus macros. That's why recently, with a old computer I took out of service, I tried loading DOS 6.22 on it but had no success. I wanted to see if I could read some of my old Lotus 123 macros. Mine were all for the DOS version of Lotus 123. When the Windows version of Lotus came out, that's about the time we, my company, made the switch to Microsoft products.
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hlewton

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Jay Freedman
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Re: Active X Will Be Disabled By Default In Microsoft Office 2024

Post by Jay Freedman »

A former Office MVP, Cindy Meister, wrote an article in 2003 (yes, 21 years ago!) about ActiveX controls in Word. It's still available at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previ ... office.10).

The lengthy list of drawbacks and cautions in the section "Appropriateness for the Task" helps to explain why ActiveX controls are very rarely used. Frankly, I'm surprised they weren't removed from Office altogether at least a decade ago.

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hlewton
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Re: Active X Will Be Disabled By Default In Microsoft Office 2024

Post by hlewton »

Jay Freedman wrote:
12 Sep 2024, 00:47
A former Office MVP, Cindy Meister, wrote an article in 2003 (yes, 21 years ago!) about ActiveX controls in Word. It's still available at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previ ... office.10).

The lengthy list of drawbacks and cautions in the section "Appropriateness for the Task" helps to explain why ActiveX controls are very rarely used. Frankly, I'm surprised they weren't removed from Office altogether at least a decade ago.
Thank you for that information.
Regards,
hlewton