Microsoft announces solution to long-standing Outlook and Word DLL bug

Resolution for Outlook and Word DLL Errors Announced by Microsoft

In September of the previous year, Microsoft acknowledged an ongoing issue affecting Office applications, specifically classic Outlook and Word, related to errors stemming from missing DLL files. Initially, users reported receiving an error message regarding the msls70.dll file, to which Microsoft later added the pagelayout.dll to the list of concerns.

ISSUE

Users may encounter one or more of the following error messages when launching Outlook, Word, or other Office applications after recent updates:

“The required file pagelayout.dll cannot be found in your path. Install Microsoft Outlook again.”

“The required file msls70.dll cannot be found in your path. Install Microsoft Outlook again.”

At the time of the initial reports, Microsoft did not provide an immediate workaround, directing users to report the issue instead. After thorough investigation over several months, the company has now identified the root cause and has categorized the issue as resolved.

Current Status and Resolution Steps

STATUS: FIXED

The Office Team has implemented a fix in Version 2504 Build 18730.20000 aimed at addressing the reported issues. For the latest build details, users should refer to the Update History for Microsoft 365 Apps.

The errors are likely related to a mismatch between the Office version and the assigned channel. For instance, if you are utilizing the Monthly Enterprise Channel while your Office apps are on the Current Channel version, issues may arise. To verify your version, open Word and navigate to File > Account and look under About Word. In case of a version mismatch, this is an indication of a deployment configuration problem. If you are managing installations through Intune, ensure the deployed Office version and build correspond with the intended channel.

The immediate remedy for this issue is to switch to the channel that aligns with the Office build. Additionally, uninstalling and reinstalling Office may help mitigate the problem. If further assistance is required, users are encouraged to open a support case with the Office Deployment support team.

Additional Support for Recurring Issues

For users who experience issues even after updating to the fixed build, Microsoft has outlined steps to escalate the problem with support engineers:

Ensure all Office applications are closed, then compress the logs located in this directory and include them in your support case: %temp%/diagnostics.

Download the Microsoft 365 Apps Deployment Log Collector from the Official Microsoft Download Center. After extracting the tool, run it and include the zipped logs in your case.

Take a screenshot of the Word application’s version details by navigating to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16, right-clicking Winword.exe, selecting Properties, then Details, and capturing a screenshot.

Similarly, acquire a screenshot of the version details for msls70.dll and pagelayout.dll in the same directory. Note if these files are absent.