Microsoft recently warned that the Windows 11 2024 Update (version 24H2) may cause Office apps like Excel and Word to stop responding and freeze after installation.
According to the Redmond giant, the issue occurs on Windows 11, version 24H2 devices when “antimalware security solutions enable certain features.”
The company further clarifies that devices running CrowdStrike’s Falcon sensor software are encountering application crashes when specific features, such as the “Enhanced Exploitation Visibility Prevention Policy” setting, are enabled in the Prevention Policy applied to the host.
“Most organizations affected by this issue reported it was observed after in-place upgrades and clean installs of version 24H2. We are investigating if this issue can occur with previous versions of Windows and other third-party security software,” the company wrote in a document published on the official Microsoft Support website.
Currently, the issue affects only organizations and managed IT environments.
However, if you are a consumer using Home or Pro editions of Windows on personal devices not managed by an IT environment, you are unlikely to be impacted by the issue.
Thankfully, CrowdStrike has temporarily mitigated the issue by disabling the problematic Enhanced Exploitation Visibility Prevention Policy setting on hosts running Windows 11, version 24H2.
Meanwhile, Microsoft and CrowdStrike are working on a permanent fix, but it is unclear how long it will take to resolve.
Microsoft says it will provide updated information on the issue when more information or a Windows resolution is available.
To know more about the issue, affected customers and IT admins can click here.
A Spokesperson from CrowdSrike clarified that “CrowdStrike is not causing app crashes on Windows 11 24H2.
It is the Windows 11 version 24H2 issue itself that is causing the applications to ‘stop responding and freeze.”