VBA & Macro Problems

How to Fix Excel Add-ins Broken by Ribbon XML Changes

Bushra Parveen Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

A recent Microsoft Excel update modified Ribbon control identifiers, causing custom XML add-ins that reference specific groups to fail.

How to Fix Excel Add-ins Broken by Recent Ribbon XML Updates

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Using or developing a custom Ribbon XML add-in that interacts with data connections or workbook links.
Observed behavior: The add-in fails to load or execute properly because the Queries and Connections group was renamed and Edit Links changed to Workbook Links, invalidating the old XML tags.

Before you start

Before modifying your XML code, ensure you check your current Microsoft Excel build version to confirm if the new Ribbon layout changes apply to your specific deployment environment.

Solution 1Recommended

Update the Office Ribbon Control Identifiers (idMso)

Use this solution to manually update your custom UI XML code with the newly assigned identifiers for the renamed Ribbon groups.

Microsoft periodically updates the Ribbon interface, which can change the underlying idMso (Control Identifier) attributes. If your add-in specifically targets old group names like 'Edit Links', you must update your custom XML to target the new identifiers.

Open your add-in source code

Extract or open your custom add-in file (e.g., .xlam) using a Custom UI Editor or a standard XML editor.

Locate the outdated idMso tags

Search your XML file for references to the old Connections group or 'EditLinks' idMso attributes.

Replace with updated identifiers

Change the outdated identifiers to match the new 'Queries and Connections' and 'Workbook Links' idMso tags provided in Microsoft's latest Office Fluent User Interface Control Identifiers documentation.

Save and test the add-in

Save the modified XML file, repackage your add-in, and load it into the affected Excel build to verify functionality.

Update the Office Ribbon Control Identifiers (idMso)

Download the latest Control Identifiers: Always refer to the official Microsoft Download Center for the latest 'Office Fluent User Interface Control Identifiers' spreadsheet when updating XML code.

Solution 2

Open a Support Request via Microsoft 365 Admin Center

If you cannot find the updated idMso tags in the public documentation, contact Microsoft Support for clarification on the specific build changes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find the latest Office Ribbon control identifiers (idMso)?

Microsoft publishes the 'Office Fluent User Interface Control Identifiers' files on the official Microsoft Download Center. You can download the latest Excel identifier spreadsheets to find new group and button tags.

Why did 'Edit Links' change to 'Workbook Links'?

Microsoft continuously updates the Excel user interface to improve clarity and user experience. Renaming features can occasionally alter the underlying XML structure, requiring custom add-in developers to update their UI code.

Why can't I find the 'New service request' option in Microsoft 365?

To create a support ticket, your account must have the appropriate administrative permissions assigned within the tenant, such as the Global Administrator or Service Support Administrator role.

Excel & Data Problems