Office Compatibility Issues

Fix Excel WindowState xlNormal Not Restoring Maximized Window in Microsoft 365

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

A VB6 application fails to restore an Excel window to a normal state from a maximized state using WindowState = xlNormal. Attempting to set Width or Height subsequently causes an error in Microsoft 365 build 2409.

Product: Microsoft Excel (Microsoft 365 build 2409)
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating Microsoft Excel via a VB6 application to resize and restore application windows.
Observed behavior: Setting WindowState to xlNormal does not restore the maximized window, and subsequent attempts to modify window dimensions result in runtime errors.

Before you start

Ensure your VB6 code snippet works as expected in previous Excel versions (like Excel 2019) and note down the exact Microsoft 365 build number you are currently running.

Solution 1Recommended

Submit a Support Ticket via Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Since this issue is likely an Office build regression introduced in build 2409, escalating the issue to Microsoft Support is the recommended path for a permanent fix.

This behavior is known to affect specific Microsoft 365 builds where automation compatibility changes prevent the xlNormal state from executing correctly.

Gather Details

Collect your Office build number, the specific VB6 code used for window automation, and the exact steps to reproduce the error.

Open Admin Center

Have an administrator log into the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Create Request

Navigate to Support > Help & support, and create a new service request detailing the Office build regression.

Solution 2

Update or Roll Back the Office Build

Testing the application on a different Microsoft 365 build can act as a temporary workaround while Microsoft addresses the regression.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does WindowState = xlNormal fail only in Microsoft 365?

Microsoft frequently updates Microsoft 365, and occasionally these updates introduce regressions or changes to the automation API that break compatibility with older VB6 applications. Older versions like Excel 2019 are unaffected because they do not receive these continuous feature updates.

Can I use Windows API functions to resize the Excel window instead?

Yes, as a workaround, you can use Windows API calls like ShowWindow and SetWindowPos to manually restore and resize the Excel application window, bypassing Excel's native WindowState property.

How do I check my current Microsoft 365 build number?

Open Excel, click on 'File', select 'Account', and look under the 'About Excel' section. The version and build number will be displayed there.

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