Microsoft 365 users cannot open or synchronize SharePoint files after the Office 2013: March 12, 2013 update is installed

Symptoms

Microsoft 365 users may be unable to open, edit, or synchronize files if the following conditions are true:

  • The user tries to open, edit, or synchronize files by using the Office 2013 rich client.
  • The files are stored on a server that is running SharePoint.
  • The Office 2013 update for March 12, 2013 is installed.
    In this scenario, users may be prompted for credentials multiple times.

Cause

This issue occurs because of a problem in the Office 2013 update for March 12, 2013.

Note To verify the file versions, and to determine whether this issue applies to your situation, see the "How to determine whether the update is installed" section in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

2768349 Description of the Office 2013 update: March 12, 2013

Resolution

To resolve this issue, use the appropriate method.

MSI installation: Uninstall the Office update for March 12, 2013

To uninstall the Office update for March 12, 2013, follow these steps:

  1. Open Control Panel.
  2. Click Programs and Features.
  3. Click View installed updates.
  4. Click Microsoft Office update KB2768349, and then click Uninstall.

Click-to-Run (C2R) installation: Run an online repair

To run an online repair, follow these steps:

  1. Open Control Panel.
  2. Click Programs and Features.
  3. Click Microsoft Office 2013.
  4. Click Change, click Online Repair, and then click Repair.

Workaround

To work around this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Use Office Online

Use Office Online instead of the Office 2013 rich client.

Method 2: Download the file

Download the file from Microsoft SharePoint Online to your computer. Open the file, make the changes that you want, and then save the file to your computer. Then upload the file to the SharePoint server to replace any earlier versions of the file.

Status

We are aware of this issue, and we are working to resolve it. This article will be updated when a solution is available.

References

For more information about Office Online, visit the following Microsoft website:

Office Online

More Information

Still need help? Go to Microsoft Community.