PowerPoint 2019: Paste as Picture (Windows Metafile) removed since April 2024 update
Summary
Microsoft disabled several OLE and paste features in volume license installations of PowerPoint 2019 with the April 9, 2024 update to prevent possible file corruption and data loss. Most features were restored in the July 9, 2024 update. Two paste features remain removed, so the issue is only partially fixed. Support for Office 2019 ended on October 14, 2025.
Symptoms
In PowerPoint 2019 the option to paste as Picture (Windows Metafile) in the Paste Special dialog box is missing. Pasting as ppPasteMetafilePicture with the Shapes.PasteSpecial and View.PasteSpecial methods no longer works, which can affect macros and add-ins.
Affected
- PowerPoint 2019, volume license installations
- Introduced with version 1808, Build 10409.20028 (April 9, 2024 update)
- Restored features: Display as icon, Create from file, DisplayAsIcon and Link parameters of Shapes.AddOLEObject (Build 10412.20006, July 9, 2024)
- Still removed: Paste as Picture (Windows Metafile) and ppPasteMetafilePicture
Workaround
No workaround known.
Fix
Partially fixed. Build 10412.20006 (July 9, 2024) restored Display as icon, Create from file and the Shapes.AddOLEObject parameters. The two metafile paste features remain removed.
Recommendation
Install the current Office 2019 updates to regain the restored features. Check macros and add-ins that use ppPasteMetafilePicture and use another paste format. Since Office 2019 is no longer supported, plan the move to Microsoft 365.
Sources
- PowerPoint: Some features of PowerPoint 2019 might be disabled after installing the April 9, 2024 update Vendor · support.microsoft.com
- Office 2019 update history Vendor · learn.microsoft.com
- Shapes.PasteSpecial method Vendor · learn.microsoft.com
- View.PasteSpecial method Vendor · learn.microsoft.com
Compiled from the sources listed and translated with AI (Claude); status and dates come from the vendor. The vendor’s statements are authoritative. Updated 1 Nov 2026, 18:19.
Where the information comes from
We continuously read the vendors’ official sources, community reports and trade media and summarise them in our own words, with a link to the source:
- Microsoft: Windows release health (Windows 10/11, Server 2016 to 2025), Windows message center, known issues of Microsoft 365 Apps (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Edge, Intune, Autopilot, Windows 365 and Entra Connect, Microsoft KB articles with timelines, Exchange and Windows IT Pro blogs, optionally Microsoft 365 service health and message center
- other vendors: Veeam KB, Citrix (known issues), Ubuntu and Debian (regressions), Broadcom (VMware), Fortinet, Cisco, Mozilla, Let’s Encrypt
- community (title, short excerpt and link only, without the names of the authors): Microsoft Q&A, Microsoft Tech Community (discussions), Veeam R&D Forums, Eleven Forum
- targeted web research with AI (Claude), e.g. on the updates of the month – this also finds discussions on Reddit and in forums; such entries are labelled as community reports until the vendor confirms them
- early warning from trade media (title and link only): Born’s Tech and Windows World, BleepingComputer, AskWoody, Windows Latest, Windows Central, gHacks, The Windows Club, Deskmodder, Dr. Windows, WindowsArea, Frankys Web, heise online
Summary and translation with AI (Claude by Anthropic) – without any data of visitors.
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