After installing KB 3213656 or KB 4011039, merged table cells don’t work correctly in Word or Outlook

Last updated: October 6, 2017

ISSUE

After installing the August 8, 2017, update for Word 2016 (KB3213656) or the September 5, 2017, update for Word 2016 (KB4011039), you may encounter the following issues:

• If you merge vertical cells in a table, the cell content disappears, and you can’t select the merged cell.

• If you open an existing document that has a table with merged cells, the cells will appear to be blank.

This issue occurs only for those who receive Office 2016 updates using Windows Installer technology (MSI). If you have a Click-to-Run edition of Office, such as Microsoft 365 Personal, you won’t encounter this issue.

STATUS: FIXED

This issue is now fixed in the October 3, 2017, update for Word 2016 (KB4011140). Please see this KB4011140 article on how to install this update.

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Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in Word for PC