You get an error message when you open an Office file from SharePoint on a computer on which you installed more than one version of Office

Symptom

When trying to open an Office document from a SharePoint site, you get one of the following behaviors:

The file is being downloaded instead of opening directly from SharePoint:

 

      Do you want to open file.xlsx From SharePoint?

OR

Error message " 'Edit Document' requires a Windows SharePoint Services-compatible application.”

OR

Error message "The document could not be opened for editing. A Microsoft SharePoint Foundation compatible application could not be found to edit the document."

OR

Error message “To open this workbook, your computer must be running a supported version of Microsoft Office_application and a browser that supports opening files directly from the Office Web Apps”

 

The issue occurs on computers on which you have installed more than one version of Office.

e.g. Visio 2007 and Office 2013, Office 2010 and Lync 2013

 

Cause

The issue can occur when you have several different versions of Office installed on the same computer and you have several different versions of the OWSSUPP DLL available which are not registered correctly. The OWSSUPP.DLL corresponds to the SharePoint OpenDocuments Class Add-On for Internet Explorer and is the integration Add-On for opening Office documents from SharePoint.

To check the version of the SharePoint OpenDocuments Class Add-On (OWSSUPP.DLL) open Internet Explorer when the error is showing and go to Tools > Manage Add-ons. In Manage Add-ons click on SharePoint OpenDocuments Class and notice the version:

12.0.. stands for Office 2007

14.0.. stands for Office 2010

15.0.. stands for Office 2013

Tip: if you don’t see the SharePoint OpenDocuments Class Add-On in the Add-Ons list in Internet Explorer, select the option to Show: Run without permission

 

 

Resolution

The OWSSUPP.DLL is installed as part of the “Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support” category under Office Tools.

To resolve this issue you should disable Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support in any other version of Office installed on the machine and then repair Office.

e.g. if on a computer with Office 2010 and Lync 2013 you installed “Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support” for both versions (Lync 2013 is part of the Office 2013 suite), you should disable “Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support” for Lync 2013 and then repair Office 2010 so that the OWSSUPP.DLL gets registered.

To uninstall “Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support” for all non-Office 2010 components:

 

Windows XP Solution:

  • Go to Control Panel, Add Remove Programs
  • For each Office program that is not an Office 2010 program, select the item and click Change, Choose Add or Remove Features, Click Continue.
  • In Installation Options, expand Office Tools, Click Windows SharePoint Service Support OR Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support, Choose Not Available, Click Continue. You must do this for all Office programs that are not Office 2010 including earlier versions of Office Project or Visio.
  • Once configuration is complete, In Add Remove Programs, click Office 2010, click Change, Choose Repair, Click Continue. (Note: A reboot will be required after the Repair completes)

Windows Vista/Windows 7 Solution:

  • Go to Control Panel, Programs, Uninstall a Program.
  • For each Office program that is not an Office 2010 program, select the item and click Change, Choose Add or Remove Features, Click Continue.
  • In Installation Options, expand Office Tools, Click Windows SharePoint Service Support OR Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support, Choose Not Available, Click Continue. You must do this for all Office family programs that are not Office 2010 including earlier versions of Office Project or Visio.

Once configuration is complete, in Programs, click Office 2010, click Change, Choose Repair, Click Continue. (Note: A reboot will be required after the Repair completes)