This is a short post to advise you that there is a new bug affecting Microsoft Access where some or all command buttons may not display their labels and some also indicating images don’t render either!
Multiple forum threads have already reported this issue across various Access communities impacting Version 2506. Below are some of the specific build no. some users have mentioned as impacted by this issue:
- 18925.20022
- 18925.20064
- 18925.20076
- 18827.20164
Although, officially, this bug is supposedly only impacting beta/insiders/preview update channel users, there are numerous confirmed reports that it has impacted users on regular update channels. So it’s a real mess.
This is a really bad bug for a couple reasons:
- It can render a database completely unusable
- It underscores the complete lack of the most basic of internal testing by Microsoft before updates are released. There is 0 excuse on how such a basic bug made it out to the public (even to beta/insider release)!
Compounding The Issue Even More
Several sources state that the Access Dev Team are aware and working on a fix in the coming week or two, yet they have not added it to the official Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in Access, nor have they blogged about it on the official Access Blog.
They could easily have published a small blog post acknowledging the issue, stating the impacted builds, providing an ETA, providing a script to rollback the Office build or a script to automatically edit all the impacted controls, … Nope, instead we get nothing.
There’s that great Microsoft communication and support people keep talking about!
The Workaround
The simplest solution, as with pretty much any bug, is to rollback your Office build to a prior build and wait for Microsoft to fix things.
I know some pushing editing the database and properties …, but this typically is a bad idea. You normally do not want to go altering your database to rectify an application bug. Moreover, depending on the number of forms, reports, … this could be a colossal undertaking for no reason. There just no reason to waste your time editing your database for this issue. Imagine starting to edit your db every time there’s a bug, geez. No, just no! Just rollback your Office build and wait a couple weeks and this issue will be a thing of the past (by then we’ll be dealing with some other bug! 🙂 ).
You’re On The Wrong Update Channel!!!
This is also a good reminder to avoid using the Current, Preview or Beta/Insider update channels on production PCs. Switching to a more stable update channel can help you avoid these kinds of disruptions.
If you’re on any of these update channels you cannot be surprised by regularly experiencing bugs!
Fixed?!
An update to address the issue was released June 23rd, 2025 (Version 2506 16.0.18925.20092), but sadly it is reported that you will need to reset the images of the affected controls if you opened the db on the flawed build. So, if you have backup copies that were never opened on the flawed build, then your best best would be to copy one of those and hopefully everything will be as it should.
This whole issue clearly highlights the critical importance of your Update Channel as well as backup strategy!
This is kind of a big deal. I had a few customers report this to me so far. I changed my PC to be on the Current Channel (Preview) so I could experience this. I am now on Access 365 Version 2506 16.0.18925.20076 and I have this problem. Same app works perfectly if I open it with Access 2013. I have hundreds of command buttons in hundreds of forms that area affected by this. I have captions that are no longer being displayed on the buttons that have been displaying fine for the last 20 years. The Picture Caption property is set to No Picture Caption, Picture Type is set to Embedded, and the Picture property for some reason says (bitmap) instead of (none). I never set it to bitmap, but if I change it to (none) it fixes the problem. I also have some buttons with bit maps and no caption that are blank now and not displaying the bitmap. I have to reselect a bitmap to get it to display. Other buttons have the same embedded bitmap and work just fine.
It seems odd that Access would suddenly change its behavior and start acting this way. I have thousands of customers who are going to be very unhappy if version 2506 with this change hits the Current Channel which could be as soon as next week if their release schedule goes as it normally does. I hate the idea of changing all the affected forms and having to try to roll out a change to all my customers and I certainly can’t roll back their Office build. What are the chances that Microsoft will actually fix this and not rollout version 2506 to the general public with this issue? I don’t have their ear, but if you do please stress to them that this is a big deal and to please change it back to behave the way it used to.
Don’t start editing your forms/reports! That’s not the way to resolve this. The better thing to do is to get your clients off of the Current Channel. No one should be running Current Channel.
You should use the Feedback Hub and/or Portal to express how much this impacts you and your clients.
As far as MS goes, well, they are aware of the issue, beyond that there is no point. In 15 years as an MVP I have never seen them listen to me regarding bugs or suggestions, so it won’t start today. They do as they please, when they please (full stop). It’s sad because had they listened to me and other MVPs over the decades Access would be a much better product than it is.
CTR is a glorious thing. LOL!
Hi All,
To have a quick workaround for this bug. I created a script that loop all forms and control objects, check if the PictureCaptionArrangement and Picture are set on the old version then update it to work on the current version. Please read the script before run it.
Private Function UpdateButtonPictures()
‘Source: Leandro
Dim frm As Object
Dim ctl As Control
‘ Loop through all forms
For Each frm In CurrentProject.AllForms
DoCmd.OpenForm frm.name, acDesign
‘ Loop through all controls on the form
For Each ctl In Forms(frm.name).Controls
If ctl.ControlType = acCommandButton Then
‘ Check the properties and update if necessary
If ctl.PictureCaptionArrangement = 0 And ctl.Picture = “(image)” Then
ctl.Picture = “(none)”
End If
End If
Next ctl
DoCmd.Close acForm, frm.name, acSaveYes
Next frm
End Function
Thanks for sharing as I’m sure it will help some developers. Then similar code could also be employed to rectify the issue with image controls.
That said, you are effectively removing the images ‘(none)’ from your command buttons. Why do this? You’re going to have to re-enter all those images once Microsoft finally fixes the bug.
Just rollback your build and have your db fully functional.
Set your Office Update Channel so you’re not on Insider/Beta or Current Channel, so you have some stability.
If anyone does decide to run this code, make a backup copy of your database so you can simply restore it once the bug is fixed.
FYI, this is fixed in Version 2506 16.0.18925.20092 which is in Current Channel (Preview) now. From what I am told, it should be in the Current Channel in a few days.