Structures are not displayed in Excel cells

    As many of our users experienced, structures in Excel are not visible on some devices, which is caused by different Microsoft Office updates after version 2108.

    Concerning MS Office versions and their compatibility to JChem for Excel we know that structure rendering works in all Office 2016 on all devices and in case of Office 2019 it works on all environments if everything is fully up-to-date. In Office 2021 structure rendering works only if the version number is 2108 or earlier, and in Office365 or Microsoft365 it works only if the version is 2205 or earlier.

    A new structure rendering technology has been developed in JChem for Excel, which has been released in version 21.15.704 as default, and works properly on all supported MS Office versions. The Legacy rendering technology still works fine on fully updated Office 2013/2016/2019 instances, and can be switched back on the General tab of the Options dialog in the Structure Drawing > Rendering Technology section.

    To download this version follow the link below: https://download.chemaxon.com/jchem-for-office

    The new rendering technology is also available in version LTS Iodine.7. The Default option is the Legacy rendering in this instance, however the MS update compatible rendering technology can be accessed in the Options dialog in the Structure Drawing > Rendering Technology section.

    This version of JChem for Office can be downloaded following the link below: https://download.chemaxon.com/jchem-for-office/lts/iodine

    Here's a step-by-step guide on how to switch between rendering technologies:

    1. Open the Options dialog on the JChem tab.
    Options
    1. When the Options dialog opens, the "General" options are visible on the right hand side.
    2. In the "Structure Drawing" option group (the 6th bold item), change the "Rendering Technology" option to either "Legacy" or "Office 2021/Microsoft 365 compatibility".
    3. You have to restart Excel (all instances) after changing this option to have the rendering technology activated.

    If the updated versions of JChem for Office are available to you we suggest upgrading as a primary solution for the problem. If that's not possible reverting to an earlier version of Office could provide a solution as well:

    In case of MS Office 2021 the earlier version can be installed using an older installer (which results in version 2108 or earlier), and after the install the automatic updates have to be disabled in Excel immediately (here is one article describing how to disable updates through an Office application: https://www.itechtics.com/disable-office-2021-automatic-updates/#through-office-apps.).

    In case of Office365 or Microsoft365 it is more difficult to go back to an earlier version, but it is possible by following the instructions of this solution article. You have to revert to Version 2205 of Office (Build 16.0.15225.20288) which has been tested and proven to work.