Installing Office Customization

calendar_today Asked Oct 9, 2009
thumb_up 31 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

You can try to delete a registry key located at: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftVSTASolutions{GUID} The value of {GUID} will be different on your environment. Check to…. This is a prose walkthrough, ranked #11th of 95 by community upvote score, from 2009.


The Problem (Q-score 21, ranked #11th of 95 in the VBA Core archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2009

Name:
From: file:///D:/Samples/TestUpdatedVersion/bin/Debug/TestUpdatedVersion.vsto

The customization cannot be installed because another version is currently installed and cannot be upgraded from this location. To install this version of the customization, first use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall this program: TestUpdatedVersion. Then install the new customization from the following location: file:///D:/Samples/TestUpdatedVersion/bin/Debug/TestUpdatedVersion.vsto

********** Exception Text **********
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Deployment.AddInAlreadyInstalledException: The customization cannot be installed because another version is currently installed and cannot be upgraded from this location. To install this version of the customization, first use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall this program: TestUpdatedVersion. Then install the new customization from the following location: file:///D:/Samples/TestUpdatedVersion/bin/Debug/TestUpdatedVersion.vsto
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Deployment.ClickOnceAddInDeploymentManager.VerifySolutionCodebaseIsUnchanged(Uri uri, String subscriptionId, Boolean previouslyInstalled)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Deployment.ClickOnceAddInDeploymentManager.InstallAddIn()

Why community consensus is tight on this one

Across 95 VBA Core entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds strong answer (top 25 %%) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.


The Verified Solution — strong answer (top 25 %%) (+31)

Verbal answer — walkthrough without a code block

Note: the verified answer is a prose walkthrough. If you need a runnable sample, check VBA Core entries ranked in the top 10 of the same archive.

You can try to delete a registry key located at:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftVSTASolutions{GUID}

The value of {GUID} will be different on your environment.

Check to ensure that you’re deleting the right key. Confirm by checking the DWORD “Url” value at the key.

Restart Excel and you should be good to go.


When to Use It — vintage (14+ years old, pre-2013)

Ranked #11th in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 75% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the VBA Core archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2009 and 2026

The answer is 17 years old. The VBA Core object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this sit in the top quartile of VBA Core answers?
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Answer score +31 vs the VBA Core archive median ~10; this entry is strong. The score plus 21 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+21) means the asker and 30 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

The answer has no code block — how do I turn it into a snippet?
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Use the walkthrough above as a checklist, then open a top-10 VBA Core archive entry for a concrete starting template you can adapt.

This answer is 17 years old. Is it still relevant in 2026?
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Published 2009, which is 17 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The VBA Core object model has had no breaking changes in that window. Three things to re-test: (1) blocked macros on downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), (2) 64-bit API declarations (PtrSafe, LongPtr), (3) any shift toward Office Scripts for web scenarios.

Which VBA Core pattern ranks just above this one at #10?
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The pattern one rank above is “AndAlso/OrElse in VBA”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 21, Answer-score 31, original post 2009, ranked #11th of 95 in the VBA Core archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

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