Microsoft sends PDFs to strange new worlds instead of SharePoint

Microsoft has acknowledged a bug affecting the saving of PDFs from Word for Windows to SharePoint Online. This issue, discovered following the release of version 2609, causes the PDF to be saved in an unexpected location on the user's computer, with a randomly generated filename. The saved file is placed in the C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.MSO directory instead of the intended SharePoint Online location.

Strikingly, the document does not display any error message to alert the user of the mishap. To avoid this issue, Microsoft advises users to either use the Export option or save the file to a different location altogether. Microsoft has not yet provided a timeline for when a fix might be available, but some users have reported that rolling back to the previous version resolves the problem.

The company's recent track record includes a series of setbacks, from a problematic Excel paste function to inadvertent data loss and data wipeouts in Office 2016 and 2019. Furthermore, Microsoft's September Windows update led to widespread issues, prompting an out-of-band update to address audio problems and domain-joined device issues.

Another ongoing concern is the potential incompatibility of File History backups with certain users' configurations.