Troubleshooting & FAQ
Solutions to common issues with the anonym.legal Office Add-in for Microsoft Word.
White screen after update
The add-in panel shows a blank white page after a version update.
Why this happens
Word's embedded browser caches JavaScript modules aggressively. After an update, the cached modules conflict with the new version, causing a blank render.
How to fix
- 1.Close Word completely
- 2.Clear your browser cache and cookies (Edge or the default system browser)
- 3.Reopen Word and launch the add-in
Alternative: Open Word Online in an Incognito/InPrivate window, remove the add-in from Insert → My Add-ins, and re-add it.
Add-in shows old version (manifest caching)
The add-in loads but displays an outdated version number or is missing new features.
Why this happens
Word Online caches the add-in manifest (XML configuration file) for extended periods. Even after a server-side update, your browser may continue serving the old manifest.
How to fix
- 1.Open an Incognito or InPrivate browser window
- 2.Navigate to Word Online
- 3.Go to Insert → My Add-ins
- 4.Remove the anonym.legal add-in
- 5.Re-add it from the Store or via sideloading
Encryption key selector not appearing
You selected "Encrypt" as the method but the key selector dropdown is not visible.
Why this happens
The encryption key selector is tied to the Preview Window's method selection, not the Settings panel. If you change the method in Settings but the Preview Window still shows a different method, the key selector will not appear.
How to fix
- 1.Open the Preview Window (analyze your document first)
- 2.In the Summary Bar at the top, select Encrypt from the method dropdown
- 3.The encryption key selector will appear below the method selector
Formatting issues after anonymization
Bold, italic, or other formatting is lost or looks different after anonymization.
Why this happens
The "Preserve Formatting" option works by reading each entity's formatting and applying it to the replacement token. This works well with simple inline formatting but may not handle complex layouts.
How to fix
- Enable Preserve Formatting in Settings if it is not already on
- For complex tables or tracked changes, review the document after anonymization and fix manually
- Use Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo if the result is not acceptable
Add-in not loading
The add-in fails to appear or shows an error when you try to open it.
Checklist
- 1.Verify you have an active Microsoft 365 subscription or Office 2021+
- 2.Check that your organization allows third-party add-ins (IT admin may have restrictions)
- 3.Try removing the add-in from Insert → My Add-ins and re-adding it
- 4.If using Word Online, try a different browser (Chrome or Edge recommended)
- 5.If using Word Desktop, restart Word completely
Connection errors
Errors when trying to analyze or anonymize, such as "Network error" or "Failed to fetch".
Why this happens
The add-in requires an internet connection to communicate with anonym.legal servers for PII detection and anonymization. Connection errors can be caused by network issues, firewalls, or proxies blocking the requests.
How to fix
- 1.Check your internet connection
- 2.Try refreshing the add-in (close and reopen the panel)
- 3.Ensure your firewall or corporate proxy is not blocking requests to anonym.legal
- 4.If the issue persists, contact support with the error message
Still Need Help?
If none of the above solutions work, reach out to us and we will help you resolve the issue.