Edit group policy to start AblebitsMakediffs.exe

  1. Click the Start button, type "Edit group policy" into the Search field, and click Open:
    Type Edit group policy.
  2. In the tree, go to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components:
    Open Windows Components.
  3. In Windows Components, look for the Microsoft Defender Antivirus or Windows Defender Antivirus folder (Microsoft Defender Antivirus is the new name of Windows Defender, so it depends on the Windows version you use).
    • If you find Microsoft Defender Antivirus, go to Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard → Attack Surface Reduction:
      Microsoft Defender.
    • If you find Windows Defender Antivirus, go to Windows Defender Exploit Guard → Attack Surface Reduction:
      Windows Defender.
  4. Double-click Configure Attack Surface Reduction rules:
    Configure Attack Surface Reduction rules.
  5. In the Configure Attack Surface Reduction rules window, tick Enabled and click the Show button:
    Click Show.
  6. Check if there are the following rules and add them if they are absent:
    Block all Office applications from creating child processes
    D4F940AB-401B-4EFC-AADC-AD5F3C50688A
    and
    Block Office applications from creating executable content
    3B576869-A4EC-4529-8536-B80A7769E899
    Check the rules.
    Close the Show Contents and Configure Attack Surface Reduction rules windows.
  7. You'll need to add the Ultimate Suite installation folder to exclusions.
    Double-click Exclude files and paths from Attack Surface Reduction Rules:
    Exclude files and paths from Attack Surface Reduction Rules.
    Tick Enabled and click Show:
    Exclude files and paths from Attack Surface Reduction Rules.
    The folder to be added may be either
    C:\Users\[USER_NAME]\AppData\Local\Ablebits\Ultimate Suite for Microsoft Excel\
    or
    C:\Program Files (x86)\Ablebits\Ultimate Suite for Microsoft Excel\

    Note. If you changed the default installation folder during the installation, add that specific folder.

    The exclusion folder.

    Note. If there are VBA macros in Excel files that you compare, you'll have to add these workbooks to exclusions as well. For this, copy and paste the path of the workbooks the same way as you did for Ultimate Suite. Into the Value field, enter "1". If the workbooks are saved to Desktop, simply enter "Desktop" into the Value name.

Related issues

Unable to start the 'AblebitsMakediffs.exe' application

See also

Ultimate Suite troubleshooting