Resolve Runtime Error 13

Runtime error 13 is a type of mismatch error that typically occurs when one or more files or processes are required to launch a program that uses the Visual Basic (VB) environment as the default.

In this article, we will discuss one instance of runtime error 13 that you may encounter when running Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Outlook applications.

Runtime Error 13 in Microsoft Excel 2002

While using Excel 2002, when you click on a macro, you may encounter the following error message:

“Run-time error:’13’ Type Mismatch”

Resolution Steps

This is a known issue in Excel 2002. Microsoft acknowledges this and first corrected the problem in Office XP Service Pack 3 (SP3).

To fix the error, download and install the service pack for Microsoft Office XP. You can look for more information on how to obtain the latest Office XP service pack on the Microsoft Knowledgebase website.

Microsoft has also released a hotfix for the above issue. If you do not wish to install the latest Office XP Service Pack, you may download and install the hotfix for this problem to fix the issue.

Please note that this hotfix is intended to rectify only the issue mentioned above.

Runtime Error 13 in Outlook 2003

When you try to programmatically open an encrypted e-mail in Microsoft Outlook 2003, the e-mail fails to open and you may receive the following error:

“Run-time error:’13’ Type Mismatch”

Resolution Method

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a known issue in Microsoft Outlook 2003 and has released a hotfix for it. The hotfix is also included in the latest service pack.

Therefore, it is best to fix this problem by installing the latest service pack for Microsoft Office 2003. For more information on how to obtain the latest service pack for Office 2003, you may visit the Microsoft Support website. If you install the latest Office 2003 service pack, you do not need to separately install the hotfix.

However, after you install the latest service pack for Microsoft Office 2003, perform the following steps to activate the hotfix that addresses the above error:

Note: The steps illustrated below require you to edit the registry. Perform these steps exactly the way they are shown. A single mistake while editing the registry may cause irreparable damage to your system. As a precaution, ensure that you make a registry backup before editing it. You can back up the registry manually or use an efficient registry cleaner tool, such as RegServe for this purpose.

  1. Close Outlook 2003.
  2. Next, click the Start menu and click Run.
  3. In the Open box type, regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor window.
  4. Locate and select the following registry key

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Security

  1. Next, click the Edit menu, select New, and then click DWORD Value.
  2. Name the new value as AllowOMWithUI and then press Enter.
  3. Next, right-click AllowOMWithUI and click Modify.
  4. Type 1 in the Value data box and click OK.
  5. Finally, click Exit in the File menu to close the Registry Editor.
  6. Restart your PC.

Runtime errors may also occur if your computer is infected with malware. To prevent runtime errors, such as Runtime error 13 from occurring due to malware infection, install robust antimalware tools, such as Antivirus and Spyware Cease on your computer.