Microsoft Office Plugins and VSTO Runtime in Logi Options+

When adding an application profile for Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) in Logi Options+, the software performs a check to ensure the necessary runtime environment is available. This article explains the technical behavior of this process, potential permission issues for non-admin users, and the recommended deployment method for enterprise environments.

VSTO Runtime Requirements

To support application-specific profiles in Microsoft Office, Logi Options+ utilizes plugins that require the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Tools for Office Runtime (VSTO). When a user attempts to add an application profile for an Office app, Logi Options+ executes the following file:

C:\ProgramData\Logishrd\LogiOptionsPlus\Plugins\VSTO\vstor_redist.exe

This executable performs two primary functions:

Version Check: It verifies the currently installed version of the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Tools for Office Runtime.
Installation/Update: If the VSTO runtime is missing or is an older version than required, vstor_redist.exe attempts to install the correct version.

User Permissions and Elevation

The execution of vstor_redist.exe to check or install the VSTO runtime requires Administrator privileges.

If a standard user (non-admin) attempts to add a Microsoft Office application profile in Logi Options+, the system will trigger a User Account Control (UAC) prompt requesting elevated permissions. If the user cannot provide admin credentials, the process will stop, and they will be unable to add the application profile or install the necessary plugins.

Mass Deployment Recommendation

To avoid permission issues for end-users, we recommend using the command line argument /install-msoffice-plugins during the initial deployment of Logi Options+ via management tools such as SCCM or Microsoft Intune.

Deploying Logi Options+ with the command line switch under an Admin or System account pre-installs the necessary VSTO runtime and Office plugins. This ensures that non-admin users can subsequently add Microsoft Office application profiles without triggering User Account Control (UAC) prompts or encountering permission issues.

If you're having issues deploying Options+, please take a look at our support guides or reach out to us from the Logitech Support site.