SharePoint Document Issues

Fix Microsoft Lists Attachments Not Displaying as Thumbnails

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users report that photo attachments in SharePoint or Microsoft Lists stop appearing as thumbnails, particularly after the list has been opened through the Microsoft Lists app.

Product: Microsoft Lists and SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Viewing photo attachments in a list view format.
Observed behavior: Image attachments fail to load as thumbnails. Newly attached images do not generate URLs when using standard formatting references like @currentField.serverRelativeUrl.

Before you start

Ensure you have the necessary site permissions to edit column formatting and access list settings in your SharePoint or Microsoft Lists environment.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Image Column Formatting JSON

Modify the column formatting code to use the getThumbnailImage function, which forces the display of the image thumbnail even if the standard URL reference fails.

Often, thumbnails disappear because the JSON uses @currentField.serverRelativeUrl, but newly uploaded images fail to generate this URL properly. Utilizing a built-in thumbnail function bypasses this synchronization issue.

Access column settings

Navigate to your Microsoft List, click the column header for your image attachments, and select 'Column settings'.

Format the column

Click on 'Format this column' and choose to edit the JSON code in the advanced mode.

Update the JSON code

Change the image source property in the JSON from using serverRelativeUrl to the thumbnail function. For example, replace it with: "src": "=getThumbnailImage(@currentField, 64, 64)".

Save and refresh

Save the new formatting rules and refresh the page to confirm the thumbnails are displaying correctly.

Success Check: If formatted correctly, all previously invisible images should immediately render as 64x64 thumbnails in the list view.

Solution 2

Switch to Classic List Experience

Revert the list to the classic SharePoint experience to bypass modern list rendering issues.

Solution 3

Verify Settings and Contact Microsoft Support

Ensure basic list settings are correct and escalate to Microsoft Support for backend service log inspection if the problem persists.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my Microsoft Lists thumbnails disappear suddenly?

Thumbnails often disappear when lists are opened through the Microsoft Lists app due to synchronization bugs or changes in how image URLs are generated. Using @currentField.serverRelativeUrl in column JSON may fail if new images are not assigned standard URLs by the server.

How do I access the advanced settings in Microsoft Lists?

To access advanced settings, click the gear icon in the top right corner of your list, select 'List settings', and then click on 'Advanced settings' under the General Settings section.

What should I do if the classic SharePoint experience option is missing?

If the option to return to the classic SharePoint experience is not visible in Advanced Settings, it may be restricted by your organization's SharePoint administrator. You will need to contact your IT admin to adjust tenant-level settings.

Document & File Issues