File Corruption & Recovery

Fix PowerPoint Images Showing a Red X ("The Picture Can't Be Displayed")

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to recover presentation images that are failing to load and instead displaying a red X error message.

Product: Microsoft PowerPoint, OneDrive
Device & OS: macOS, Web
Scenario: Opening a PowerPoint presentation stored in OneDrive using either the desktop application or the web browser.
Observed behavior: All images in the presentation are replaced with a red X and an error message stating "The picture can't be displayed".

Before you start

Ensure that your Mac's operating system and the Microsoft PowerPoint application are fully updated, and verify that your OneDrive is actively syncing without errors.

Solution 1Recommended

Reinsert or Restore Linked Images

Use this solution if your images were inserted as linked files rather than embedded directly, and the original file path has changed.

PowerPoint allows you to link to an image file rather than saving it inside the presentation to save file size. If those source images are moved, deleted, or fail to sync on OneDrive, PowerPoint cannot display them and shows a red X instead.

Check image relationships

Select the red X placeholder and navigate to the 'Picture Format' tab to see if there is an option indicating a broken link. If the picture was linked, you need to locate the original image file.

Restore original file paths

If you moved the images to a different folder on your Mac or OneDrive, move them back to the exact folder they were in when you first added them to the presentation.

Reinsert pictures permanently

To prevent this issue in the future, delete the red X placeholder, go to 'Insert' > 'Pictures' > 'Picture from File', select your image, and ensure you are choosing to 'Insert' rather than 'Link to File'.

Embed vs Link: Embedding images directly into your presentation increases the file size but guarantees the images will always display correctly, regardless of where the file is stored.

Solution 2

Recover the Presentation from a OneDrive .tmp File

Use this solution if a OneDrive sync glitch has corrupted the current file but left an intact temporary file in your cloud storage.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Presentation for Seamless Slide Editing

If Microsoft PowerPoint continually struggles with displaying images or syncing with OneDrive, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly compatible alternative for managing your presentations without annoying image rendering errors or complicated linked-path issues.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office suite for your operating system.
2. Open your presentation: Launch WPS Presentation and open your existing .pptx file. WPS will render the slides and images smoothly.
3. Edit and save: Make your necessary edits, securely embed your images, and save the file in .pptx format without losing any original formatting.

Fully compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx, .ppt) formatsEmbeds images securely to prevent missing picture errorsLightweight and fast installation on macOS and WindowsFree to use with a familiar, intuitive user interface

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my PowerPoint images suddenly show a red X?

This usually happens if the images were inserted as links rather than embedded in the file, and the original image files were moved, renamed, or deleted. It can also occur due to incomplete OneDrive syncing or temporary file corruption during saving.

How can I prevent pictures from disappearing in PowerPoint?

When inserting images, always select 'Insert' rather than 'Link to File'. You can also go to PowerPoint Preferences (or Options on Windows) > Advanced > Image Size and Quality, and ensure you are not discarding editing data or compressing images too aggressively, which can sometimes lead to rendering glitches.

Can I recover the red X images if I don't have the original files?

If the images were only linked and you no longer have the original files, you cannot recover them from the PowerPoint file itself. However, if the file was corrupted during a OneDrive sync, checking for lingering .tmp files in your OneDrive directory and renaming them to .pptx might restore the previous intact version.

Does this red X error happen in PowerPoint for the Web?

Yes. If the desktop version of PowerPoint failed to upload the embedded images properly to OneDrive, the web version will also display the red X because the source image data is missing from the cloud file.

Document & File Issues