SharePoint Document Issues

Fix SharePoint Content-Type Templates Looking Different in Word for the Web

Guest Writer Oct 10, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users experience visual discrepancies in documents generated from SharePoint content types, where tables, styles, and content controls do not display correctly in the browser.

Fix SharePoint Content-Type Templates Looking Different in Word for the Web

Product: SharePoint / Microsoft Word for the Web
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating or viewing documents in Word for the Web that were generated from a local DOTX template via a SharePoint content type.
Observed behavior: Document elements such as tables, styles, or specific content controls appear broken, altered, or completely different in Word for the Web compared to the original template.

Before you start

Verify that you have the desktop version of Microsoft Word installed on your computer, as you will need it to test the document's native rendering capabilities.

Solution 1Recommended

Compare Template Formatting in Desktop Word

Since Word for the Web has specific feature limitations compared to the desktop client, opening the generated document in the desktop app helps verify if the issue is web-specific.

Office for the Web renders documents differently than the full desktop application to optimize for browser performance. Complex formatting, legacy content controls, and advanced table properties embedded in the original DOTX template may simply be unsupported in the online viewer.

Access the generated document

Navigate to the SharePoint document library where the newly generated document resides.

Open in Desktop App

Select the document, click on the three vertical dots (Show actions) next to the file name, select 'Open', and choose 'Open in app'.

Review the formatting

Once the document launches in the desktop version of Word, inspect the tables, styles, and content controls to confirm if they display as originally intended.

Compare Template Formatting in Desktop Word

Contact your Administrator: If the formatting issue still occurs in the desktop Word application, the template itself may be corrupted. Ask your Microsoft 365 administrator to open a support ticket for further investigation.

Solution 2

Implement an Organization Assets Library

An Organization Assets Library provides a centralized and more reliable workaround for managing and distributing customized DOTX templates across your tenant.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Maintain Flawless Document Formatting with WPS Office

If formatting differences between web and desktop platforms disrupt your workflow, consider using WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible desktop suite that ensures your templates, styles, and tables render consistently every time.

1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free desktop application for your operating system.
2. Open your template: Launch WPS Writer, go to 'Menu' > 'Open', and select your DOTX or DOCX template file.
3. Edit with consistency: Enjoy a robust editing experience where complex layouts and styles remain exactly as they were designed.

Seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word DOCX and DOTX formatsConsistent rendering of complex tables, styles, and layout controlsLightweight, fast, and completely free to useFamiliar user interface with zero learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do content controls disappear in Word for the Web?

Word for the Web is a streamlined version of the desktop application. Certain advanced content controls, complex tables, and legacy macros are not fully supported in the browser environment, causing them to render incorrectly or disappear entirely when viewed online.

How do I force SharePoint documents to always open in the desktop app?

You can change the default open behavior for a specific library. Go to the SharePoint library, click the Gear icon > 'Library settings' > 'More library settings'. Click on 'Advanced settings', and under 'Opening Documents in the Browser', select 'Open in the client application'.

Can I edit a DOTX template file directly within SharePoint?

While you can store DOTX files in SharePoint, clicking them usually generates a new DOCX document based on the template. To edit the actual template file itself, you should download the DOTX file to your computer, modify it in your desktop word processor, and re-upload it to overwrite the existing template in the library.

Document & File Issues