SharePoint Document Issues

Fix SharePoint Files and Photos Not Displaying Correctly

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need to resolve an issue where photos transferred from OneDrive to SharePoint fail to display properly, showing an error or generic icon instead.

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Viewing images in a SharePoint library after downloading them from OneDrive and uploading them to the SharePoint site.
Observed behavior: The uploaded photos do not render correctly in the browser; an icon or error message is displayed instead of the expected image preview.

Before you start

Ensure you have a stable internet connection and temporarily disable any browser extensions that might block image rendering or interfere with SharePoint.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Local File Integrity and Format Compatibility

Check if the files were corrupted during the OneDrive transfer by testing them locally on your desktop.

Often, files downloaded from OneDrive in bulk might be interrupted, leading to incomplete or corrupted files. When uploaded to SharePoint, these incomplete files cannot generate a web preview and will display an error.

Download to Desktop

Select one of the problematic photos in SharePoint and download it back to your local computer.

Open with Local Viewer

Double-click the downloaded file to attempt opening it in your default desktop image viewer.

Record Exact Errors

If the file fails to open locally, write down the exact error message (e.g., 'File format is not supported' or 'File appears to be damaged'). This confirms the file was corrupted during the initial OneDrive download.

Identify Affected Formats

Right-click the file, select 'Properties', and check the file extension (like .jpg, .png, or .heic) to see if SharePoint is only struggling with specific image formats.

Re-syncing Files: If the files are corrupted locally, you will need to re-download them directly from the original OneDrive source, ensuring the download completes 100% before uploading them to SharePoint.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my SharePoint photos appear as generic icons instead of thumbnails?

This typically occurs if the file format is not supported by SharePoint's web previewer, the file extension is incorrect, or the image data was corrupted during the file transfer process.

Which image formats are supported for immediate preview in SharePoint?

SharePoint supports standard web image formats such as JPG, JPEG, PNG, and GIF. Specialized formats like HEIC or RAW files may not generate a preview and will require downloading to view locally.

How can I prevent files from corrupting when downloading from OneDrive?

Avoid downloading massive batches of files as a single ZIP if your internet connection is unstable. Instead, use the OneDrive desktop sync client to securely transfer files to your local drive before moving them to SharePoint.

Document & File Issues