Fix SharePoint Highlighted Content Web Part Missing Documents When Sorted by Title
Question details
Documents are missing from the SharePoint Highlighted Content web part when sorting by Title, despite displaying correctly when sorted by Newest.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user is trying to display and sort documents alphabetically by Title using the Highlighted Content web part on SharePoint pages.
- Observed behavior
- Some documents disappear entirely from the web part when the sorting is changed to Title. Manually reindexing the site and document library fails to resolve the issue.
Ensure that you have site collection administrator privileges and have already tried manually reindexing the document library before concluding this is a backend failure.
Escalate the Issue to Microsoft 365 Support
Because reindexing does not fix this specific sorting bug, a Microsoft 365 administrator must open a formal support ticket for a backend investigation.
This issue is typically caused by backend sorting and indexing discrepancies within SharePoint Online that often occur after system updates. Standard user-level troubleshooting, such as reindexing the library or site, generally does not resolve it.
To fix this, Microsoft engineers need to investigate your specific tenant directly. You will need a Microsoft 365 administrator to initiate a service ticket.
Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center using your administrator credentials.
On the left-hand navigation menu, click on 'Show all', then select 'Support' and click on 'Help & support'.
Type 'Highlighted Content Web Part missing documents when sorted by title' into the search box and press Enter.
Bypass the automated suggestions by selecting 'Contact support' at the bottom to open a formal service ticket with Microsoft.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my SharePoint documents only show up when sorted by Newest?
This is often due to a known caching or backend indexing issue in SharePoint Online where title-based metadata fails to properly sync with the Highlighted Content web part. It typically requires Microsoft's backend intervention to correct.
Will reindexing the SharePoint library fix missing documents in the web part?
Reindexing forces SharePoint to recrawl all documents in the library. While it fixes many general search-related issues, it typically does not resolve this specific Highlighted Content sorting bug.
How long does it take for Microsoft Support to fix a SharePoint backend issue?
Resolution times vary depending on your Microsoft 365 support plan and the complexity of the backend sync issue. Support engineers will typically contact you within 24 hours of opening a ticket.
Can I use a different web part to display my documents in the meantime?
Yes, as a reliable workaround, you can use the standard Document Library web part to display your files. It usually bypasses the sorting bugs found specifically in the Highlighted Content web part.
