File Sharing Problems

Fix SharePoint Newsletter Links Losing Formatting When Forwarded

Tauseeq Magsi Sep 25, 2026 870 views

Question details

Users report that forwarding a SharePoint newsletter via email causes the links to appear smaller and the original layout to break or become distorted.

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Forwarding a formatted SharePoint newsletter to other recipients using an email client like Microsoft Outlook.
Observed behavior: The email client reflows the forwarded content, causing the newsletter to lose its original layout, disregard fixed dimensions, and shrink embedded links.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, verify that the original newsletter displays correctly in SharePoint and check if the recipients are viewing the email on mobile or desktop devices, as screen size can exacerbate layout reflows.

Solution 1Recommended

Share the Original SharePoint Link

The most reliable way to maintain formatting is to send the direct link to the newsletter rather than forwarding the HTML email.

Email clients rely on unique rendering engines that often ignore fixed HTML layouts and object dimensions during forwarding. By sending the source URL, recipients view the newsletter exactly as intended in their web browser.

Copy the newsletter URL

Open your newsletter in SharePoint and copy the direct URL from your web browser's address bar or via the built-in 'Share' button.

Compose a new email

Open Outlook and create a completely new email draft instead of using the 'Forward' function on the existing newsletter.

Paste and send

Paste the copied SharePoint link into the new email body, add a brief message, and send it to your recipients.

Best Practice: Sending the link ensures everyone is looking at the most up-to-date version of the newsletter while completely bypassing email client rendering issues.

Solution 2

Forward Using a Web-Based Email Client

Web-based email clients often handle HTML forwarding more accurately than rigid desktop applications.

Solution 3

Export the Newsletter to PDF

Convert the newsletter into a static document format if the visual layout must be strictly preserved without requiring viewers to log into SharePoint.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Document Sharing

If you frequently encounter layout disruptions and formatting issues when sharing files within the Microsoft ecosystem, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly compatible, lightweight alternative that excels at preserving document layouts and easily exporting files to PDF for reliable sharing via email.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free Office suite.
2. Open existing files: Seamlessly open your existing Microsoft Office files without worrying about layout disruptions.
3. Export as PDF: Use the built-in PDF export feature to lock your document's formatting securely before sending it to others.

Free and lightweight Office suite for everyday document creation.High format compatibility with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.Built-in PDF conversion to lock layouts and prevent formatting loss during email forwarding.Familiar user interface for a zero-learning-curve migration.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do email clients change the layout of forwarded emails?

Email clients like Microsoft Outlook use their own internal rendering engines to display HTML content. When you forward an email, the client often reflows the text, resizes embedded objects, and enforces new page-width limits, which disrupts the original fixed layout.

Can I lock the formatting of a SharePoint newsletter in Outlook?

You cannot lock HTML formatting against an email client's rendering rules once it is forwarded. The most effective workarounds are sharing the direct SharePoint web link or exporting the page as a PDF file.

Where can I report these formatting issues to Microsoft?

If the formatting loss is significantly impacting your workflow, you can report this reproducible behavior directly to the development team through the official SharePoint Feedback portal.

Document & File Issues