Fix SharePoint Picture Columns Displaying Links Instead of Images
Question details
Users need to restore normal image rendering in SharePoint and Microsoft Lists where picture columns are incorrectly showing text links.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Viewing picture columns in the modern list view after a recent platform update.
- Observed behavior
- Images fail to render in modern list views and instead display as clickable links or URLs, although they continue to appear correctly in Gallery, Grid, and classic views.
Ensure you have the necessary list editing permissions in SharePoint (Site Owner or Member with Edit rights) to modify column settings and apply JSON formatting.
Use JSON Column Formatting to Restore Image Display
Applying explicit JSON code forces the column to render the field value as an image element rather than standard text.
This issue is often caused by a backend rendering bug in Microsoft's modern list view. By overriding the default display template with custom JSON, you can explicitly tell SharePoint to render the content as an image source.
Navigate to your SharePoint list and click the downward arrow next to the header of the affected Picture column.
Select 'Column settings' from the dropdown menu, and then click on 'Format this column'.
At the bottom of the right-hand formatting pane, click on the 'Advanced mode' link to allow custom code entry.
Paste a JSON snippet that defines an image element and sets its source attribute to the current field (e.g., {"$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/sp/v2/column-formatting.schema.json", "elmType": "img", "attributes": {"src": "@currentField"}}).
Click 'Save' to apply the new formatting, then refresh your modern list view page to confirm the images are rendering properly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my SharePoint picture columns suddenly turn into links?
This is a known rendering bug in SharePoint's modern list view, often triggered by backend updates from Microsoft. It affects the default display template for picture columns, causing them to fall back to raw URLs.
Does this rendering issue affect all views in Microsoft Lists?
No, the problem is typically isolated to the modern list view. Picture columns usually continue to render correctly in Gallery view, Grid view (Quick Edit), and the classic SharePoint experience.
Do I need coding experience to apply JSON formatting in SharePoint?
No advanced coding experience is required. You simply need to copy a standard JSON template for image rendering provided by Microsoft's documentation and paste it into the column's advanced formatting box.
Will applying JSON formatting affect the underlying image files?
No. Column formatting only changes how the data is displayed in your browser. It does not alter, move, or delete the actual image files stored in your SharePoint lists or document libraries.
