SharePoint Document Issues

How to Display a SharePoint JPG Link as an Image Thumbnail in OneNote

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants a SharePoint JPG link to automatically display as an image thumbnail in OneNote, similar to how MP4 links currently behave.

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Pasting a link to a SharePoint-hosted JPG file into a OneNote notebook to create a quick visual reference.
Observed behavior: When pasting a SharePoint MP4 link, OneNote displays a thumbnail. However, pasting a SharePoint JPG link only displays a standard text hyperlink without an image preview.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to the original JPG file on SharePoint and have the OneNote desktop application installed, as the web version may lack certain manual insertion capabilities.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Download and Insert the Image Workaround

Since OneNote does not natively support generating thumbnails for SharePoint JPG links, you can manually insert the image and hyperlink it as a reliable workaround.

Currently, OneNote lacks out-of-the-box support to automatically fetch and render thumbnails for SharePoint image links. This method recreates the desired result by manually placing the image on your page.

Download the JPG file

Navigate to your SharePoint folder in a web browser, select the JPG file you want to use, and download it to your local computer.

Open OneNote Desktop

Launch the OneNote desktop application and navigate to the specific notebook page where you want the thumbnail to appear.

Insert the image

Click on the 'Insert' tab on the top ribbon, select 'Pictures', and choose the downloaded JPG file from your local drive.

Add the SharePoint hyperlink

Right-click the inserted image, select 'Link' from the context menu, and paste the original SharePoint URL into the address field. Clicking the image will now direct you to the SharePoint file.

File Printout Alternative: You can also choose 'File Printout' from the Insert tab if you prefer OneNote to handle the document as a printed attachment.

Solution 2

Submit Feature Feedback to Microsoft

If you frequently rely on this workflow, submitting direct feedback can encourage Microsoft to add native support for SharePoint JPG thumbnails in future updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do SharePoint MP4 links show thumbnails in OneNote but JPGs do not?

OneNote has specific built-in embedding scripts designed to recognize and preview video formats (like MP4) from trusted sources. It currently lacks the equivalent API integration to automatically render thumbnails from SharePoint image URLs.

Can I use OneNote for Web to manually insert the image workaround?

Yes, you can insert pictures via the web version, but the OneNote desktop application typically offers better stability and more advanced linking options (such as File Printout) for this specific workaround.

Is there a third-party add-in that automatically generates these image thumbnails?

Currently, there are no widely supported add-ins that fix this specific SharePoint link integration issue within OneNote. The manual insertion and hyperlinking method remains the most reliable solution.

Document & File Issues