Document Editing Problems

How to Fix OneNote Pictures Showing as File Icons Instead of Images

Adam Davis Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to display inserted images directly on the OneNote page rather than having them appear as clickable file attachments.

How to Fix OneNote Pictures Showing as File Icons

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: Android, Web, PC
Scenario: Inserting image files into a notebook page.
Observed behavior: Pictures appear as filenames and file icons instead of displaying directly on the page, and clicking the item opens the image in an external application.

Before you start

Before proceeding, delete the existing file icon attachments from your OneNote page and ensure you know where the original image files are stored on your device.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the 'Insert Picture' Command Instead of 'File Attachment'

This solution ensures your images are rendered inline on the page by using the dedicated image insertion tool rather than the general file attachment tool.

When you use the 'Insert File' or 'File Attachment' option in OneNote, the software treats the image like any other document (such as a ZIP or PDF file), embedding it as an icon that requires an external app to open. To make the image visible directly on your notes, you must specifically tell OneNote that the file is a picture.

Navigate to the Insert Tab

Open your OneNote app on your PC, Web, or Android device. Click or tap on the exact location on the page where you want the image to appear, then select the 'Insert' tab on the top ribbon or toolbar.

Select the Picture Option

Instead of clicking 'File' or the paperclip icon, locate and click the 'Pictures' button (often represented by a small photograph icon). On mobile devices, this might just be a camera or gallery icon in the formatting bar.

Choose and Insert Your Image

Browse your local files or recent files list, select the desired image, and click 'Insert' or 'Open'. The image will now load and display directly on your OneNote page.

Use the 'Insert Picture' Command Instead of 'File Attachment'

Pro Tip: If you are using the PC version, you can also quickly drag and drop an image file directly from your File Explorer onto the OneNote page. When prompted, select 'Insert as Picture' rather than 'Attach File'.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Document Management

If you frequently encounter formatting or insertion issues in Microsoft Office products, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a highly compatible, free, and lightweight alternative that makes inserting and formatting images in your documents incredibly intuitive.

1. Open a Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open a new or existing document.
2. Insert an Image: Navigate to the 'Insert' tab and click 'Picture' to browse your device for the image.
3. Adjust Image Formatting: The image will appear inline automatically. You can click on it to easily resize or change its text-wrapping style.

Easily insert and manage inline images without confusing attachment options.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.Lightweight installation that runs smoothly on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.Familiar and intuitive user interface requires zero learning curve.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I convert an existing file icon in OneNote into an inline picture?

There is no direct button to convert a file attachment into an inline picture. You will need to delete the file icon from your page and re-insert the image using the Insert > Picture method.

Why do my PDFs also insert as icons instead of showing the document pages?

Similar to images, if you use the standard 'File Attachment' option, PDFs will display as clickable icons. To see the actual pages of the PDF in OneNote, you must use the 'File Printout' option located in the Insert tab.

Does inserting a picture inline take up more storage space than attaching it as a file?

No, both methods embed the file into your OneNote notebook, meaning they consume roughly the same amount of storage space. The only difference is how the application visually renders the file on your screen.

Why does the 'Insert Picture' option occasionally appear grayed out?

This usually happens if your cursor is placed inside a title box or a special container that does not support image insertion, or if the notebook is currently syncing and temporarily locked in a read-only state. Click into a standard text box area on the page to enable the option.

Document & File Issues