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How to Fix SharePoint Link Web Part Not Showing PDF Preview
Question details
The user wants to display a PDF preview and file description on a SharePoint page, but the embedded Link web part is only showing the document library name and domain.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Embedding a PDF file on a SharePoint site page using web parts for team viewing.
- Observed behavior
- The Link web part fails to generate a visual PDF preview or show the file description, displaying only the domain and document library path instead.
Ensure you have the necessary Edit permissions for the SharePoint site page where you want to embed and display the PDF document.
Use the File Viewer Web Part to Display PDF Previews
Since the Link web part does not support file previews or custom descriptions for hosted PDFs, using the File viewer web part is the standard method to embed and preview documents natively on SharePoint pages.
The Link web part is optimized for external web links and page routing. When pointed at a specific file like a PDF, it cannot extract thumbnails and defaults to showing the structural path.
To achieve a rich document display, Microsoft SharePoint offers the File viewer web part, which securely embeds the actual PDF file directly on your page.
Navigate to the SharePoint site page where you want to display the PDF. Click the 'Edit' button located in the top right corner of the page.
Hover your mouse over or below an existing web part to reveal the '+' icon. Click it to open the web part toolbox, search for 'File viewer', and select it.
A file picker window will appear. Choose 'Recent', 'Site', or 'Upload' to locate your target PDF file. Select the document and click 'Open' to embed it.
Because the File viewer does not have a built-in description field, click the '+' icon directly above or below the viewer to add a 'Text' web part for your instructions. Once finished, click 'Republish' to save the page.
View and Edit PDF Documents Easily with WPS Office
While SharePoint handles your online team collaboration, you still need a reliable desktop application to view, edit, and manage your PDF files before uploading them to the cloud. WPS Office provides a lightweight, comprehensive, and highly compatible Office suite with built-in advanced PDF editing capabilities.
- 1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free suite and install it on your computer.
- 2. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office and open your PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, or PowerPoint presentations.
- 3. Edit and Save: Make any necessary edits or annotations to your files, save them locally, and upload the finalized versions to your SharePoint document library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the SharePoint Link web part only show the domain name?
The Link web part is primarily designed to handle standard web pages and external hyperlinks. When pointed directly to a file like a PDF, it cannot parse the internal document contents to generate a thumbnail preview, so it defaults to showing the hosting domain and library path.
Can I add a custom description directly to the File viewer web part?
No, the File viewer web part itself only acts as a window to display the document. To add a custom description or provide user instructions, you should add a standard Text web part directly above or below the File viewer web part on your page.
Which file types are supported by the SharePoint File viewer web part?
The File viewer web part supports a wide variety of file types beyond PDFs, including Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, Visio diagrams, and many standard 3D models and image formats.
