SharePoint Document Issues

How to Fix SharePoint News Image Thumbnail Broken or Not Refreshing

Elise Williams Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to fix a SharePoint News image thumbnail that appears broken or does not update after re-uploading a new image file.

How to Fix SharePoint News Image Thumbnail Broken or Not Refreshing

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Updating or publishing a SharePoint News post where the thumbnail image fails to display correctly.
Observed behavior: The thumbnail image remains broken or fails to refresh even after the user successfully uploads a new PNG or JPG file.

Before you start

Ensure that your new image file is saved in a supported web format (PNG or JPG) and falls within the SharePoint file size limits before attempting to upload it again.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify and Clear Local Browser Cache

Check if the issue is caused by your web browser loading an older, cached version of the SharePoint News page.

Browsers often save website data locally to speed up loading times. This can cause you to see an outdated version of the SharePoint page, making it look like the image thumbnail hasn't updated.

Open a Private Browsing Window

Launch your web browser and open a new InPrivate window (Edge) or Incognito window (Chrome) to bypass the local cache entirely.

Navigate Back to SharePoint

Log in to your Microsoft 365 account within the private window and navigate to the affected SharePoint News page to see if the image thumbnail displays correctly.

Clear Browser Data

If the image loads correctly in the private window, return to your standard browser window, open your browser's settings, and clear your cached images and files.

Server Processing Time: SharePoint may take a few moments to process and propagate new image assets across its servers. Give it a minute or two before refreshing.

Solution 2

Escalate to Microsoft 365 Administrator

If local browser troubleshooting fails, the issue might require backend intervention via a Microsoft Support ticket.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my newly uploaded image not showing in SharePoint News?

This is typically caused by your web browser loading an older version of the page from its local cache, or there is a minor delay in SharePoint's backend servers processing the newly uploaded image asset.

What image formats are best for SharePoint News thumbnails?

Standard web formats like PNG and JPG are highly recommended. Ensure the images are saved in RGB color mode and are reasonably compressed to allow for faster web loading times.

How long does it take for a SharePoint thumbnail to refresh globally?

While it often updates immediately upon a hard refresh, it can sometimes take up to 15 to 30 minutes for edge caches to clear across Microsoft's Content Delivery Network (CDN).

Can I force a SharePoint thumbnail refresh without IT support?

Yes, you can try removing the image completely, publishing the page without an image, and then editing the page again to upload the new image file. This sometimes forces SharePoint to generate a brand new thumbnail.

Document & File Issues