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Fix Picture Content Controls in Repeating Word Sections via Power Automate

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where a picture content control inside a repeating Word section displays raw code instead of an image when populated via a Power Automate flow.

Product: Microsoft Word, Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Populating a Word template containing repeating sections and picture content controls using a Power Automate flow.
Observed behavior: The text content controls populate correctly, but the picture control in the repeating section renders as code. The same picture control works perfectly when placed outside the repeating section.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to the original Word template (.docx) with the developer tab enabled. Check your Power Automate flow's run history to confirm the raw image data is being successfully retrieved before it is passed to the Word connector.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Image Base64 Data and Property Mapping

Ensure the data passed from Power Automate is properly formatted as base64 and correctly mapped to the repeating section's picture control.

In many cases, the Word connector fails to render images if the base64 string is malformed or if the mapping within the JSON payload does not strictly match the repeating section's array structure.

Inspect Dynamic Content

Open your Power Automate flow and navigate to the 'Populate a Microsoft Word template' action to check the dynamic content being passed.

Validate Base64 Format

Verify that the image content being passed is a valid, clean base64 string without unsupported headers, or ensure it is an explicitly supported image format.

Check Array Mapping

Ensure the picture control inside the repeating section maps exactly to the correct property within the array in your flow's JSON payload.

Test with Known Data

Test the flow with a single record using a known, valid base64 image string to isolate whether the issue is with the data source or the template.

Connector Limitations: If the issue persists, the standard Word connector may have limitations parsing binary image data specifically within repeating section arrays.

Solution 2

Move Picture Control Outside the Repeating Section

If connector limitations prevent images from rendering inside repeating sections, you may need to redesign the template layout.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Word picture content control show base64 code instead of an image?

This usually happens when the image data passed via Power Automate is not formatted correctly, lacks the proper content type header, or is placed inside a repeating section that the connector struggles to parse as binary data.

Can I use Power Automate to populate images in a Word repeating section?

While text controls generally work flawlessly in repeating sections, picture content controls have known limitations in standard Power Automate Word connectors. This sometimes requires premium connectors, specific JSON formatting, or custom API solutions.

How do I enable the Developer tab in Word to edit content controls?

Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon, and check the box next to 'Developer' in the right pane. This will give you access to insert, edit, and configure Content Controls like repeating sections and picture placeholders.

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