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Fix SharePoint Designer 2013 Cannot Open SharePoint 2019 Sites

Huda Qurayshi Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing an issue where SharePoint Designer 2013 intermittently fails to open certain sites on a SharePoint Server 2019 farm, incorrectly reporting them as non-SharePoint sites.

How to Fix SharePoint Designer 2013 Cannot Open SharePoint 2019 Sites

Product: SharePoint Designer 2013
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Connecting to and editing an on-premises SharePoint Server 2019 site using SharePoint Designer 2013.
Observed behavior: SharePoint Designer 2013 intermittently reports that it cannot edit non-SharePoint sites, preventing access to certain sites even after clearing the application cache or reinstalling.

Before you start

Ensure you have the exact version numbers of your SharePoint Server, Windows Server, SQL Server, and SharePoint Designer handy, as these details are crucial for diagnosing on-premises farm connection issues.

Solution 1Recommended

Escalate On-Premises Farm Issues to Microsoft Q&A

Since this is a complex issue specific to on-premises SharePoint Server 2019 farms, the most effective resolution path is consulting Microsoft server specialists.

SharePoint Designer connection failures on on-premises setups often relate to specific farm configurations, IIS authentication settings, or server-side routing issues that cannot be fixed by troubleshooting the client application alone.

Collect server environment details

Document your specific environment details, including the exact build versions of SharePoint Server 2019, Windows Server, and SQL Server.

Note the exact error

Copy the exact error message or capture a screenshot of the error prompt in SharePoint Designer 2013 when the site fails to open.

Navigate to Microsoft Support

Go to the Microsoft Q&A platform in your web browser and search for the 'SharePoint Server' section.

Post your detailed query

Submit a new question detailing the intermittent connection issue, explicitly stating that it involves an on-premises SharePoint Server 2019 farm rather than SharePoint Online.

Provide Farm Details: Providing comprehensive farm architecture and error details in your initial post will significantly speed up the troubleshooting process with Microsoft engineers.

Solution 2

Clear SharePoint Designer 2013 Cache

Although the user noted this might not fully resolve the intermittent issue, clearing the local application cache remains a necessary preliminary step to rule out corrupted temporary files.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SharePoint Designer 2013 say my site is not a SharePoint site?

This error often occurs due to authentication mismatches, corrupted local application caches, or specific IIS configuration issues on the SharePoint Server 2019 farm preventing the client from recognizing the site structure.

Is SharePoint Designer 2013 fully compatible with SharePoint Server 2019?

Yes, SharePoint Designer 2013 is the last version released and is officially supported for connecting to SharePoint Server 2019 for custom workflow and site design, though certain modern site features may not be fully supported.

Where can I find the SharePoint Server version for my support ticket?

You can find your farm's build version by opening the SharePoint Central Administration site, navigating to 'System Settings', and clicking on 'Manage servers in this farm'.

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