Others

How to Fix Blank PDF Attachments in Power Automate Emails

Guest Writer Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to fix an issue where PDF files attached to emails via a Power Automate flow are completely blank when opened by the recipient.

How to Fix Blank PDF Attachments in Power Automate Emails

Product: Microsoft Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sending an automated email with a PDF attachment sourced from SharePoint using a Power Automate flow.
Observed behavior: The email successfully arrives with the attached PDF file, but the resulting document displays as a blank page instead of showing the actual content.

Before you start

Verify that the original PDF file stored in SharePoint contains the correct data and is not corrupted or inherently blank before troubleshooting the flow.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the 'Get File Content' Action to Pass Dynamic Content

Configure your flow to fetch the actual binary data of the PDF instead of mistakenly passing the file path or name as the attachment content.

The most common reason for blank attachments in Power Automate is mapping the 'Attachment Content' field to the file's path or name properties. Email clients cannot render a file path into a document, resulting in a blank PDF. By adding a 'Get file content' step, you ensure the actual file data is embedded in the email.

Edit Your Power Automate Flow

Add the 'Get file content' Action

Insert a new action right before your email step. Search for and select the SharePoint 'Get file content' action. Select your Site Address and use the dynamic 'Identifier' output from your previous SharePoint step (like 'Get file metadata' or 'Create file').

Map the Attachment Content

Expand the 'Send an email' action and navigate to the Attachments section. Set the Attachment Name (ensure you type '.pdf' at the end of the name) and map the 'Attachment Content' field strictly to the dynamic 'File Content' generated by the 'Get file content' action.

Use the 'Get File Content' Action to Pass Dynamic Content

Verification: Save and manually trigger the flow to test it. The recipient should now receive a fully rendered PDF.

Solution 2

Consult the Power Automate Community for Custom Flows

If the issue persists in complex or highly customized flows, engaging with specialized community experts can help identify obscure configuration errors.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Read and Verify PDF Attachments Effortlessly with WPS Office

While Microsoft Power Automate handles your complex automated workflows, checking your generated PDF and document outputs requires a fast and reliable tool. WPS Office offers a free, lightweight suite to seamlessly open, view, and edit PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations.

1. Download the Software: Visit the official WPS Office website to download and install the free suite on your device.
2. Open Your Email Attachment: Download the PDF attachment generated by your Power Automate flow directly to your local computer.
3. View with WPS PDF: Right-click the saved file and select 'Open with WPS Office' to quickly verify the correct content has been rendered.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office document formats and standard PDF files.Lightweight architecture ensures large PDF files open instantly without system lag.Built-in PDF toolkit allows you to easily read, annotate, edit, and compress your attachments.Enjoy a familiar user interface that makes transitioning from Microsoft Office completely seamless.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Power Automate send my SharePoint file as a blank document?

This happens when the flow maps the attachment's content field to metadata, such as the file's path or name, rather than the binary data of the file itself. Adding a 'Get file content' step and mapping its output directly to the attachment content resolves this.

Can I attach multiple PDFs from SharePoint in a single Power Automate email?

Yes. You need to initialize an array variable at the start of your flow, loop through the desired files using 'Get file content' for each, append the file name and dynamic file content to the array, and then pass that array into the email's attachment field.

Is the file extension necessary in the attachment name field?

Yes, absolutely. You must explicitly include '.pdf' at the end of your attachment name in the 'Send an email' action. If the extension is missing, the recipient's operating system will not know which program to use to open the file, resulting in format errors.

What should I do if the 'Get file content' step fails with a file lock error?

A file lock error occurs if the document is currently opened or being actively edited by a user in SharePoint. Ensure that the file is fully checked in and closed before the Power Automate flow is triggered.

Office Quick Solutions