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Web Part

Web parts are the building blocks of modern SharePoint pages: reusable components that page authors drop into sections to add text, images, news, documents, lists, events, and dozens of other content types without any code. Microsoft ships a large set out-of-the-box, and organizations can add custom ones through the SharePoint Framework. Each web part is configured through a simple property pane, and many support audience targeting so the same page can show different content to different groups of employees.
Related Features
Dynamic Filtering, Page, Page Sections, Section Columns, Vertical Section
See It In Action

Common Use Cases

  • Page layout and storytelling: combine text, images, and visuals to create engaging pages
  • News and announcements: display news posts, highlights, and important updates
  • Content aggregation: roll up documents, pages, or news from multiple sites
  • Navigation and wayfinding: add quick links, buttons, and call-to-action elements
  • Data visualization: show lists, events, calendars, or embedded reports

Benefits

  • No-code page building: authors assemble rich pages by dropping parts into sections and configuring a property pane, with no developer involved
  • Dozens of options out-of-the-box: text and media, news rollups, navigation, lists, events, and Microsoft 365 integrations ship with every tenant
  • Responsive by design: modern web parts reflow automatically for desktop, tablet, phone, and the SharePoint mobile app
  • Audience targeting built in: the same page can show different content to different Microsoft 365 Groups without building separate pages
  • Extensible when needed: the SharePoint Framework lets organizations add custom and third-party web parts through the App Catalog
  • Instant publishing: authors edit and republish a page in minutes, with no deployment cycle between author and reader

How It Works

  • Everything is a web part: text, images, news feeds, document libraries, lists, and embedded apps are all placed and arranged as web parts within sections
  • Property pane configuration: each web part has its own pane where authors set layout, content source, and behavior, no code required
  • Modern web parts only: pages are built entirely from the modern web part toolbox
  • Audience targeting: many web parts can show different content to different Microsoft 365 Groups on the same page
  • Full glossary available: every individual web part is documented in detail in the LookBook 365 Web Parts glossary; this page covers the concept that ties them together

Limits and Nuances

  • Performance budget: too many web parts slow page load, and rollup parts that query other sites (Highlighted content, News) cost the most
  • Permissions still apply: users only see items they already have access to, so a missing document or news post is usually a permissions issue
  • Targeting is not security: audience targeting hides content from the page; it does not protect the underlying content from access
  • Fixed capabilities: if the property pane does not offer an option, an out-of-the-box web part cannot do it without custom development
  • Custom code needs governance: third-party and custom web parts run code on your pages; review and approve them before an admin deploys them through the tenant App Catalog
  • Context-dependent availability: some web parts, such as Group calendar and Connectors, are available only on group-connected team sites
  • Consistency beats variety: mixing many different web part styles on one page hurts usability; standardize a small, consistent set per page type
  • Section fit matters: wide parts struggle in the vertical section, and full-width sections support only a limited subset of web parts

Common Questions About Web Parts

What exactly is a web part in SharePoint?

A web part is a reusable building block that a page author adds to a modern SharePoint page to display a specific kind of content or functionality – a block of text, an image gallery, a news feed, a document library view, a list of events, an embedded video. Authors arrange web parts inside page sections and configure each one through a simple property pane, all without writing code.

How many web parts does SharePoint include out-of-the-box?

Microsoft ships several dozen modern web parts covering text and media, content rollups, navigation, data, and Microsoft 365 integrations, and the lineup evolves as features are added and retired. Rather than memorizing the list, browse the Toolbox on any page in edit mode – or see the LookBook 365 Web Parts glossary, where every available web part is documented individually with its uses and settings.

Can we build or buy custom web parts?

Yes. Custom web parts are built with the SharePoint Framework and deployed through your tenant’s App Catalog, and many vendors sell ready-made ones for charts, navigation, and integrations. The trade-off is governance: custom code runs in every visitor’s browser, needs review before approval, and must be maintained as SharePoint evolves. Many organizations get surprisingly far with the out-of-the-box set alone.

Why do some users see different content in the same web part?

Two common reasons. First, web parts respect permissions – a document, page, or news post only appears for users who have access to it, so gaps usually trace back to permissions. Second, audience targeting may be on, deliberately showing items only to selected Microsoft 365 Groups. Remember that targeting only filters what displays; it does not secure the underlying content.

Do web parts work on mobile devices?

Yes – modern web parts are responsive by design, and pages built with them automatically reflow for phones and tablets, including in the SharePoint mobile app. Sections stack vertically on small screens, with the vertical section moving below the main content. The main mobile caveat is ordering: check how the page reads when everything stacks, since side-by-side layouts become top-to-bottom.

Is there a limit to how many web parts a page can have?

There is no hard cap, but performance sets a practical one – every web part adds rendering work, and rollup parts that query other sites add the most. Pages that try to show everything load slowly and overwhelm readers. The intranet homepages Greg, the SharePoint Maven, features on LookBook 365 typically succeed with a focused set of well-chosen web parts rather than a crowded canvas.