File and Media Web Part
Benefits
- Makes content like training videos or PDFs accessible directly on the page
- Enhances user experience with embedded file previews
- Reduces the need for users to download files unnecessarily
- Keeps important resources front and center
- Supports a wide range of file types
Settings
- Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents: displayed with full inline previews
- PDFs: readable on the page; printing requires opening the file in a new window first
- Visio diagrams: viewable directly on the page
- Videos: play inline without leaving the page
- 3D models: displayed right on the page
- One exception: images are not supported; pictures belong in the Image web part
Limits and Nuances
- One file per web part: to present a whole set of documents, use the Document Library web part
- Files can come from across Microsoft 365: a recent file, the current site, an upload from your computer, a link, or approved company files under Your organization
- Files uploaded from your computer are stored in the Site Assets library: in a folder named after the page; they become a copy, separate from any document library version
- Display options vary by file type and size: an embedded Excel workbook offers different settings than a video, the display size is adjustable, and an optional description can sit under the web part
- It can react to a Document Library web part: connect the two and the embedded file changes based on what the user selects in the library
- Viewers need permission to the underlying file: embedding it on a page does not grant anyone access; there is also no audience targeting, so everyone who can view the page sees the same file
- The web part has been renamed over time: older documentation calls it the Document web part, and the toolbox may list it as File viewer
File and Media vs. the Alternatives
- File and Media vs. Document Library: one embedded file versus a browsable list of files; use the library web part when people need to work with many documents.
- File and Media vs. Image: pictures belong in the Image web part; File and Media does not accept image files at all.
- File and Media vs. Embed: the Embed web part brings in content from approved outside services; File and Media is for files stored in Microsoft 365.
- File and Media vs. Quick Links: Quick Links sends people to a file; File and Media shows the file itself. Link when it is reference material, embed when it must be read on the spot.
Common Questions About the File and Media Web Part
What is the File and Media web part in SharePoint?
It is the web part that embeds a single file – a Word document, Excel workbook, PowerPoint deck, Visio diagram, PDF, video, or 3D model – directly on a SharePoint page so people can read or watch it without downloading anything. It was previously called the Document web part, and some toolboxes list it as File viewer. Same web part, three names, one job.
Which file types does the File and Media web part support?
Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, PDFs, 3D models, and videos, among others. The notable exception is images – picture files are not supported, and the Image web part exists for exactly that purpose.
Where are files stored when I upload them to the web part?
Files uploaded from your computer are saved automatically to the site’s Site Assets library, inside a folder named after the page. That matters for governance: the file on the page is a copy living in Site Assets, not the version in your document library. If a document is actively maintained, insert it from its library instead of uploading, so the page always shows the current version.
Can people print the embedded file?
Yes, with one extra step for PDFs: the file first needs to be opened in a new window from the published page, and then printed from the browser window that opens. Printing directly from the inline preview is not available. Office files open in their online apps the same way, where the full set of print and download options lives.
Can the displayed file change based on what someone clicks?
Yes – this is one of the most underused tricks in SharePoint. Connect the File and Media web part to a Document Library web part on the same page, and the embedded preview updates to whichever file the user selects in the library. The result is a simple two-pane document browser – list on one side, live preview on the other – built entirely out-of-the-box, which is exactly how Greg Zelfond builds the document management designs on LookBook 365.
Why will the web part not accept my image?
Because image files are deliberately not supported in the File and Media web part – pictures belong in the Image web part, which adds cropping, overlay text, captions, links, and automatic alt text. For a set of photos, the Image Gallery web part is the right home. Keep File and Media for documents, videos, and models, and the page stays easier to maintain. File and Media Web Part Embedded Excel File and Media Web Part Embedded Visio File and Media Web Part Settings
