You want to display PDF policy documents directly on a SharePoint page so employees can read them without downloading or opening a separate program. The File Viewer Web Part in SharePoint lets you embed a PDF file inside a page, showing the full document with navigation controls. This setup works for any PDF hosted in a SharePoint document library. This article explains what the File Viewer Web Part does, what you need before using it, and the exact steps to add and configure it for your policy files.
Key Takeaways: Add a File Viewer Web Part for PDF Policies
- Edit page > Add a Web Part > File Viewer: Adds an embedded PDF viewer to any SharePoint page without custom code.
- Select the PDF file from a document library: The web part displays the file inline with page up/down and zoom controls.
- Set the web part height to 600px or more: Ensures the full document is readable without excessive scrolling.
What Is the File Viewer Web Part and What Do You Need Before Setup
The File Viewer Web Part is a built-in SharePoint component that displays supported file types directly on a page. Supported formats include PDF, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and image files. When you add this web part and point it to a PDF in a document library, visitors see the document inside the page with a toolbar for zooming, navigating pages, and downloading a copy.
Before you begin, confirm the following prerequisites:
- You have edit permissions on the SharePoint site where the page exists.
- The PDF file is uploaded to a document library on the same SharePoint site or a site in the same tenant.
- The PDF file is not checked out to another user, and the file is not encrypted or password-protected.
- Your browser supports the built-in PDF viewer (all modern browsers do).
No special licenses or admin approvals are needed. The web part is available in all SharePoint Online plans and SharePoint Server Subscription Edition.
Steps to Add and Configure the File Viewer Web Part for a PDF Policy
Follow these steps to place a PDF policy document on a SharePoint page using the File Viewer Web Part. The steps assume you are using the modern SharePoint page experience.
- Navigate to the target page
Go to the SharePoint site that contains the policy page. Open the site navigation and select the page you want to edit, or create a new page by clicking New > Page. - Enter edit mode
Click the Edit button at the top right of the page. The page switches to edit mode, showing editable sections and a toolbar. - Add the File Viewer Web Part
Click the plus (+) icon on the canvas where you want the PDF to appear. In the web part picker, type “File Viewer” in the search box. Select the File Viewer web part from the list. The web part placeholder appears on the page. - Choose the PDF file
In the web part property pane on the right, click Select a file. A file picker opens showing the document libraries on the current site. Browse to the library that contains your policy PDF, select the file, and click Open. The PDF displays immediately inside the web part. - Adjust the web part size
In the property pane, locate the Appearance section. Set the Height to a fixed value such as 600 pixels or choose “Fit to page” if you want the viewer to fill the available space. For a multi-page PDF, a height of 600 to 800 pixels gives a comfortable reading experience. - Configure toolbar options (optional)
In the property pane under File Viewer Settings, you can enable or disable the download button and the print button. By default both are shown. To prevent visitors from downloading the PDF, uncheck Show download button. To keep the toolbar minimal, uncheck Show print button as well. - Save and publish the page
Click Publish at the top right to make the changes visible to all site visitors. If the site uses major versioning, you can also click Save as draft and publish later.
After publishing, test the page by opening it in a private browser window. Verify that the PDF displays correctly, the page navigation works, and any disabled buttons are hidden.
Common Mistakes and Limitations When Using the File Viewer Web Part
The File Viewer Web Part works reliably for most PDF files, but some configurations cause unexpected behavior. Below are the most frequent issues and how to avoid them.
PDF file is not showing or shows a blank area
This usually happens when the PDF is stored in a library that requires extra permissions or when the file is corrupted. Verify that the PDF file opens correctly when you navigate directly to it in the browser. If it opens, check that the web part has not lost its file reference. In edit mode, select the web part and confirm the file path in the property pane. Re-select the file if the path is empty.
Visitors cannot scroll through the PDF
The web part has a fixed height. If the PDF is taller than the web part height, a scroll bar appears inside the web part. If the height is set too small, the viewer may show only a portion of the page. Increase the height in the property pane to at least 600 pixels. Do not rely on the browser window scroll bar to move through the PDF.
Download button is still visible after disabling it
The download button setting applies only to the web part toolbar. Visitors can still download the PDF by right-clicking the document and selecting Save as or by navigating directly to the file URL. To fully block downloads, set the library permissions to Read-only for visitors and remove the download option from the library settings. The web part setting is a convenience control, not a security measure.
File Viewer Web Part does not support PDF forms or fillable fields
The web part displays the PDF as a static image of each page. Interactive elements such as form fields, signatures, or embedded media do not work inside the viewer. If your policy PDF contains fillable forms, direct users to open the file in Adobe Acrobat or a PDF editor instead.
Web part shows an error message about file format
The File Viewer Web Part supports PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, and common image formats. If you try to load a different file type, such as a plain text file or a ZIP archive, the web part displays an error. Double-check that the selected file has a .pdf extension and is not a renamed file.
File Viewer Web Part vs Embed Web Part for PDFs
| Item | File Viewer Web Part | Embed Web Part |
|---|---|---|
| File source | Document library on the same SharePoint site | External URL or embed code from another service |
| PDF display quality | Renders PDF pages with native browser viewer | Depends on the embed code provider; often requires an iframe |
| Toolbar controls | Built-in zoom, page navigation, download, print | No built-in controls unless provided by the embed source |
| Permission inheritance | Respects SharePoint library permissions automatically | Does not enforce SharePoint permissions; anyone with the URL can view |
| Supported file types | PDF, Office documents, images | Any content that can be embedded via an iframe |
The File Viewer Web Part is the better choice for internal policy PDFs because it respects SharePoint permissions and provides a consistent viewing experience without extra configuration. Use the Embed Web Part only when you need to display a PDF from an external source such as a public policy repository.
You can now add a File Viewer Web Part to any SharePoint page and display your PDF policy documents inline. Start by uploading your policy PDF to a document library, then follow the steps above to embed it on the page. For a more advanced setup, consider grouping multiple policy PDFs into a single document library and using a list view web part to let users browse and select policies, with the File Viewer displaying the selected file.