Insert pictures into templates

In Shared Email Templates for Microsoft Outlook

In Shared Email Templates, you can insert pictures from OneDrive, SharePoint, and URLs, or add pictures directly to the HTML code by using the <img> tag. You can also insert your profile photo from Azure Active Directory.

To get a quick Insert Pictures cheat sheet, click the button below.

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How to use images in email templates for Outlook

How to use images in Outlook email templates

Check out how easy it is to add pictures to templates, whether it's an image from a web link, a picture from OneDrive, or your profile photo from Azure AD.

Run time: 03:08

Before you start

Before adding images in Shared Email Templates, read the notes below.

  • To avoid signing in to your Microsoft account each time you insert images from OneDrive or SharePoint, turn on the single sign-on feature.
  • When inserting a picture from OneDrive with the InsertPicture macro in a template that is shared with other users, make sure that your teammates have access to the corresponding file or folder in OneDrive. For example, you can create a special folder in your OneDrive, share it with all your teammates, and collect all the images you share in templates there. For detailed information on managing access in OneDrive, visit the Share OneDrive files and folders page on the Microsoft Support website.
  • When inserting a picture from SharePoint with the InsertPicture macro in a template that is shared with other users, make sure that your teammates have access to the corresponding file or folder in SharePoint. For detailed information on managing access in SharePoint, visit the Share SharePoint files or folders page on the Microsoft Support website.
  • When you use a template containing the InsertPicture macro, the add-in transfers the chosen file directly from your OneDrive or SharePoint to your computer.
  • When you use a template containing the InsertPicture macro to insert an image from SharePoint, you have to be logged in to SharePoint so that the macro has access to the file.
  • Inserting images from SharePoint with the InsertPicture macro won't work on free accounts, such as Outlook.com, as they do not have SharePoint.
  • When inserting a picture from a URL with the InsertPicture macro in a template that is shared with other users, make sure that your teammates have access to the specified URL.

  • If you see an error message saying that your attached picture can't be added, please check the size of the picture and try to decrease it.

Insert a picture from a URL

  1. On the template editor toolbar, click the Insert picture button.
    The Insert picture button
  2. Select Insert Picture from URL.
    Insert Picture from URL
  3. Enter the address of the picture you're going to insert.

    Note. Do not use a link to a picture stored in OneDrive or SharePoint. For example, you might want to open a picture in a browser, copy its address from the address bar, and paste it into the Insert picture dialog. This won't work. Or you might want to copy a link to a picture while sharing it in OneDrive and paste it into the Insert picture dialog. This won't work either.

    Set the size of the picture and add the link URL and the link title if you want to. If you decide not to set the size of the picture, the original dimensions will be kept. When you're done, click OK.
    The Insert picture dialog

    Note. With the selected As a hidden attachment checkbox, the picture will be downloaded, attached to an email, and displayed in the message body, but it won't be shown as an attachment. Even if the picture address is modified or the source picture is deleted, the picture will stay displayed in a sent email.

    Tip. With the Insert nested macro button, you can open a list of macros that can be nested and select the one you need.

    Select if you want to nest a macro.

  4. A fillable field shown with the InsertPicture macro placeholder will appear in your template. Select the Save button.
    A sample template containing the InsertPicture macro placeholder

Insert a picture from OneDrive

  1. On the template editor toolbar, click the Insert picture button.
    The Insert picture button
  2. Select Insert Picture from OneDrive.
    Insert Picture from OneDrive
  3. Select a picture you want to insert.
    Select a picture.

    Tip. You can also upload a picture from your local storage to OneDrive and then insert it.

  4. You can set the size of the picture. Otherwise, its original dimensions will be kept. You can also add the link URL and the link title, or you can leave these fields empty. When you're done, click OK.
    The Insert picture dialog
  5. The InsertPicture macro placeholder will be added to your template. Select the Save button.
    A sample template containing the InsertPicture macro placeholder

Insert a picture from SharePoint

  1. On the template editor toolbar, click the Insert picture button.
    The Insert picture button
  2. Select Insert Picture from SharePoint.
    Insert Picture from SharePoint
  3. Select a picture you want to use.
    Select a picture.

    Tip. You can also upload a picture from your local storage to SharePoint and then insert it.

  4. You can set the size of the picture and specify the link URL and the link title. If you do not enter the width and the height of the picture, the original dimensions of the picture will be kept. Click OK.
    The Insert picture dialog
  5. In your template, you'll see the InsertPicture macro placeholder. Select the Save button.
    A sample template containing the InsertPicture macro placeholder

Insert a profile photo from Azure Active Directory

  1. On the template editor toolbar, click the Insert picture button.
    The Insert picture button
  2. Select Insert Photo from Azure AD.
    Insert Photo from Azure AD
  3. Via the Insert photo dialog, you can set the size of the photo and enter the link URL and the link title. This is optional. If you do not specify the width and the height, the original dimensions will be kept. Click OK.
    The Insert photo dialog

    Tip. With the Insert nested macro button, you can open a list of macros that can be nested and select the one you need.

    Select if you want to nest a macro.

  4. The InsertPicture macro placeholder will appear in your template. Select the Save button.
    A sample template containing the InsertPicture macro placeholder

Add an image in HTML

  1. On the template editor toolbar, click the View HTML button.
    The View HTML button
  2. Enter the <img> tag along with the URL and the size of an image.

    For example, if the image, say, logo.png, is at https://cdn.company.com/ and you want it to be 150px wide and 80px high, the HTML code will be as follows:

    <img src="https://cdn.company.com/logo.png" width="150" height="80">

  3. When you're done, click OK.

    Sample HTML

  4. If you want to keep the original dimensions of the image, you can leave out the width and the height, and the HTML code will look like this:

    <img src="https://cdn.company.com/logo.png">

    You can also enter the desired size of the image in percentage:

    <img src="https://cdn.company.com/logo.png" width="80%" height="80%">

Note. If you use the <img> tag in a template that is shared with other users, make sure that your teammates have access to the specified URL.

Single sign-on (SSO) for OneDrive and SharePoint

If you have only one OneDrive account that is the same as your Microsoft 365 Outlook account, you can take advantage of single sign-on to avoid entering or confirming your credentials each time you insert images from OneDrive or SharePoint.

With single sign-on, you'll need to accept required permissions only once. After that, all images will be inserted without any additional pop-ups.

Disable SSO

The single sign-on feature is turned on by default. If you need to insert images from different OneDrive accounts, turn single sign-on off:

  • Go to the More menu, and then select Profile.
    The Profile option on the More menu
  • Click Edit Account.
    The Edit Account button
  • Clear the checkbox next to Use single sign-on (SSO) where possible. Then save the changes.
    The Use single sign-on (SSO) where possible checkbox

Important notes

Note. The single sign-on feature:

  • Is not supported in the web app. It is available only in the Outlook add-in (desktop or online).
  • Is available only if your Outlook provides mailbox API 1.9 and higher.
  • Works in Microsoft 365 accounts only and isn't supported in free accounts, such as Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, or gmail.com.

You might see an error message in red below the Use single sign-on (SSO) where possible checkbox. In most cases, the message is related to one of the points mentioned above.

However, if you see the "SSO is not supported in your current add-in version" message, most probably, you simply need to wait a bit till the app is updated in your account. The speed of this process depends on Microsoft, and we can't influence it.

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