Link vs News Link vs Link to a Document

Note

This is an open-source article with the community providing support for it. For official Microsoft content, see Microsoft 365 documentation.

SharePoint Online provides several ways to link to web-hosted content. You can use hyperlinks in Text web parts, Quick Links, Hero, Call to Action, and more. In lists and libraries, Hyperlink columns are available. For automatic redirection, SharePoint offers three primary features: Link, News Link, and Link to a Document.

While these features are similar, each has unique characteristics and behaviors. This article outlines their differences to help you select the best option for your scenario. All capabilities discussed are based on out-of-the-box SharePoint Online functionality; additional scenarios may be possible with custom code or automation.

After creating a SharePoint Online site (Team or Communication), you can add a Link in any document library, including default libraries like "Site Pages" and "Documents." This feature is also available in any new library you create.

When adding a Link, you enter the URL of the target page or document. You can link to internal or external content and optionally use a picker to select files from your tenant.
For more information about using the Link functionality, see Add a link in a document library

Creating a web link from Site Pages library Creating a document link from a document library

Creating a Link generates a .url file which is a shortcut that opens the specified URL. The link is embedded in the file, not stored as metadata. It is stored in a portable format that opens the link in SharePoint and also on desktop operating systems such as Windows and Mac OS if downloaded. The format of the file is:

[InternetShortcut]
URL=https://www.example.comi9k

The Link is assigned the library’s default content type (e.g., "Document" or "Site Page"). You cannot customize the New Form for a Link; metadata can be edited after creation using the edit form or properties panel.

Creating a link where custom content types have been used

Link in Highlighted Content Web Part

Links display a generic browser icon and use the file name as the card title. For better usability, rename Link files to meaningful names. Author and date reflect the Link file, not the original content.

Note

Clicking a Link in Highlighted Content opens a view item page, but displays as a warning and requires extra user interaction to navigate to the Link.

Clicking a Link from a Highlighted Content Web Part

Links appear with a browser icon and the .url filename. As with the Highlighted Content Web Part, clicking a Link from a search result opens a view form; displaying a warning and users must click "Open" to proceed.

Clicking a Link from a Search Result

Link files cannot be published as news and do not appear in the News web part.

News Link allows you to link to any web page and publish it as news in SharePoint Online (Promoted State = 2). This is ideal for sharing external or internal news articles.

News Links are created from the site home page or News web part, not from the Site Pages library.

Creating a new News Link

When creating a News Link, SharePoint attempts to populate the preview image, title, and description from the target page’s metadata. These fields can be edited as needed.
For more information, see Create and share news on your SharePoint sites.

A News Link creates an .aspx file with the "Repost Page" content type, which inherits from "Site Page." These work seamlessly with News and Highlighted Content web parts and redirect users directly to the target page.

News Link as a Repost Page content type with Promoted State equal to 2 News Link in web parts

News Links are intended for news scenarios. While the Promoted State can be changed via code or automation, there is no out-of-the-box method to treat a News Link as non-news content.

Link to a Document is a classic SharePoint feature. To use it, add the "Link to a Document" content type to your library.

Adding Link to a Document to a library

Create a Link to a Document from the New menu. Enter the name and URL (internal or external). If your content type includes additional metadata, it can be edited after creation.

New Link to a Document New Form for Link to a Document New Form for Link to a Document with custom properties

This feature creates an .aspx file, which acts as a SharePoint-only redirect. These files can't be used as shortcuts outside SharePoint. The .aspx files can be awkward to see in a document library since you typically only see them in Site Pages libraries.

Link to a Document as an aspx file in a document library

By default, Link to a Document items may not appear in Highlighted Content web parts unless you adjust the source or filter settings.

Link to a Document in Highlighted Content Web Part

In search results, Link to a Document displays the specified name and redirects directly to the target without seeing an interim view item page.

Link to a Document in search results

Summary

Feature Link News Link Link to a Document
File Type .url .aspx .aspx
Where to Create Any document library Site home/News web part Library with content type
Redirects To Target URL Target URL Target URL
Appears in News Web Part No Yes No
Appears in Highlighted Content Yes (with limitations) Yes Yes (with configuration)
Appears in Search Yes Yes Yes
Usable Outside SharePoint Yes No No
Custom Metadata Support After creation Yes Yes
  • Link: Best for simple shortcuts in libraries, portable outside SharePoint.
  • News Link: Best for sharing news articles (internal/external) in News web parts.
  • Link to a Document: Best for classic scenarios needing custom metadata and SharePoint-only redirects.

Principal author: Brian P. McCullough