Opening network links from Excel.

Question

I open an Excel (.xlsx) sheet that contains multiple links to Word documents stored on a network drive. When I click a link, the Word document opens, but after scrolling down a few pages I receive the following error message: " There is not enough memory or disk space to display or print the pictures."

The rest of the document loads, but the embedded pictures do not display.

If I open the same Word document directly via its file path (without going through the Excel link), it opens correctly and all pictures display as expected.

This issue only occurs when accessing the Word documents through the links in Excel. It was working properly earlier last month. (beginning of November)

office version - Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2510 Build 16.0.19328.20266) 64-bit

Answer 1

The issue you're experiencing with embedded pictures not displaying correctly in Word documents opened through links in Excel could be related to how Excel handles hyperlinks to files on a network drive. When you open a Word document directly via its file path, it may bypass certain limitations or issues that arise when accessing the document through Excel's hyperlink functionality.

One potential cause of the error message "There is not enough memory or disk space to display or print the pictures" could be due to the way Office products create links to files, which often use the UNC path instead of the mapped drive path. This can sometimes lead to performance issues or errors when accessing files over a network.

To troubleshoot this issue, you can try the following steps:

1. Check Network Connection: Ensure that your connection to the network drive is stable and that there are no interruptions.
2. Use UNC Path: If possible, try inserting hyperlinks using the UNC path instead of the mapped drive path to see if that resolves the issue.
3. Update Office: Ensure that your Office applications are up to date, as updates may contain fixes for known issues.
4. Check Memory and Disk Space: Verify that your system has sufficient memory and disk space available, as this can affect performance when opening documents with embedded content.
5. Repair Office Installation: If the problem persists, consider repairing your Office installation through the Control Panel.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, it may be beneficial to consult Microsoft support for further assistance specific to your Office version and setup.

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References:

• Network Mapped Drive Hyperlinks resolve as UNC in Office Products

Answer 2

Hi @Micah Miller,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

I greatly appreciate your detailed sharing. Based on your information, this behavior is related to the way Office apps handle online paths and resources. When you open a Word file that stored in a network drive via Excel hyperlink, Word will see the document as being opened from "internet'/"protected" location. This can restrict access to linked or embedded resources like images.

Therefore, I suggest you can try following these steps to see if it helps resolve the situation:

1- Disable Protected View for those files

• In Word, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Protected View
• Uncheck the options "Enable...for files originating from the Internet" and 'Enable...for files located in potentially unsafe locations" and press OK to save the setting

• After that, restart Word and see if the issue persists

2- Add the file location to trusted location

• Using the same path to Trust Center Settings but this time select Trust Locations
• Select Add new location > add the network drive path and check the box of "Subfolders of this location is also trusted"

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, you can try the outlined steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to find a solution.   

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments so I can continue to support you.

I'm looking forward to your reply.

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