When I attempt to share a completed Sway with myself at another email address as a test, the link I receive takes me to the "storyline" version of my message rather than the "Design" version that looks complete and professional. How can fix this?

Question

When I attempt to share a completed Sway with myself at another email address as a test, the link I receive takes me to the "storyline" version of my message rather than the "Design" version that looks complete and professional. How can fix this?

Clifford Fewel 20

The first screenshot is where the "Get Visual Link" link takes me, which is NOT what I want to share with people. I don't want them to even see "Storyline". I want them to see the design version of my e-brochure (seconf screenshot), which is what I am attempting to create and have at the ready to send to people. And while we are at it, can I change the button that reads "Go to this Sway" to read something more custom such as "See SFF e-brochure"? Sway screenshot Storyline view 011326

Sway screenshot Design view 011326

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Answer 1

Hi @Clifford Fewel,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Thank you for explaining the situation and sharing the screenshots. I understand you want recipients to see the polished Design view of your Sway, not the Storyline editor, and also customize the button text for your shared link.

Sway uses a single URL for both editing and viewing. If the person opening the link has edit permissions (or is the owner), the link will open in the Storyline editor. View-only users, however, will see the Play/Design experience. This is why testing with your own account often takes you to Storyline.

If you share an Edit link or set permissions to allow editing, anyone who signs in will also land in Storyline.

From my testing, you can share the polished, presentation-ready version of your Sway by following these steps:

Open your Sway and click Share (top-right corner).
Under Share, select Anyone with a link (or choose the appropriate permission level).
Under Invite people to, set View.
Copy the View link (not the Visual link) and paste it into your email message.

This link opens the Sway in Design view, giving you the presentation-ready format you want (ensure you check under “Recipient” email, not your own).

User's image

About customizing the button text “Go to this Sway”:

Sway does not currently allow changing the default button text in the email generated by the Get Visual Link option. However, you can:

Create your own email and hyperlink the View link with custom text such as “See SFF e-brochure”.
Embed the Sway in a webpage or email template where you control the button text.

For your reference: Share your Sway.

I hope this information helps. Please try the steps and let me know whether they resolve the issue. If the problem persists, we can work together to find a solution.

Should you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to share them in the comments so I can continue to support you.

If you found this post helpful, I encourage you to mark it as an accepted solution. This will make it easier for other community members with similar questions to find answers quickly.

Thank you for your kindness and for contributing to the forum.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Clifford Fewel 20 Reputation points

2026-01-13T22:20:58.5633333+00:00

Thank you, Kristen-L, for this equally kind and cogent response. [Moderator note: personal info removed]
Kristen-L 9,840 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-13T22:29:08.6033333+00:00

Hi @Clifford Fewel,

Thank you very much for accepting the answer. I’m truly pleased it was helpful to you.

If you have any concerns or questions in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Not only will I be happy to assist you, but all moderators in the Q&A forum will also do their best to provide support and guidance.

Thanks again for your kind words and for bringing this up.

Wishing you a wonderful day and continued well-being.
Clifford Fewel 20 Reputation points

2026-01-13T22:46:23.78+00:00

Kristen-L, I subsequently did follow the steps provided and sent the link to my aol email address that I use for just such testing purposes, and the link still led me to the storyline editor. Does it recognize my overall IP address and treat any email address of mine as one with edit permissions?
Kristen-L 9,840 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-14T16:19:57.3133333+00:00

Hi @Clifford Fewel,

Thank you for your update.

If you previously shared an Edit link, recipients (including yourself) who are signed in may continue to be redirected to Storyline. To resolve this, select More options (…) > Reset Share settings to generate a new URL. Then create a fresh View link and resend it.

You can try testing as a recipient (to avoid Storyline redirects) by:

Open the copied View link in an InPrivate/Incognito window or on a different browser/device where you’re not signed into Microsoft. This bypasses your owner session and simulates the recipient experience.

Or you can email the link to someone else (a friend or colleague) and ask them to check whether it opens in Storyline or Design view. I’ve already tested this, and my colleague sees it in Design view.

If your Sway was created under a work or school account, note that the default setting is often “Those in your organization with the link,” which requires sign-in. Switch to “Anyone with a link” if you want external recipients (e.g., your AOL address) to view without signing in.

I sincerely appreciate your time and cooperation in resolving the issue. If you have any concerns or questions in the future, please do not hesitate to reach out. I will be happy to assist you, and all moderators in the Q&A forum will also do their best to provide support and guidance.

I value you as a customer and thank you for contacting the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Warm regards.

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When I attempt to share a completed Sway with myself at another email address as a test, the link I receive takes me to the "storyline" version of my message rather than the "Design" version that looks complete and professional. How can fix this?

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