How to hide the X (close) option on a PDF opened in SharePoint.

Shelley Rosencrantz 25

I am offering new hires a site introducing them to our company. On this site are documents in PDF form for them to click on the Quick Link to open and view. When they open the pdf, there is the typical X in the top right to close the document, which is great, although it takes them to the document library. I want them to use the back button to go back to the home page and continue reviewing the site. I do NOT want them to end up in the document library. Is there an option to hide the X (close)?

Ling Zhou_MSFT 21,495 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-06-19T01:18:09.2333333+00:00

Thank you for your question.

We are currently looking into this issue and will give you an update as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding and support.
Ling Zhou_MSFT 21,495 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-06-19T05:28:05.77+00:00

Hi @Shelley Rosencrantz,

I would like to confirm with you the version of SharePoint you are using. Also, can you give me a screenshot of the open PDF file. I would like to confirm the location of the X button and back button. Please note that your private information is coded. Thank you for your support and cooperation.
Shelley Rosencrantz 25 Reputation points

2023-06-19T21:19:19.0666667+00:00

Thank you Ling, SharePoint Online is what I am using. And here is my screenshot.
Barbara 5 Reputation points

2023-11-13T13:48:43.4533333+00:00

Hi,

Theme is the same as above: Building a page on a site, because it's more attractive, dynamic and helps users. Issue with files(pdf or images so far) when opens up and when closing it with x button it takes them to document library, instead of back to the original page.

I am looking for the same solution as it would be crucial in our navigation. When someone close the document and it takes them back to document library, it is causing confusion and ruin navigation on the site. Users of the site are not necessary has SP knowledge, so they don't understand where they landed, also, I can't add a 'go back' button to a document library. I tried 'embed' document on the page, but it doesn't displays it in user-friendly and it doesn't give the option to download the document. We have a classic SP site, online, and when we open a file (usual pdf) then it opens up perfectly, so no close button but backwards button only. Can you please confirm there is no any way on modern site to do this too? Is there any plan to allow us to do it? I hope you can help me.
Jordan Baxter 5 Reputation points

2024-04-05T15:24:30.2266667+00:00

Hi, I'm also looking to see a solution for this now. I have the same issue of not wanting external users to access the folder structure via closing a PDF.

If there's any help or guidance it would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Jordan
Ben Creighton 15 Reputation points

2024-05-22T18:58:39.9+00:00

Hello Microsoft - is there going to be any attempt to address this obvious design flaw? As near as I can tell, this have been an issue for years.

I'm not sure I will be able to utilize any pdf documents - and consequently Sharepoint itself - if this can't be resolved. Why on earth would you want to show the entire document library upon closing a pdf? It makes no sense.

Accepted answer

Ling Zhou_MSFT 21,495 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-06-20T01:29:08.9066667+00:00

Hi @Shelley Rosencrantz,

Thank you for your reply.

Per my knowledge, there is no way for SharePoint to modify this page at this time. It is designed by SharePoint. All documents opened in preview use the same page template, and if modified, it is likely that all documents will be affected.

Thank you for your understanding and tolerance!

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1 person found this answer helpful.
Rita Athanacio (CW) 20 Reputation points

2024-11-08T05:12:05.78+00:00

There is a solution posted below that worked for me to solve the problem of taking the user back to the document library. See the solution that details how to copy the PATH to the document (not "copy link") through the Details option.

Sylvia,Patricia (HP Medicine) BIP-US-R 0 Reputation points

2024-12-27T16:04:24.7766667+00:00

This did not work for me. I still see the "X" to close the PDF and it still sends you back to the document library and not the SharePoint homepage.
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3 additional answers

Paula Crow 5 Reputation points

2024-04-06T02:22:11.0033333+00:00

Looking to do this too, but thinking it's likely not possible as it's just part of the pdf viewer. Would love to hear that's not the case or a workaround though. You could make sure all your pdf links are using the direct link to the file, this way they will open in the app instead of the browser. This isn't as user friendly as it's taking them out of the browser, but could work for your purposes. I am thinking on our end we will just be educating staff to close the file by closing the tab rather than using the x. When docs open in the browser Word or Excel there isn't this issue as there is no x.
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Chen, Albert I :LSO Staffing Office 5 Reputation points

2024-05-29T23:06:36.06+00:00

Just found the solution to this problem - it wasn't very intuitive but here it is:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/create-a-hyperlink-to-a-specific-pdf-page-saved-in/cde04d57-c5fa-41ac-aa8c-2bb94bf7888b
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Rita Athanacio (CW) 20 Reputation points

2024-11-08T05:07:56.42+00:00

Good tip, but it doesn't answer the problem initially posed, which is to close the PDF without returning the user to a document library. The solution above (go into file details and copy the PATH, rather than just copying a link to the doc) did work for me to solve the initial problem and I will use your tip at a later date, I'm sure!

Anonymous

2024-12-04T12:28:33.4933333+00:00

Has anyone found a resolution to this? It is so inconvenient that PDF's as quick links redirect to the document library rather than the site homepage.

Rita Athanacio (CW) 20 Reputation points

2024-12-04T19:06:19.71+00:00

Yes - kind of. The solution below (in site contents, click on the 3 dots to the right of the file name to bring up the details menu on the right, scroll down to the PATH, click on the icon to copy the direct path to the PDF and use that as your link). It works 90% of the time. I've found that some of the quick link web parts don't conform, and another few aren't conforming, but I can't figure out why.
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Ivica Fetkovicova 5 Reputation points

2024-10-03T10:08:19.84+00:00
I had the same problem. And I reproduced the case by sharing links in 2 different ways.:

when you click on share button next to document name, it opens the file with X button and after closing X button, you are redirected to Documents library (which we don´t want)

BUT when you go to DETAILS of the document, scroll down on the right side bar (of the details), and you copy only the PATH of the document, it works well (it doesn´t allow you to click X, but shows only arrow to return to previous page.

SHORT: always copy PATH of the document, not link for sharing.

Here is correct way to copy the path to your source document in library.
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Rita Athanacio (CW) 20 Reputation points

2024-11-08T05:03:30.2966667+00:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's too bad this is not a little easier - it seems to have been a problem for a long time, based on the comments I've found!

Rita Athanacio (CW) 20 Reputation points

2024-11-22T22:29:19.0766667+00:00

This has got to be a bug! Why in the world would you want to send someone to a preview - and then a document library - when you could simply send them to the correct display of a document and return the user to the page they were on? Just my 2 cents.
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How to hide the X (close) option on a PDF opened in SharePoint.

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