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Preview Images Directly in Business Central Web Client

From Business Central version 29, supported image attachments open in a dedicated web client viewer without downloading them first, much like the existing PDF preview. Before that, up to version 28, users had to download the file. The video covers the supported formats and limits, where the preview works (document attachments, agents, emails, extensions), the gap for incoming documents, and how developers use File.ViewFromStream in custom extensions.

Open in ClaudedUpixjiNaGY.md
  1. 0:00 Introduction and Overview
  2. 0:29 Previous Behavior and New Experience
  3. 1:37 Supported Image Formats
  4. 3:04 Demo of Version 28 vs Version 29
  5. 5:19 Where the Feature Works
  6. 6:14 Developer Implementation Guide
  7. 7:56 Summary and Recommendations
video Saurav Dhyani · 2026-09-12Watch on YouTube

Overview

Until version 28, an image attachment in Business Central usually had to be downloaded before it could be viewed. The video demos the change in version 29, where supported images open directly in the web client in a viewer similar to the existing PDF preview.

It lists the supported formats, shows document attachments using a view action, and explains how developers should load files into a stream for preview. It also notes that the feature is not yet available on incoming documents.

Key points

  • Up to version 28, image attachments had to be downloaded to view; from version 29, images preview directly in the web client viewer.
  • The viewer still lets users download, print and resize images if needed.
  • Supported formats: JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, SVG, WEBP, ICO, GIF and AVIF; GIF and AVIF include animated versions.
  • Animated GIF support is limited to 48 frames.
  • TIFF is supported only in Safari browsers.
  • Document attachments get a view action that shows the image in the client without downloading it.
  • Developers load the file into a stream and call File.ViewFromStream (with file name and extension) to show the preview from a custom extension; page 1173 Document Attachment Details FactBox shows Microsoft’s usage.

Features

Feature Status At Evidence
Image Preview in Web Client generally available, demoed 0:01 “So a true preview experience for images is now available with version 29 and later.” (5:00)
Supported Image Formats status not stated 1:55
File View From Stream Method status not stated, demoed 6:14
Document Attachment Preview status not stated, demoed 5:19
Image Preview Across Business Central Areas status not stated 5:49

AL objects mentioned

As heard in the captions. A name that matches one object page by exact type and name links to it; the others stay as named.

  • page “Document Attachment Detail Fact” at 6:51
  • page “1173” at 7:04

Not found in BC28-30: page “Document Attachment Detail Fact”, page “1173”.

Quotes

  • 0:01 “What if if you could open an image attachment in Business Central without downloading the file first?”
  • 0:52 “previously when you encountered an image attachment in Business Central till version 28, you often had to download the file before you can view”
  • 1:16 “now images can also be opened directly in Business Central web client. The image is displayed in the dedicated viewer”
  • 2:09 “The image preview experience support a broad range of format from JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, SVG, WBP, ICO, GIF and AVIF”
  • 5:00 “So a true preview experience for images is now available with version 29 and later.”

Disclaimers in the video

  • 5:32 coming-later: it’s not yet added on the incoming documents, but I’m pretty sure sooner than later, it’ll also be available there