If you’ve tried emailing a SharePoint news post to your team, you’ve probably seen it arrive as a bare link instead of the full story. A real SharePoint newsletter needs the Newsletter news template, then Promote > Email.
Here’s why: only the “Made for email” web parts travel inside the message. Anything else, and SharePoint just sends a link.
In this tutorial, we’ll build a SharePoint newsletter from the Newsletter template, fix the missing-title error, send it by email from the Promote pane, and then roll several posts into one news digest.
I tested every step on 10/25/2026 in our SPGuides Intranet site, so the labels match what you’ll see today.
The sample newsletter we’ll use
Everything happens on a communication site called SPGuides Intranet, the same one from my guide to building a SharePoint intranet. Here’s the setup:
| Item | What we used |
|---|---|
| Site | SPGuides Intranet (/sites/SPGuidesIntranet) |
| Template | Newsletter (From Microsoft, News posts) |
| Page name | SPGuides Team Newsletter – November 2026 |
| Content | Website redesign kicks off November 10, intranet launch, December training calendar, a quote, a Megan Bowen spotlight |
| Recipient | Bijay Kumar (a test send first) |
Team sites work too, but a communication site suits one-to-many news. See the communication site vs team site comparison if you’re picking one.
Method 1: Build the Newsletter From the Newsletter Template (Recommended)
- On the site’s home page, select + New > News post.
- In the Template gallery, keep the News posts filter.
- Type newsletter in Search for a template.
Two templates came back: Organization-wide update and Newsletter.
Now select Newsletter. Select Use this template.
The preview shows Microsoft’s sample company, so you’ll replace every block of sample text.
How does this work?
The editor opens with a Toolbox titled Made for email. It lists only web parts that render in email: Text, File and media, Quick links, Link, People, Banner, Button, Call to action, Divider, Editorial card, Hero, Image gallery, Image, Spacer, and more.
The template already has 8 sections: a banner, “Latest news” with three items, an image, a quote, an “Organization spotlight”, and a closing line. We changed the headline to “November 2026 Team Newsletter”. Our Editorial Card web part guide helps if you add story cards.
So here’s the catch. When I selected Publish news, SharePoint said “Add a page title to continue”. The Newsletter template has no title area.
The fix: select Page at the top left of the edit toolbar, then fill in Name. I typed SPGuides Team Newsletter – November 2026, which also becomes the page URL.
Page details filled the description from my text (255 characters max) and used the first image as the thumbnail. Then Publish news worked, and the toast read “News post published.”
For the basics of a plain post (blank template, scheduling, News web part), see my step-by-step SharePoint news post guide.
Method 2: Send the Newsletter by Email From Promote
Use this right after publishing. The Promote pane opens by itself, or select Promote on the command bar.
- Keep Email selected (Engage is the other option) and select Next.
- Check the Subject. It’s prefilled with the page name.
- Add people or groups in To, plus Cc or Bcc if needed.
- Select Send a test email first.
- Review the preview, then select Distribute.
A counter read “60 email addresses left” and dropped to 59 after I added myself.
On the left, Previewing Email shows the newsletter rendered as an email, with our banner and stories in place. That’s the full content, because Send as link was off.
How does this work?
Microsoft says the email is a snapshot. If you edit the page later, inboxes don’t update, so you resend to share changes.
Recipients don’t get site access. Turn on Send as link and only a link goes out, with no view analytics.
Pro Tip: Leave Add a message (optional) empty, or paste one short line. Typing in that box froze my browser tab twice, and I had to reload.
Method 3: Send a News Digest of Several Posts
Use this for a roundup of posts you’ve already published.
- Open the site’s news page (/_layouts/15/news.aspx), or select See all in a News web part.
- Select Email a news digest.
- Check the posts you want, then select Next.
- Type a title, which becomes the subject, and add recipients in To.
- Select Send news digest.
Our news page listed two posts, and I checked both.
I named it SPGuides News Digest – October 2026 and sent it to myself.
How does this work?
SharePoint saves the digest as a draft page in Site Pages. Reopen it and you’ll see a Send by email command.
See all only appears when you have more posts than the web part shows. A Highlighted content web part is another way to list news on a page.
Which method should you use?
| Need | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One designed issue | Method 1 + Method 2 | Full content in the email, sections you control |
| Roundup of existing posts | Method 3 news digest | No new page to design |
| Campaigns across email, Teams, and SharePoint | Viva Amplify | Separate Viva license, one hub with reporting |
| A newsletter series with subscribers | Outlook Newsletters | Built in new Outlook and Outlook on the web |
For most teams, Methods 1 and 2 cover a monthly issue. Browse more SharePoint intranet examples for layout ideas.
Things to Keep in Mind
- “Add a page title to continue”: the Newsletter template has no title area. Fill in Page > Name before Publish news.
- Frozen tab: skip the optional message box or keep it to one pasted line.
- Email arrives as a link: a web part outside the Made for email list forces link-only sending, so use only the Toolbox list.
- Who can send: you need edit permissions on the site. Check your site permissions if Promote or the digest is missing.
- Approval first: with content approval in SharePoint on, the post must be approved before readers see it.
Find more page and web part walkthroughs in our SharePoint tutorials.
If you’re building out your news pages, these are worth a look next:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a newsletter in SharePoint?
Yes. Start a news post from + New > News post, pick the Newsletter template, add your content, and publish it. Then send it by email from the Promote pane.
Why did my SharePoint news email only include a link?
Send as link was on, or a web part isn’t made for email. Microsoft’s News for email guide lists the supported web parts.
Does the email update when I edit the newsletter page?
No. The email is a snapshot of the page when you sent it. Edit the page and send it again to share changes.
How do I send several SharePoint news posts in one email?
Open the site’s news page, select Email a news digest, check the posts, add a title and recipients, and select Send news digest. Microsoft’s news digest steps cover the details.
Do recipients need access to the SharePoint site?
No, they can read the email without site access. The email doesn’t grant permissions, so people without access can’t open the page itself.
Hey! I’m Bijay Kumar, founder of SPGuides.com and a Microsoft Business Applications MVP (Power Automate, Power Apps). I launched this site in 2020 because I truly enjoy working with SharePoint, Power Platform, and SharePoint Framework (SPFx), and wanted to share that passion through step-by-step tutorials, guides, and training videos. My mission is to help you learn these technologies so you can utilize SharePoint, enhance productivity, and potentially build business solutions along the way.