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How to Use SharePoint Gallery View to Display Cards and Grids

Summary​

Gallery view in SharePoint transforms list and library data into a card-based layout, allowing you to display items in rows and columns instead of traditional list rows. This view type is useful when you want to emphasize images, thumbnails, or other visual content alongside key information. Gallery view supports customizable cards, column selection, and image display options, making it suitable for product catalogs, employee directories, and project portfolios.

Gallery view renders items as cards arranged in a grid format. Each card displays selected columns and can prominently feature an image. Unlike standard list view, which presents data in rows and columns similar to a spreadsheet, gallery view prioritizes visual presentation. This makes it particularly effective for scenarios where you need to browse items quickly or when visual identification matters.

Gallery view works with both lists and libraries. For libraries, you can select image columns to display as card thumbnails. For lists, you configure which columns appear on each card and arrange them in a visually organized layout.

Gallery view works best in specific scenarios:

  • Employee directories: Display employee names, photos, departments, and contact information on individual cards for easy browsing and identification.
  • Product catalogs: Showcase product images, names, descriptions, and pricing in a grid format that highlights visual appeal.
  • Project portfolios: Present project names, status badges, team leads, and project images in a format that supports quick visual scanning.
  • Real estate or asset listings: Display properties or assets with thumbnail images, key details, and location information.
  • Team resources: Organize team members, equipment, or shared resources with visual recognition.

Standard list view remains appropriate when you need to sort and filter multiple columns, perform bulk edits, or prioritize data density over visual presentation.

List view displays items in rows with columns, similar to a spreadsheet. Gallery view groups data into visual cards. Key differences include:

  • Layout: List view uses rows; gallery view uses a grid of cards.
  • Visual focus: Gallery view emphasizes images and fewer data points per item; list view shows many columns in parallel.
  • Data density: List view shows more columns at once; gallery view reduces visual clutter.
  • Interaction: In gallery view, you may need to click a card to see all details; in list view, most information is immediately visible.
  • Responsiveness: Gallery view adapts to screen width, adjusting card columns automatically.

To create a gallery view on an existing list or library:

  1. Open the list or library.
  2. In the toolbar, select View options or click the view selector dropdown.
  3. Select Gallery from the available view types, or choose Create a new view and select Gallery as the view type.
  4. Provide a name for the view if creating a new one.
  5. Click Create or Save.

Your new gallery view appears with default settings, showing all items and a selection of default columns.

Once gallery view is created, configure which columns appear on each card:

  1. In the gallery view, click View options or select View settings.
  2. Choose Edit current view or Format current view (depending on your SharePoint version).
  3. In the Card section, select which columns to display on the card face.
  4. Arrange the order of columns by dragging or using positioning options.
  5. Specify which column appears as the card title (usually a primary identifier like name or product title).
  6. Save your changes.

The gallery view updates immediately to reflect your column selections. Cards now display only the columns you chose, reducing visual clutter and emphasizing important information.

To display images prominently on gallery cards:

  1. Ensure your list or library contains an image column or attachment field.
  2. Open gallery view settings.
  3. In the Image or Thumbnail section, select the column containing images.
  4. Choose whether to display the image as the card background, a thumbnail, or an icon overlay.
  5. Save settings.

For document libraries, image files stored in the library automatically display as thumbnails. If your library contains various file types, you can select a specific image column to ensure only images appear on card backgrounds.

For lists with an image column data type, select that column as the image source. Lists without native image columns can use a URL field pointing to external images or an attachment field containing images.

Card Display Customization​

Some SharePoint versions allow further customization:

  • Card title: Select which column serves as the primary card heading.
  • Subtitle: Choose a secondary column to appear below the title.
  • Additional fields: Add supporting information fields below the subtitle.
  • Layout: In some versions, choose whether cards appear as single or double columns.
  • Color: Set card colors or use conditional formatting based on column values (advanced).

Configuration options vary by SharePoint version and licensing level. Check your available options in the view settings panel.

Practical Use Case: Employee Directory​

An employee list using gallery view typically shows:

  • Card image: Employee photo from a linked image column or attachment.
  • Card title: Employee name.
  • Subtitle: Department or job title.
  • Additional fields: Email, phone number, or manager name.

Users browsing the directory can quickly scan photos and names, then click a card to see full details like office location or direct reports.

Practical Use Case: Product Catalog​

A product library using gallery view might display:

  • Card image: Product photo.
  • Card title: Product name or SKU.
  • Subtitle: Category or product line.
  • Additional fields: Price, availability status, or supplier name.

Sales or customer service staff can browse products visually, understand pricing at a glance, and click cards to view specifications, related products, or ordering information.

Common Mistakes and Pitfalls​

Overcrowding cards with too many columns: Gallery view loses its visual advantage if you include too many data fields per card. Limit cards to 3-5 key pieces of information; let users click to see full details.

Forgetting to select an image column: Without a designated image, cards display generic icons, missing the main benefit of gallery view for visual browsing.

Using gallery view for data-heavy scenarios: Gallery view is not ideal for tasks requiring bulk editing, complex filtering, or comparing many attributes simultaneously. Stick with list view for those situations.

Inconsistent or missing images: If some items have images and others do not, cards will appear uneven. Ensure all items include appropriate image data before switching to gallery view.

Inappropriate card title selection: Choosing a date field or ID as the card title makes cards less useful. Select a descriptive, human-readable column like name, title, or product name.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Can I use gallery view with filtered data? Yes. Apply filters and searches to gallery view just as you would with list view. Filters reduce the cards displayed to only matching items.

Can I edit items directly from gallery view? That depends on your SharePoint version and configuration. Some versions allow inline editing; others require you to click a card to open the item editor. Check your available options in view settings.

Does gallery view work on mobile devices? Yes. Gallery view is responsive and adjusts to mobile screen width, typically showing one or two cards per row on mobile devices.

Can I sort items in gallery view? Yes. Use the sort options available in the gallery view settings or toolbar, just as you would in list view.

What file formats display as thumbnails in document galleries? Common image formats like JPG, PNG, and GIF display as thumbnails automatically. Office documents may display document preview thumbnails depending on your SharePoint configuration.

Can I customize card colors or styling beyond the standard options? Advanced card styling requires Format view in JSON, which is available in some SharePoint versions. Standard view settings offer limited color and layout options.