How to fix iFrame and smart links that stop working

Question

We had some Smart links and iframes on pages for charts and other pages (mostly stored in Google Drive) on our intranet. All of a sudden, the smart links pages and iframe macros prompt us to sign in to google and then open the embedded page in a new window. Some just say "Can't access report Please sign in to your Google account, then reload this page." When I try this, I'm already signed in and refreshing the page doesn't change anything. This keeps happening even though SSO is already enabled and it was showing up directly in Confluence before (and some google files that use the embed macro work). I've tried removing and re-setting up the iframe macros and smart links to no avail. Anybody else having the issue/have tips on how to solve this?

Nelson (ikuTeam) · Answer

Hi @Shai Hettler ,

Welcome to the community. I'm sorry you're having issues with smart links. :/

I don't know how you could fix that, but to avoid any future issues, I recommend using a proper Google Drive connector for Confluence.

You can check here the difference between smart links and a full connector: https://www.ikuteam.com/blog/why-team-files-is-better-than-smart-links-to-manage-files-and-documents-confluence.html

Just let me know if you have any questions about the Google Connector, since I'm affiliated with the team that builds it.

Harvey Specter_lrdi37 · Answer

Check Google Drive Sharing Settings – Ensure the embedded files are set to "Anyone with the link can view" or shared with the right group within your organization. Sometimes permissions reset after updates.

Clear Cache & Cookies – Try accessing Confluence in an incognito/private browser window to rule out browser-related issues.

Verify Third-Party Cookies – Google Drive may require third-party cookies to be enabled for authentication. Check your browser settings and allow cookies for Google services.

Check Google Security Updates – Google occasionally enforces stricter embedding policies. If your organization uses Google Workspace, your admin may need to adjust OAuth settings or API access for Confluence.

Re-authenticate Google Integration in Confluence – If you’re using a Confluence add-on for embedding Google content, check if it needs reauthorization with your Google account.

Try Different Embed Methods – If the smart links/iframe macros are failing, test Google’s "Publish to Web" feature for charts and docs, then embed using the generated link.