How to show an image (.png) that is already attached to page

[matt.wilson]

Reworking a page with snapshots of webpages, where some of the snapshots show personal identifiable information. After deleting the image from the topic page, the image is still attached to the page (since it is accessible using the Attachments entry on three-dots dropdown). I can download the image to my desktop, rework it, and replace back as an attachment with the original name.

However, I want the image to appear in a different location from where it was. Easy, delete the image and re-insert in new location. Oops! where is re-insert?

So, the attachment is there, but not visible. I cannot find a way to re-expose the attached file on the topic page. I can list all the attachments (using the macro), and even insert the link to it into the topic. But, I want to be able to see it in the same way as if I had just pasted an image from clipboard.

It's got to be there somewhere, but I just cannot see it. Please advise.

[Diego · Accepted solution]

Hello @matt.wilson !

You should be able to find the file you uploaded to your page under “Recent Uploads” when you click the “Files & Images” button on the toolbar.

Currently, there is no Search function in this dialog box for file attachment.

The “Recent Uploads” should list all your uploads. If you select the file from there, no new attachment will be added to the page.

If you need more information how to manage files and images in Confluence, you can take a look here:

• [Confluence Cloud] Upload a file
• [Confluence Cloud] Display files and images
• [Confluence Cloud] Manage uploaded files 
  

I hope this helps!

[matt.wilson]

Well done. I knew it was supposed to be easy - and it is! I even got rid of all the PII images - permanently.

And I found out how to smudge parts of an image (click on the paintbrush on an image, then click on the pixellate button in palette - 4-squares).

Many thanks @Diego 

[Diego]

Hi @matt.wilson!

Great to know that you were able to achieve what you were looking for and also found some functionality that goes beyond that!

Come share with us again in the future.

[Mark Neumann]

Unfortunately, if you uploaded on a different computer or browser, I don't see the attachments?

Why can't I just select the attachment?

[Marc Wampfler]

Hi

We have to move to the cloud (server version discontinued by Atlassian, not our decision). Now we have hundreds of pages with attachments. It is often necessary to re-insert an image from the attached files, after we converted a page to the new editor, because the page conversion fails.

The question is not if, the question is when Atlassian will make it possible to access/insert existing attachments.

The workaround (not acceptable!)

• Download image
• Upload image
• Insert image

[AJ]

I agree. I'm totally baffled by this. I attach a set of images to a page, then I want to insert those images into the page. There doesn't seem to be any way for me to do this:

- If I click Files and Images it just comes up with an upload file system dialogue box. I'd expect it to show a confluence form that allows me to select from attached files

- I can't find a way using the editor either - nothing happens if I type ! or ~ in the browser (this would need a list pop-up to be useful though). And typing / there is no image macro.

- The help page (https://support.atlassian.com/confluence-cloud/docs/display-files-and-images/) only explains how to display a page by uploading it. No info at all on how to insert an attached image into the page?!

Also I don't understand why the gallery macro is being retired without any replacement functionality - even though it is working now I can't design my pages to use it if it is deprecated.

What is going on with these regressions in functionality? I've really liked Confluence in the past but it seems to be missing basic functionality here - I find it hard to believe but it appears that I won't be able to use this tool anymore and need to find an alternative solution.

[Deleted user]

this was possible, but not anymore. i don't have the option to browse through existing attachments anymore and is badly missed :-D

[Steven Rhodes]

Wow. I cant believe this is a problem. Removing the ability to re-insert attachments on pages that already have the image attached. 

[Fabian Hußl]

@Steven Rhodes already SHORT TERM BACKLOG https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/CONFCLOUD-67587  

[Steven Rhodes]

@Fabian Hußl it has been on the short term backlog since September 2019. Define short term :)

[Jim Alarcon]

We're heading into summer of 2022 and still no solution to simply have Confluence editors to embed images from a list of available images that are attachments on that page.

[Fred Bunting]

It adds insult to injury to see this question marked as Solved, when this "Accepted" answer is no longer valid. (There is no longer a "Recent Uploads" option in the "Files & Images" window ... it takes you straight to your OS window for uploading a new file ... and there is in fact no longer a way to do what the Asker wanted.)

This also provides a sad case study in feature regression -- a very useful feature that got lost in a UI revamp, and so a rather inadequate workaround is suggested ... and then another UI change loses even that workaround.

[Keith Sottung]

Being able to add an image to the page from the Page's existing attachments or from another page's attachment is a must. What gives Atlassian? 

[Fabian Hußl]

This is still a huge problem - see https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/CONFCLOUD-67587 

[Florian Rieger]

Everyone reading this. Do u as all a favor and click "This affects my team" on the ticket (right side, under People / Affected customers).

Hopefully this will increase the priority in the backlog.

[Jim Alarcon]

Done!

[Fred Bunting]

It is now September, 2022. That ticket (CONFCLOUD-67587) mentioned by Fabio was also closed on Aug. 1, 2022.

Now the ticket to go to is CONFCLOUD-65302, which was opened back in December 2018.

Everyone reading this, please add your vote there.

[Fred Bunting]

Although I added my voice to the frustration at the loss of this feature in the new Editor window, and the fact that the "Accepted" answer is no longer valid, I did find a workaround to the Asker's specific question:

However, I want the image to appear in a different location from where it was. Easy, delete the image and re-insert in new location. Oops! where is re-insert?

If the image is (as you describe) both attached to the current page and already inserted on the page, you can move it to a different location on the same page, using a simple cut+paste.  In the Edit window, find and select the image already on the page; type command-X to cut the image (which removes it and copies it to the Clipboard); and then go to the new location and type command-V to paste.

• The good news is that you can do this (paste from the Clipboard) to insert the same image in multiple locations on the same page, and they will all point to the same attached image file. This does not result in multiple copies of the image file proliferating in the attachments.
  
  
• The bad news is that this does not work if the image is attached to the page, but not already inserted on the page. There seems to be no way to re-insert the attachment, short of attaching a second copy of the image file.  (I suppose you could temporarily revert back to an earlier version in the revision history where the image was inserted -- but ... we have lives.)
  
  
• The other bad news is that this unfortunately does not work between pages. If you edit Page A and copy the image, and then paste it into Page B, then Page B ends up with its own copy of the image file. Sadly, that means that you can't do things like use the same image file (like a logo, screenshot, or diagram) on multiple pages and have them all point to the same source file.  You also can't setup a "branding" page with approved logos, icons, or clip-art, etc., that you want to propagate throughout multiple pages.

Be sure to vote on CONFCLOUD-65302.

[Denis Malyshkin]

Thank you a lot, Fred!

Your workaround solution is nice and helped me.

[Nicholas Amon]

I'm sorry, it is simply crazy that this is still not implemented!

[Almuth Boehme [Communardo]]

Vote vor https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/CONFCLOUD-65344. This is the current "longterm backlog" issue tracking the matter. Sigh.

[Evgeny Smirnov]

October 09, 2023 - Still not implemented! No workaround!