Find Replace Is Not Working for Some Links

Last updated: 2026-10-14

Troubleshoot Find Replace issues including relative paths and rule ordering.

Common Scenarios

• You can fix links inside documents but not in web pages.
• Some links are replaced and some are not.
• Links are not replaced as intended after running Find & Replace.

Solution

Always review the logs for unexpected errors. Contact us if you need further assistance. Below are the most common causes.

1. Relative Path Issues

This is the most common reason web page links are not fixed. When migrating, the domain portion of the URL typically changes (e.g., https://oldserver → https://tenant.sharepoint.com). If you are also changing site paths, you must split the replacement rules.

❌ Wrong Way

✅ Correct Way

Why? Some links use the full URL (e.g., https://oldserver/sites/humanresources/documents/file.docx) while others use relative paths (e.g., /sites/humanresources/documents/file.docx). By splitting the domain from the path, both formats are matched.

2. Replacement Order Issues

When mapping sites and subsites to different locations, the order of replacement rules matters. The tool processes rules from top to bottom.

Rule of thumb: The more slashes in the path, the higher up it should be in the list (with the exception of domain rules at the top).

❌ Wrong Way

✅ Correct Way

Why? If the broader rule (/sites/humanresources/) is processed first, it changes the URL before the more specific subsite rule can match. Placing more specific rules (with more path segments) above broader ones ensures correct results.