There are a few common reasons why Facebook may not be showing the image from your link when you share it on your timeline or page:
The image is not properly specified
In order for Facebook to pick up the correct image from a link, the image must be specified in the page’s metadata. This is done by including ‘og:image’ metadata on the page containing the URL you are sharing.
For example:
<meta property="og:image" content="http://www.example.com/image.jpg" />
This tells Facebook to look for an image at the specified URL to use as a preview image. Make sure the image is at least 200×200 pixels for best results.
The image is too small
As mentioned above, Facebook recommends preview images be at least 200×200 pixels. If your image is smaller than that, Facebook may not be able to scale it up properly and will not display it.
The image is hosted on a non-secure URL
Facebook requires preview images to be hosted over HTTPS. If your image is hosted on an HTTP URL, Facebook will not be able to fetch it.
For example, an image hosted on http://www.example.com/image.jpg would not work. The image would need to be available over HTTPS at https://www.example.com/image.jpg.
The image is not visible to Facebook’s crawler
Facebook’s crawler needs to be able to access the image file in order to read it and display it as a preview. If your image requires a login or other permissions not available to Facebook’s crawler, then it will not be able to fetch the image.
Make sure your og:image is publicly accessible to anyone visiting your page.
Facebook’s cache is outdated
Sometimes Facebook can be slow to update its cache and preview images. If you’ve recently updated the image on your page, you may simply need to give Facebook time to re-crawl the page and update the image it associates with that URL.
You can try fetching the new preview by entering the URL in the Facebook Debugger. This will force Facebook to re-crawl the page and hopefully pick up the new image.
The image is blocked by robots.txt
If your robots.txt file is blocking Facebook’s crawler from accessing your images directory, it will not be able to read the og:image file.
Make sure your robots.txt file is not blocking the /images/ path or any other path where your og:image file may be located.
The page has not been indexed
Facebook needs to have your page in its index in order to associate preview images with your URL. For brand new pages that have never been shared before, it may take some time for Facebook to properly index the page and generate preview images.
You can speed up this process by adding the page to the index using the Fetch as Google tool in Search Console, or sharing the link on Facebook to prompt the crawler to index the page faster.
How to troubleshoot Facebook link image issues
Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot Facebook link image issues:
- Use the Facebook Debugger tool to fetch new scrape information for the URL
- Make sure your og:image metadata is implemented correctly
- Check that the image URL is public and reachable
- Verify the image is at least 200×200 pixels
- Check if the image is hosted on HTTPS
- Confirm robots.txt is not blocking the image path
- Use Fetch as Google to ask search engines to re-crawl the page
- Share the link on Facebook to force it to re-index the page
Best practices for Facebook link images
Here are some best practices to ensure your Facebook link previews consistently show the proper image:
- Always specify og:image metadata on each page
- Use absolute HTTPS URLs for the image source
- Host images on the same domain as the page
- Make sure images are at least 200×200 pixels
- Use meaningful, descriptive images relevant to the content
- Cache images from a CDN for fast loading times
- Re-test pages if they stop showing a preview image
Other factors that can affect Facebook link images
In some cases, there are other technical factors that could impact Facebook’s ability to display a link image preview:
- Very slow server response times
- Pages blocked by Facebook’s malware or phishing detectors
- Images embedded using non-standard methods
- Advanced caching setups that block crawlers
- Dynamic pages that don’t render proper HTML to crawlers
Testing directly on Facebook and using tools like the Debugger can help reveal or rule out some of these other technical issues.
Conclusion
In summary, the most common reasons Facebook may not show an image preview for a link include:
- Missing, invalid, or inaccessible og:image metadata
- Images that are too small, under 200×200 pixels
- Images hosted on insecure HTTP URLs
- Images blocked by robots.txt policies
- Pages that have not yet been indexed by Facebook
By troubleshooting your page’s metadata, image size and hosting, robots.txt files, and index status, you can usually get Facebook to successfully read and display your preferred preview image. Proper open graph implementation, large images hosted securely on the same domain as the content, and periodic debugging are key to ensuring your Facebook link previews appear correctly.
| Common Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Missing open graph metadata | Add proper og:image metadata to the page |
| Small image size | Use images at least 200×200 pixels |
| Insecure HTTP image URL | Host images over HTTPS |
| Image blocked by robots.txt | Update robots.txt to allow image access |
| Page not indexed by Facebook | Share link on Facebook to force re-crawl |
With the right troubleshooting steps and optimization of your Facebook open graph metadata, you can resolve most issues that prevent your chosen image from appearing in Facebook link shares.
Why Facebook link images are important
Having an appropriate, informative image preview on Facebook link shares provides several benefits:
- Images stand out more in the news feed
- Clarifies what the content is about
- Allows custom branding/visualization
- Improves click-through rates
- Better represents your brand or site
Without a preview image, Facebook will simply show a generic thumbnail. This looks bland and fails to convey what the content is actually about. Configuring proper Facebook open graph images allows you to put your best visual foot forward when your links are shared.
Image dimensions for ideal Facebook sharing
To ensure your Facebook link preview images appear crisp and clear, you’ll want to optimize them for the ideal dimensions across different platforms.
Desktop
- Width: 1200 pixels
- Height: 630 pixels
Mobile
- Width: 480 pixels
- Height: 250 pixels
Aim for 1.91:1 aspect ratio images that work well at both desktop and mobile sizes. Use high resolution source images and generate resized versions for optimal sharing results.
Image types supported for Facebook link previews
Facebook supports JPEG, PNG, BMP, WEBP, and GIF image types for link preview images. PNGs with transparency work best for standalone icons and logos. JPEGs are preferable for photographs and other rich visuals.
GIFs can work, but avoid very large looping GIFs that will be throttled. Optimize your GIFs for fast loading and concise animations.
For best results, test different image formats and types to see which ones provide the highest quality and load the fastest on Facebook.
Ideal image content for Facebook link previews
The visual content shown in your Facebook link preview image can significantly influence click-through rates and engagement. Here are some best practices:
- Show people rather than text or abstract graphics
- Use lifestyle imagery relatable to viewers
- Leverage bold colors and compelling compositions
- Highlight your brand appropriately
- Visualize emotions that resonate with the target audience
Choose selective areas of hero images or other visual assets that will entice people to click through and read more after digesting the preview snippet.
More tips for improving Facebook link results
In addition to optimizing your link preview image, there are some other tips that can help improve the results when sharing links on Facebook:
Write compelling titles and descriptions
Along with the image, text snippets like the title, description, and author name are shown in the Facebook link preview. Make sure to use text snippets that accurately convey what the content is about and entice clicking.
Share natively from Facebook when possible
Rather than sharing a link by copy/pasting the URL, use native sharing options such as the Facebook share button plugin. This provides more meta data for Facebook to render the preview.
Analyze Facebook link posts and engagement
Use Facebook Insights to view analytics on your link posts. See which ones get the most reach and engagement. Learn what works well with your audience.
Prompt shares and engagement with quality content
Links to high-quality, useful content that readers enjoy will naturally get higher sharing rates and engagement. Focus on creating awesome resources people want to spread.
Promote high-performing content with ads
For links you want maximum visibility for, use Facebook Ads to promote them. You can target relevant audiences likely to share and engage with the content.
Troubleshooting issues with specific Facebook link posts
If you are having issues with Facebook preview images not showing up for specific link posts (but it works for other posts), here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Delete the post and share it again from scratch – Facebook may have cached bad metadata
- Use the Debugger to re-scrape the URL metadata
- Check for redirect chains or paraphrasing issues
- Try sharing from a different Facebook account or page
- See if the image shows up when sharing to a private Message instead of on your Timeline
Often re-sharing the link or debugging the metadata will give Facebook another chance to read the proper image data. There may also be inconsistencies for links shared in different contexts.
Why Facebook link previews matter
Optimizing your Facebook link share previews with custom preview images is important because:
- Previews stand out more in the news feed – pure text blends in while images catch the eye
- Images help convey what the content is about at a glance before clicking
- Well-designed previews reinforce your brand and visual identity
- You can target preview images to your audience’s preferences
- More click-throughs mean more traffic, engagement, and sharing
Given how competitive and crowded the Facebook feed can be, using high quality preview images for your links gives you a better chance of having them viewed and clicked on by your audience.
The minimal effort of adding proper Facebook open graph image tags to your site pages gives you full control over your brand’s presence on social media. Don’t settle for generic previews – take the time to optimize preview images and reap the benefits!