Facebook Link Preview Not Updating: The Cache
Facebook caches what it read the first time. Here is why a fixed page still shows the old image, and the ways to force a re-scrape.
Why a Facebook link preview is not updating: the cache
- The first time a URL is shared, Facebook fetches it and reads the Open Graph tags.
- It stores the title, description and image against that exact URL.
- Subsequent shares of the same URL use the stored copy.
- It re-scrapes on its own schedule, which is not something you can rely on.
example.com/page and example.com/page?x=1 are different URLs with different cache entries, which is both the cause of some confusion and the basis of the crudest workaround.Fixing it, in order
?v=2. Crude, and it fragments any share counts attached to the original, so it is a last resort rather than a first move.Preventing it next time
- Set Open Graph tags in the template, not per page, so every new page is correct by
- Check before sharing. Run a new URL through a preview tool before the first post
The same cache elsewhere
Why is my Facebook link preview not updating?
How do I force Facebook to refresh a link preview?
Does adding a query parameter fix it?
How long does the Facebook preview cache last?
Put it to work
Tools for the job you just read about
Free to run, most of them without an account.
Link Preview Debugger
What X, Facebook and LinkedIn will show when you share your link.
Facebook Post Preview
Where the feed cuts your post — and it is earlier with a photo attached.
Social Image Resizer
One image, cropped to every size the networks actually use.
Google SERP Snippet Preview
See your title and description as a Google result — on a desktop and a phone.
Social Media URL Cleaner
Strip the tracking off a link — and see what each parameter was telling somebody.
Instagram Money Calculator
What to charge for a post — priced the way a brand actually prices it.
Keep reading
More from the blog
Link Preview Not Showing: The Ordered List of Causes
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Why Your Link Preview Looks Different on Mobile
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How to Expand a Short URL and See Where It Goes
A shortened link tells you nothing about its destination. Here is how to expand a short URL safely, read the redirect chain, and spot the hop that breaks tracking.