OG Tag Checker: Preview and Fix How Your Links Look When Shared
An OG tag checker reads the Open Graph and X card tags on a web page and shows you how the link will look when someone shares it on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, WhatsApp or Slack. Our free tool fetches any URL, previews the share card, lists every social tag it finds, checks that the share image loads and is the right size, and tells you exactly which tags are missing or wrong, with code you can copy to fix them.
This guide explains what Open Graph tags are, which ones you need, the ideal image size, why previews sometimes show the wrong image or text, and how to refresh cached previews after you fix them.
Key takeaways
- Every page you want shared needs og:title, og:description, og:image and og:url.
- Use a 1200 × 630 pixel image (a 1.91:1 ratio) with important content in the centre.
- Add
twitter:cardset tosummary_large_imagefor large previews on X. - Social networks cache previews; refresh them with their debugging tools after changes.
What are Open Graph tags?
Open Graph tags are meta tags in a page’s <head> that tell social platforms what title, description, image and URL to use when the page is shared. The format was created by Facebook and is documented at ogp.me. Today it’s read by almost every platform that shows link previews, including LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, Telegram and iMessage.
What happens without them
When tags are missing, platforms guess. They may use the first image on the page (often a logo or an icon), cut text from the menu or cookie banner, or show a plain link with no image at all. A poor preview gets far fewer clicks than an attractive, clear card.
OG tags vs SEO meta tags
Open Graph tags don’t directly affect Google rankings. Your title tag and meta description control search results; Open Graph tags control social previews. They often share wording, but you can tailor OG text to be a little more conversational or curiosity-driven for social feeds.
The Open Graph tags you need
| Tag | Purpose | Tips |
|---|---|---|
og:title | Headline on the card | Clear and specific; Facebook cuts at around 88 characters |
og:description | Supporting text | One or two sentences that give a reason to click |
og:image | The preview image | Full HTTPS URL, 1200 × 630 px, under 5 MB |
og:url | The canonical URL | Same as your canonical tag, so shares count together |
og:type | Kind of content | website for most pages, article for posts |
og:site_name | Your brand | Consistent everywhere |
X (Twitter) card tags
X falls back to Open Graph tags for the title, description and image, but the twitter:card tag decides the card type. Use summary_large_image for a large image preview; without it, you’ll usually get a small thumbnail. You can also add twitter:site with your brand’s handle.
Example: a complete set of social tags
<meta property="og:type" content="article">
<meta property="og:title" content="How to Speed Up an Elementor Website">
<meta property="og:description" content="Practical steps to make Elementor sites fast without changing the design.">
<meta property="og:url" content="https://example.com/speed-up-elementor/">
<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/images/elementor-speed-1200x630.jpg">
<meta property="og:image:width" content="1200">
<meta property="og:image:height" content="630">
<meta property="og:site_name" content="Example">
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image">Why include image width and height
When platforms know the image dimensions in advance, they can render the card immediately on the first share instead of waiting to download and measure the image.
How to use our OG tag checker
- Enter the page URL and click Check previews.
- Look at the preview to see roughly how the share card will appear.
- Read the checks: missing tags, og:url mismatches, missing og:type or twitter:card, long titles and the image size.
- Review “Tags found” to see every Open Graph and X tag on the page and its value.
- Follow “How to fix it”, which builds the missing tags for you using the page’s current title and description.
- Refresh platform caches using the Facebook and LinkedIn links in the report once you’ve fixed the tags.
Choosing the right share image
Size and ratio
Use 1200 × 630 pixels, a 1.91:1 ratio. Images of at least 600 × 315 pixels can show as large previews, but 1200 × 630 looks sharp on high-resolution screens. Smaller images may appear as a small thumbnail beside the text. Our checker loads your image and reports its exact size and ratio.
Format and file size
Use JPG or PNG. Facebook doesn’t support SVG for previews. Keep files under 5 MB; under 1 MB is better for fast loading in chat apps.
Design for cropping
Different platforms crop images slightly differently, and some show square versions in certain layouts. Keep text, faces and logos in the centre, with breathing room around the edges.
Make it worth clicking
- Use a relevant photo, illustration or a clean branded graphic with a short headline.
- Keep text on the image large and minimal; it’s often viewed small on phones.
- Use consistent branding so your shares are recognisable in busy feeds.
- Avoid generic stock images that look like adverts.
Why your link preview shows the wrong image or text
The tags are missing or empty
Platforms fall back to guessing. Add the full set of tags.
The image URL is relative or blocked
og:image must be a complete, publicly accessible HTTPS URL. If your server, firewall or hotlink protection blocks social platform crawlers, the image won’t load. Open the image URL in a private browser window to confirm it works.
The platform has cached an old version
Facebook, LinkedIn and others store the preview the first time a URL is shared. After fixing tags, ask them to re-scrape the page:
- Facebook Sharing Debugger: click “Scrape Again”.
- LinkedIn Post Inspector: inspect the URL to refresh it.
- X and WhatsApp refresh on their own, usually within about a week.
Two plugins output different tags
An SEO plugin, a social sharing plugin and a theme can each add Open Graph tags. Platforms may pick the first or the wrong one. Use one source of tags only.
og:url points elsewhere
If og:url points to a different page or domain, platforms may show that page’s preview and credit shares to it. Make og:url match your canonical URL.
How to add Open Graph tags
WordPress with Yoast SEO or Rank Math
Both plugins output Open Graph and X tags automatically. Set a default share image for the whole site (Yoast: Settings → Site basics → Site image; Rank Math: Titles & Meta → Global Meta → OpenGraph Thumbnail), then customise individual pages in the plugin’s Social tab. The featured image is often used by default.
Shopify
Most themes output Open Graph tags from your product images and SEO fields. Set a social sharing image in the theme settings for pages without their own image.
Wix and Squarespace
Both have social share settings per page, where you can upload an image and set the share title and description.
Custom sites
Add the tags to each page’s head, using page-specific values. Our meta tag generator online builds the full set with correct escaping.
Open Graph for different types of page
Home page
Use og:type website and a branded image that works without context: your logo, a short line about what you do and perhaps a product shot or team photo. This preview appears whenever someone shares your main domain.
Blog posts and guides
Use og:type article and create a dedicated social image for each post, ideally with the headline on it. A post’s featured image is often a wide photo that crops badly; a purpose-made 1200 × 630 graphic performs better in feeds.
Product pages
Show the product clearly on a clean background. Shoppers sharing a product with friends want the item to be recognisable at a glance.
Event and webinar pages
Put the date and title on the image so the preview works as an invitation, even if the text below is cut off.
Optional tags worth adding
og:image:alt: a description of the image for screen-reader users on platforms that support it.og:locale: the language and region of the content, such asen_USoren_GB.article:published_timeandarticle:modified_time: dates for articles, which some platforms and search engines read.
When to use an OG tag checker
Before launching a page or campaign
Check the preview before you post, email or advertise a link. Fixing a broken image after hundreds of people have seen it is too late.
After changing themes or plugins
Theme updates and new plugins often add or remove Open Graph tags. A quick check after each change catches duplicates and gaps.
When a preview looks wrong in a chat or post
The OG tag checker shows what the page actually serves. If the tags are correct but the preview is old, the platform’s cache is the problem; refresh it with the debugging tools above.
When auditing a site
Check a sample of page types (home, category, product, article) to make sure every template outputs complete, page-specific tags rather than the same default image and description everywhere.
Open Graph and your wider marketing
Social media and community
Every time a customer, employee or partner shares your page, the preview is free advertising. A strong card increases clicks from organic shares, which builds traffic and brand awareness. If social is a major channel for you, our social media marketing services cover creative and distribution.
Messaging apps
WhatsApp, Slack, Teams and iMessage show link previews in conversations. Many B2B decisions are discussed in these private channels, so a professional preview matters even if you don’t post on social media.
Paid social ads
Ad platforms let you set the creative directly, but when you promote an existing post or let platforms build dynamic ads from your URLs, Open Graph tags supply the defaults.
Build Open Graph into your publishing process rather than fixing it after a bad share. Add a share image and a social title when you write each post, preview it before publishing and re-scrape the URL on Facebook and LinkedIn whenever you change the image. Consistent, attractive previews make every share work harder for your brand, whether it’s posted by your team or by a customer. It only takes a minute per post, and it pays off every single time someone shares your link anywhere.
Open Graph checklist
- og:title, og:description, og:image, og:url, og:type and og:site_name on every important page.
- og:image is an absolute HTTPS URL, 1200 × 630 px, JPG or PNG, under 5 MB.
- og:url matches the page’s canonical URL.
twitter:cardset tosummary_large_image.- Only one set of Open Graph tags on the page.
- Key content in the centre of the image.
- Previews refreshed in Facebook’s and LinkedIn’s tools after changes.
Related free SEO tools
- Meta tag generator online: create Open Graph, X and SEO tags.
- SERP preview tool: preview how the same page looks in Google.
- Free SEO checker: audit social tags alongside 30 other checks.
- Free schema markup generator: add structured data for search.
- Website page size checker: make sure your share images aren’t too heavy.
Ready to see your share preview? Run the OG tag checker above.