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Use a 1200 × 630 pixel image (about a 1.91:1 ratio) for a Facebook link preview in 2026. That is the practical target in the current Facebook-specific sizing guidance. The same guide describes 600 × 315 pixels as a lower bound for a large preview, but that minimum is secondary guidance rather than a threshold confirmed in Meta documentation. Your image size alone cannot guarantee identical, uncropped rendering in every Facebook surface.
Facebook creates link previews from Open Graph (OG) metadata in your page’s <head>. Set the image URL and the page’s core OG properties, then inspect the result with Facebook’s Object Debugger after publishing.
The recommended Facebook preview size
A 1200 × 630 pixel image gives Facebook enough resolution for a prominent link preview while preserving the familiar approximately 1.91:1 landscape shape. Create the artwork at that exact size rather than resizing a smaller image upward.
| Candidate | Dimensions | Ratio | How to treat it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended target | 1200 × 630 px | Approximately 1.91:1 | Use for new share images and templates. |
| Large-preview lower bound | 600 × 315 px | Approximately 1.91:1 | Secondary guide’s minimum claim; not confirmed here as an official Meta threshold. |
Keep important text, logos and faces away from the outer edges. Facebook may display a preview in different placements, and dimensions do not establish that every placement will show the entire canvas without cropping.
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Why Open Graph tags determine the preview
The Open Graph protocol defines four required basic properties for a graph object:
og:titleog:typeog:imageog:url
For an image, the protocol also defines structured properties for width, height, MIME type, a secure URL and alternative text. If you provide og:image, the protocol recommends providing og:image:alt as well. og:description is useful but optional.
Minimal head markup
Place one canonical set of tags in the document head. Replace the example values with the page being shared and an absolute, publicly reachable image URL.
<meta property="og:title" content="Page title">
<meta property="og:type" content="website">
<meta property="og:url" content="https://example.com/page">
<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/share-image.jpg">
<meta property="og:image:width" content="1200">
<meta property="og:image:height" content="630">
<meta property="og:image:alt" content="Description of the share image">
<meta property="og:description" content="A concise page description">The four core properties are the protocol’s required basics. The description and structured image fields shown above are optional or recommended protocol metadata, not a claim that every one is mandatory for Facebook.
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1. Create the artwork
- Start a 1200 × 630 px canvas.
- Use a readable headline that still works when the preview is displayed smaller.
- Keep contrast high and avoid placing essential information at the edges.
- Export a web-ready image and keep the URL stable after publishing.
2. Use an absolute image URL
Set og:image to a complete URL beginning with https://, not a relative path such as /images/share.jpg. The crawler must be able to request the image without signing in, executing a private application session or receiving a browser-only URL.
3. Match the declared dimensions
If the file is 1200 × 630, declare those values in og:image:width and og:image:height. Do not declare dimensions that differ from the delivered file; inconsistent metadata makes debugging harder and can affect how parsers interpret the asset.
4. Add useful alternative text
Describe the meaningful content of the image in og:image:alt. Do not stuff it with keywords or repeat an irrelevant file name. The alt value supports people who cannot see the image and follows the protocol’s recommendation to accompany og:image.
5. Make the page URL canonical
Set og:url to the URL you expect people to share. Keep it consistent with your canonical URL strategy so that query-string variants do not split engagement or produce confusing debugger results.
Checking a preview after publishing
The Open Graph protocol identifies Facebook Object Debugger as Facebook’s official parser and debugger. Use that tool to inspect the page and see which OG tags Facebook reads. After changing the image or metadata, request a fresh scrape in the live tool if that control is offered; exact labels and refresh behavior can change, so follow the interface currently shown by Meta.
- Publish the page and confirm the image URL works in a private browser window.
- Open Facebook Object Debugger and submit the exact page URL, including the same protocol and path visitors will share.
- Review the parsed
og:title,og:url,og:imageand optional image dimensions. - Correct any tag, access or image-file error, then request another scrape.
- Share only after the debugger shows the intended asset. A cached result can persist, and no universal cache-refresh time is established here.
Design and cropping decisions
Keep a safe area
Use the central area for the headline, logo and call to action. A 1200 × 630 canvas is wide, but previews can be rendered at smaller sizes or in layouts that trim edges. A safe margin also protects against slight differences between desktop, mobile and feed contexts.
Use one focal message
Readers often see the image beside the title and description. Let the image communicate one idea rather than duplicating a paragraph of page copy. Test the smallest practical display size before exporting.
Choose an appropriate file
The protocol supports an image MIME-type property, but the material available for this guide does not establish a current universal Facebook file-size limit or a definitive list of accepted formats. Use a conventional web image format your server delivers with the correct Content-Type, and verify the actual response in the debugger instead of relying on a file extension.
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Troubleshooting common failures
The old image still appears
Cause: Facebook has a cached scrape. Fix: inspect the URL in Object Debugger, request a new scrape using the current control, and verify that the OG image URL itself has changed only if you intentionally changed it. Renaming the asset can help distinguish a new file, but it is not a guaranteed cache-timing solution.
No image is detected
Cause: the tag is missing, malformed, relative, blocked, or placed outside the document head. Fix: view the server-rendered HTML, confirm one absolute og:image URL, and request that URL without authentication. Check redirects and the response’s content type.
The wrong page image is selected
Cause: multiple og:image tags, a plugin-generated tag overriding yours, or a crawler reading a different URL variant. Fix: leave the intended image first, remove duplicates, and test the exact URL that will be shared.
The preview is blank or inconsistent
Cause: the image host blocks Facebook’s fetch, requires cookies, times out, or serves a response only after JavaScript runs. Fix: make the asset directly fetchable, avoid session-only URLs, check firewall and rate-limit logs, and test from an unauthenticated request.
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Declared dimensions do not match the file
Cause: the image was replaced without updating metadata, or a CMS generated a different rendition. Fix: inspect the downloaded file’s actual pixel dimensions and update either the asset or the structured properties so they agree.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Performance, reliability and maintenance
- Serve a stable asset: keep the share image at a durable URL; changing it on every request makes cache diagnosis difficult.
- Optimize bytes without changing pixels: compress the image for web delivery, but retain the 1200 × 630 canvas and legible text.
- Render tags server-side: social crawlers may not execute the same JavaScript as a normal browser, so emit OG tags in the initial HTML response.
- Protect availability: monitor the image host for access denials, expired certificates, redirect loops and intermittent timeouts.
- Re-test templates: when a CMS theme, SEO plugin or URL structure changes, inspect a representative page in the debugger before a campaign goes live.
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Practical checklist
- Canvas is 1200 × 630 px.
- Important content sits inside a central safe area.
og:title,og:type,og:urlandog:imageare present in the initial HTML.og:imageis an absolute HTTPS URL that works without a session.- Declared width and height match the delivered file.
og:image:altdescribes the image.- The page and image are tested in Facebook Object Debugger after publication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 1200 × 630 an official Meta requirement?
It is the practical target in the current Facebook-specific sizing guide used here. The reviewed material does not confirm it, or the 600 × 315 lower bound, against current Meta documentation.
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You can provide another shape, but this guide recommends the approximately 1.91:1 landscape canvas because preview placements may crop or resize other ratios.
How long does Facebook cache a preview?
No universal refresh interval is established here. Use Facebook Object Debugger to inspect the current parse and request a re-scrape when the live interface provides that option.
Do I need every structured image tag?
The Open Graph protocol defines width, height, MIME type, secure URL and alt text as image metadata; the four basic properties are the required core object fields. The example’s optional fields improve clarity and diagnostics.
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