How to Update X (Twitter) Preview Images When You Change Your Article's Photo

 

How to Update X (Twitter) Preview Images When You Change Your Article's Photo 

Have you ever updated an image in your article and found that sharing it on X (formerly Twitter) still shows the old picture? This is a common headache for content creators who update their articles but find X stubbornly holding onto outdated preview images. While X's system helps load previews faster by saving (or "caching") them, this can be frustrating when you've made updates to your content. 

The Problem 

When you first share an article on X, the platform takes a snapshot of your page's information, including the preview image. This snapshot gets saved (or "cached") for about a week. This is usually helpful because it makes links load faster when shared multiple times. However, if you update your article's image during that week, X won't notice the change – it'll keep showing the old image from its saved snapshot. 

The Simple Solution 

There's a quick trick to force X to take a new snapshot: add "?refresh=1" to the end of your URL when sharing. For example, if your article link is: 

https://yoursite.com/article 

Share it as: 

https://yoursite.com/article?refresh=1 

This small addition tells X, "Hey, forget what you remember about this link – take a fresh look!" When X sees this modified URL, it treats it as a new link and creates a new preview with your updated image. 

How to Use This Trick 

·         Update your article's image as normal on your website 

·         Copy your article's URL 

·         Add "?refresh=1" to the end of the URL 

·         Share this modified URL on X 

·         Wait a moment for the preview to load with your new image 

If you need to update the image again later, you can change the number (like ?refresh=2, ?refresh=3) to force X to look again. 

Why This Works 

X's preview system is designed to be efficient. When it sees a URL, it checks if it has saved information about that link from the past week. By adding ?refresh=1, we're technically creating a new URL in X's eyes, even though it goes to the same page. This forces X to look at your page again and see your updated image. 

Best Practices 

Before sharing: 

·         Make sure your new image is fully uploaded and visible on your website 

·         Test the link with ?refresh=1 by starting a new post on X and checking the preview 

·         You don't need to actually post to verify the preview looks correct 

When to Use This 

This trick is particularly useful when: 

·         You've updated an article's main image 

·         You're reusing an old article with new visuals 

·         You're running a campaign that needs updated imagery 

·         You've improved the quality of your article's featured image 

Important Notes 

·         The original URL (without ?refresh=1) still works normally 

·         Other people can share either URL – they both go to the same page 

·         This trick only affects how X shows the preview 

·         After using ?refresh=1, X will save the new preview for another week 

Real-World Example 

Let's say you run a news site and published an article about a developing story. Initially, you used a stock photo, but later you got actual photos from the scene. After updating your article with the new photo, you want to share it again on X. By adding ?refresh=1 to your URL, you ensure your followers see the new, more relevant image in the preview when you share the updated article. 

Pro Tip 

Keep a note of this trick handy – it's one of those simple but powerful tools that every content creator should know about. While it might seem like a small detail, having the right preview image can significantly impact how many people click through to read your content. 

Remember: When you update your article's image, just add ?refresh=1 to your URL when sharing on X. It's a simple solution to a common problem that helps ensure your content always puts its best foot forward on social media.