What happens when you paste a link into Facebook

When you paste a web address into a Facebook post, Facebook automatically detects it and creates a preview card showing the page title, description, and thumbnail image. You do not have to do anything extra — the link becomes clickable for anyone who sees your post. Facebook pulls this preview from the website's own metadata, so what appears depends on how that website is set up, not on anything you control.

The preview card appears below your text while you are still writing the post. You can delete it by clicking the X in the corner if you do not want it to show, but the link itself stays in your post text and remains clickable. If you want to change which image appears in the preview, you can click on the preview card itself and cycle through available images from that webpage.

Key Takeaways

  • Paste the full web address (starting with http:// or https://) directly into your post text, and Facebook will automatically create a clickable preview card.
  • The preview card shows the page title, description, and image pulled from the website itself — you cannot edit these details from Facebook.
  • You can remove the preview card by clicking the X, but the link in your text stays clickable even without the card showing.
  • If multiple images are available on the webpage, you can click the preview card to cycle through and choose which one displays.
  • Links in Facebook posts are visible to whoever can see that post, based on your privacy settings for that individual post.

Pasting a link into a new post

Open Facebook and go to your timeline or the page where you want to post. Click in the "What's on your mind?" box at the top. Type or paste your message, then paste the web address anywhere in the text. Use the full address: https://www.example.com, not just "example.com".

Facebook scans the text as you type. Within a few seconds, a preview card will appear below your text showing the webpage title, a short description, and a thumbnail image. If you do not see a preview, the website may not have set up its metadata properly, or Facebook may not be able to reach it. In that case, the link is still there and still clickable — it just will not show a preview card.

Once the preview appears, you can click anywhere on the card to cycle through different images from that page if more than one is available. Click the X button on the card if you want to hide the preview but keep the link in your post text. When you are ready, click "Post" to share it.

Controlling who sees your link

Before you click "Post", look for the privacy button — usually a small icon showing "Friends", "Public", or a lock symbol. Click it to choose who can see this post. Your choice here applies to the entire post, including the link. If you set the post to "Friends Only", only your friends can click the link. If you set it to "Public", anyone on Facebook can see and click it.

You can also hide a post from specific people without changing the overall privacy level. Click the three dots in the top right corner of your post after it is published, select "Edit Privacy", and choose "Hide from" to block certain people from seeing it. This does not delete the post — it just hides it from those individuals.

Editing or removing a link after posting

Once you have published a post with a link, you cannot change the link itself without deleting the post and creating a new one. However, you can edit the text around the link. Click the three dots in the top right corner of your post and select "Edit Post". You can rewrite your message, but the URL in the text will stay the same.

If you want to remove the link entirely, delete the web address from your post text and click "Save". The preview card will disappear. If you want to replace it with a different link, delete the old URL and paste the new one in its place. Facebook will generate a new preview card for the new webpage.

Why the preview card looks different than the website

The preview card shows information that the website owner put into the page's code, not what you see when you visit the site in your browser. Websites can set different titles, descriptions, and images specifically for social media previews. A news article might show a headline in the preview but a different headline on the actual page. An online store might show a product image in the preview even if the page displays many images.

If the preview looks wrong or outdated, the website owner may have changed the page but not updated the metadata. Facebook also caches previews, meaning it may show an old version for a few hours or days. You cannot fix this from your Facebook post — only the website owner can update the information Facebook pulls.

Sharing links from your phone

On the Facebook mobile app, tap "What's on your mind?" and type your message. Paste the web address into the text field the same way you would on a computer. The preview card will appear after a few seconds. You can tap the card to cycle through images or tap the X to hide it. Tap "Post" when you are ready.

If you are using another app and want to share a link to Facebook, look for a "Share" button in that app. Tap it and select "Facebook". This will open Facebook and pre-fill a post with the link. You can add your own message before posting. The preview card will generate the same way as if you had pasted the link manually.

What to do if the link does not show a preview

Some websites do not include preview metadata, so Facebook cannot generate a card. The link will still work — people can click it and reach the page — but no image or description will show. This is common with older websites, password-protected pages, or sites that block Facebook's preview system.

If you want a preview to appear, you can try copying the link again and pasting it fresh. Sometimes Facebook needs a moment to fetch the information. If it still does not work, the website itself may need to be updated by its owner. You can still post the link without a preview — many people do, and it remains clickable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can people see where a link goes before they click it?

Yes. The preview card shows the webpage title and description, so people can see what they are clicking on. If you hover over the link text itself on a computer, a small popup shows the full web address. On mobile, the address is harder to see before clicking, but the preview card still shows what page it leads to.

Does Facebook track clicks on links I post?

Facebook tracks some data about posts and engagement, but you do not see individual click information unless you manage a Facebook Page (not a personal profile) and use the Page Insights tool. For personal posts, you cannot see how many people clicked your link. The website you linked to will see traffic from Facebook in its own analytics.

What if I want to hide the preview card but keep the link?

Click the X button on the preview card before you post. The card will disappear, but the web address stays in your post text and remains clickable. People will see the link as plain text rather than as a formatted card with an image.

Can I post a link without showing the full web address?

Facebook does not have a built-in way to hide the URL in your post text. The web address will appear as you typed it. If you want the link to look cleaner, you can use a URL shortener like bit.ly or tinyurl.com to create a shorter address, then paste that into your post instead.

What happens if the website goes offline after I post the link?

The preview card will stay on your post showing the old information, but the link will no longer work. People who click it will see an error page. You can edit your post to remove the link or add a note that the page is no longer available, but you cannot change the preview card itself without deleting and reposting.