The basic steps to post a link
To post a web link on Facebook, copy the URL from your browser's address bar, paste it into a Facebook status box, and Facebook will automatically pull in a preview. You do not need to do anything special — Facebook detects the link and shows a thumbnail, headline, and description from that webpage.
Open Facebook and go to your News Feed or your own profile. Click in the "What's on your mind?" box at the top. Paste the link you copied. Facebook takes a few seconds to fetch the preview, then shows you what the post will look like. You can edit the text that appears in the preview, delete the image if you do not want it, or add your own comment above the link. Then click Post.
The preview Facebook shows is pulled directly from the webpage itself — specifically from the page's title tag and description metadata. If the preview looks wrong or outdated, that is usually because the website has not updated its own metadata recently, not because Facebook is showing you the wrong page.
Key Takeaways
- Copy the full URL from your browser address bar and paste it into a Facebook status box — Facebook will automatically create a preview with an image, headline, and description.
- You can edit the text Facebook pulls in, remove the image, or add your own comment before posting.
- If you want to control what preview image appears, you can upload a custom image instead of using Facebook's automatic choice.
- Links you post are visible to whoever you have set as the audience for that post — check your privacy settings before you share.
- Facebook may warn you if the link leads to a page it has flagged for misinformation, but you can still post it if you choose to.
Choosing who sees your link
Before you click Post, look at the privacy icon just above the status box — it usually shows "Friends" or "Public" depending on your default setting. Click that icon to change who can see this particular post. Your options are Public (anyone on or off Facebook), Friends (only people you have friended), Specific Friends (you choose which friends), or Only Me (just you).
If you do not change the setting, Facebook uses whatever you set as your default audience. You can change your default in Settings under Privacy, but changing it for one post does not change your default for future posts — you have to set the default separately.
Editing or removing the preview image
When Facebook shows you the preview, you will see a thumbnail image on the left or right side of the preview box. If you do not like that image, click on it to see other images from that webpage that Facebook found. Select the one you prefer, or click the X to remove the image entirely.
If none of the images Facebook offers are what you want, you can upload your own image instead. Click the camera icon in the preview area and choose a photo from your computer. This is useful when you are sharing a link to an article and want to use a different image to catch people's attention.
What happens when you post a link
Once you post, the link appears in your timeline and in the News Feeds of people who follow you or are your friends, depending on your privacy setting. People can click the preview to go to the webpage, or they can like, comment on, or share your post without leaving Facebook.
If the link goes to a news article or other content, Facebook may show a label under the headline saying who published it or whether fact-checkers have reviewed it. These labels come from Facebook's own systems and from third-party fact-checking organizations. You cannot remove these labels, but they do not prevent you from posting the link.
Posting links in comments and messages
You can also paste a link into a comment on someone else's post, or into a private message. The same preview system works — paste the URL, wait for the preview to load, and then send. In comments, the preview is smaller and takes up more space, so some people prefer to just paste the raw URL and let people click it if they want.
In private messages, you can paste a link the same way. If you are messaging multiple people at once (a group chat), the link will be visible to everyone in that conversation.
Troubleshooting links that will not preview
Sometimes you paste a link and Facebook does not show a preview. This usually means the website is blocking Facebook's preview system, or the page requires you to log in before Facebook can read it. Try refreshing the page in your browser first, then copy the link again and paste it fresh into Facebook.
If a preview still does not appear, you can post the link anyway — it will just show as plain text. People can still click it and go to the webpage. Some websites intentionally block previews for privacy reasons, so this is normal behavior, not a sign that something is wrong.
If Facebook shows a warning that the link may be unsafe or misleading, you can still post it if you choose to. The warning means Facebook or its fact-checking partners have flagged the content, but the decision to share it is yours. Other people will see the warning too when they view your post.
Sharing links from your phone
On the Facebook mobile app, the process is the same. Open the app, tap the status box, and paste the link. The preview loads the same way, and you can edit it before posting. On some phones, you can also use the Share button on a website itself — many websites have a Facebook share button that opens Facebook and pre-fills the link for you.
If you use the website's share button, Facebook may ask you to log in or confirm that you want to share. After you confirm, the link posts to your timeline with the preview already loaded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I post a link without showing a preview image?
Yes. When the preview appears, click on the image and then click the X button to remove it. The link will post with just the headline and description, no image. You can also delete the entire preview and just post the raw URL as text.
What if the preview shows the wrong information about the webpage?
The preview comes from the website's own metadata, not from Facebook. If it is wrong or outdated, the website owner needs to update their page title and description. You can edit the text in the preview before posting, but that does not change what the website actually says.
Can I schedule a link to post later instead of right now?
Yes, but only on the full Facebook website, not the mobile app. After you paste the link and create your preview, look for a clock icon or "Schedule" option near the Post button. Click it to choose a date and time. The post will publish automatically at that time.
Will people know if I edit a post after I share a link?
Facebook shows an "Edited" label next to posts you change after posting, so people can see that you made changes. The label appears next to the timestamp. People can click it to see what you changed.
What if someone shares my link and I want to remove it?
You can only delete your own posts. If someone else shared your link, you cannot remove their post, but you can ask them to take it down. You can also report the post to Facebook if it violates their rules, but Facebook will not remove it just because you do not want it shared.