The basic steps to post a link

To post a link on Facebook, open your News Feed or your profile, click in the text box at the top that says "What's on your mind?", paste or type the web address you want to share, and then click Post. Facebook will automatically pull in a preview — the headline, description, and thumbnail image from that webpage — so you can see what your friends will see before you publish.

You do not have to do anything special to make the preview appear. As soon as you paste a complete web address (one that starts with http:// or https://), Facebook scans that page and generates the preview within a few seconds. If the preview does not show up, wait a moment and refresh the page, or try pasting the link again.

The preview is editable. You can change the headline, description, or image that Facebook pulled in by clicking on those elements in the preview box. This is useful if the automatic preview does not capture what you want to highlight, or if you want to add context that the webpage's own description does not provide.

Key Takeaways

  • Paste the full web address into the "What's on your mind?" box and Facebook will automatically create a preview with the page's headline, description, and image.
  • You can edit the headline, description, or image in the preview before posting if you want to change what appears to your friends.
  • Links posted to your timeline are visible to whoever you have set your privacy settings to allow — check your audience before posting sensitive content.
  • If you want to add your own thoughts alongside the link, type them in the text box before or after pasting the web address.

Where the link appears and who can see it

When you post a link to your timeline, it shows up in your profile and in the News Feeds of your friends, depending on your privacy settings. By default, links you post are visible to "Friends" — meaning only people you have added as friends can see them. You can change this before you post by clicking the audience button (it usually shows a small icon of a person or people) just before you click Post.

The audience options are typically "Public" (anyone on or off Facebook can see it), "Friends" (only your friends), "Friends except..." (everyone except specific people you choose), or "Only me" (just you). If you post to a group or a page you manage, the link appears there instead of on your personal timeline, and the visibility rules for that group or page apply.

Adding your own text with the link

You can write your own message in the text box alongside the link. Type or paste your thoughts first, then add a line break or space, and paste the web address below. Facebook will still generate the preview for the link, and both your text and the preview will post together.

This is how you add context — for example, "Check out this article about gardening tips" followed by the link. Your words appear above the preview, so readers see your reason for sharing before they see what the link is about. Keep in mind that very long text can push the link preview lower on the screen, so some people may not scroll down to see it.

Troubleshooting when the preview does not appear

If you paste a link and no preview shows up after waiting a few seconds, the webpage may not be set up in a way that Facebook can read. Some websites block Facebook's preview system, or the page may have technical issues that prevent Facebook from pulling the information. In this case, you can still post the link — it will just appear as plain text rather than with a headline and image.

Try refreshing the page or closing and reopening Facebook. If the preview still does not appear, you can post the link as-is, or you can manually type a description of what the link is about so your friends know what they are clicking. You can also try shortening the URL using a tool like bit.ly, though this is usually not necessary.

Sharing links from your phone or tablet

On the Facebook app for iPhone or Android, the process is nearly identical. Open your News Feed, tap the text box at the top, and paste the web address. The preview will appear the same way it does on a computer. You can edit the preview, add your own text, and choose your audience using the same buttons.

Many phones also let you share directly to Facebook from other apps. If you are reading an article in your browser or another app and want to post it to Facebook, look for a "Share" button or menu option. Tap it, select Facebook, and the link will open in the Facebook app with the preview already loaded — you just add any text you want and post.

Editing or deleting a link you have already posted

After you post a link, you can edit or remove it. Hover over the post (or tap and hold on a phone) and a menu will appear with options including "Edit post" and "Delete". If you click Edit, you can change the text you wrote, but you cannot change the preview itself — if you want a different headline or image, you need to delete the post and share the link again.

If you delete a post, it disappears from your timeline and from your friends' News Feeds. People who already saw it may remember it, but the link will no longer be visible on Facebook. Editing a post does not notify your friends that you changed it — the edited version simply replaces the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I post the same link multiple times?

Yes, you can post the same link as many times as you want. Facebook will not stop you, though posting the same link repeatedly in a short time may look like spam to your friends. If you want to share something again, consider waiting a few days or adding different text to give it new context.

What if the link preview shows the wrong image or headline?

Click on the image or headline in the preview box to edit it. You can select a different image from the ones Facebook found on that page, or type in a new headline and description manually. This is useful when the automatic preview does not capture what you want to emphasize about the link.

Will people know if I edit a post after I share it?

No. When you edit a post, Facebook does not send a notification to your friends. The edited version simply replaces the original. People who saw the post before you edited it will not be notified of the change, though they may notice if they look at it again.

Can I post a link to a private website or document?

If the website requires a login or password, Facebook cannot generate a preview because it cannot access the page. You can still post the link as text, but your friends will not see a preview. They will only see the URL you pasted, so you should describe what the link is about in your own words.

Does posting a link notify the website owner?

Most websites do not receive a notification when you post their link on Facebook. However, they may see increased traffic from Facebook in their analytics. Some websites track which links are shared most on social media, but they do not know specifically who shared them or when.