shared image Facebook/twitter is not working

[gurkenglas]

Hey,
I've been having a problem since this month where the preview image isn't displayed. I usually change the image every month, and then it appears on Telegram, for example, when you share a link.

Unfortunately, the one from last month is still displayed, even though I've been using a new image for a few days.

I don't need the preview image specifically for Facebook/Meta or Twitter, but rather as a general preview image, especially for Telegram.

[arminunruh]

Hey, so I guess that services like Telegram, Facebook, and more cache that image.
For Facebook, I know that you can go to a certain website and invalidate the cache to make Facebook reload the image, so you get the new one.

For a Telegram, I'm not so sure.

heres what chatgpt says:

Great question — updating the og:image meta tag alone isn't enough to make Telegram (or other platforms like Facebook or Twitter) show the new image right away. These platforms cache Open Graph data aggressively.

Here’s how to make sure Telegram picks up the new image after you've updated the og:image tag:

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✅ Steps to Make Telegram Show the New OG Image

1. Update Your HTML Meta Tag

Make sure your HTML is updated like this:

<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/path-to-your-new-image.jpg">

💡 Tip: Make sure the new image URL is not the same as the old one. Use a new filename or add a version parameter (e.g., ?v=2) to bust the cache.

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2. Use a New or Versioned Image URL

Telegram caches by image URL. So if you re-use the same URL, it will likely keep showing the old image.

✅ Good:

https://example.com/image-new.jpg

or

https://example.com/image.jpg?v=2

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3. Share the Link in Telegram Again

Now post the link in Telegram again in a new message. Telegram fetches metadata only the first time a URL is previewed in a chat. Editing the message won't trigger a re-fetch.

If it's already cached:

• Try sharing the link with a slightly different URL, like adding a fake query parameter:

  https://example.com/page?v=123
  

  (This tricks Telegram into fetching it again.)

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4. Force Refresh Telegram Cache (Not officially supported)

Telegram doesn't offer a public cache debugger like Facebook's Sharing Debugger or LinkedIn's Post Inspector. So your best bet is:

• Change the image URL.
• Use a new link or versioned query string.
• Wait a few hours if changes aren’t urgent (cache might expire).

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✅ Checklist Recap

Step	Action
🔧 Update	Change the og:image tag
🎯 Unique	Use a new image URL or add a version (e.g., ?v=2)
🧹 Telegram Cache	Share the updated URL in a new message
❌ Don't	Don’t reuse exact same image URL and expect a refresh
⏳ Patience	If all else fails, wait 24–48h for cache to expire

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Let me know if you want a script to automate versioning your image URLs!