Guide

Open Graph image size: 1200×630 and platform notes

Link previews on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Slack, Discord, and WhatsApp all care about og:image, but each client crops and compresses differently. One landscape asset at 1200×630 (~1.91:1), served as PNG or JPEG over absolute https://, is the safest shared default—then keep important text out of the edges.

CardScope fetches the URL from the edge and rebuilds diagnostic shells from the tags it finds. It is not a pixel-perfect Facebook, X, or Discord UI. Use CardScope to confirm the live tags; use each platform’s debugger or a fresh share when you need to refresh a cache.

The safe default

• 1200×630 landscape (~1.91:1) as PNG or JPEG.
• Absolute https:// og:image — relative paths break for many crawlers.
• og:image:width and og:image:height — set when you can so clients know the intended size before they download.
• twitter:card=summary_large_image — required for large cards on X and often for large Discord embeds.
• Center safe zone — keep logos and key text in roughly the center 85% so edge crops do not cut the message.
• Reasonable file size — chat apps may compress or drop very large images. Soft limits vary; smaller is more reliable.

Platform notes (not hard guarantees)

After you change dimensions or the image URL, live HTML can be correct while a client still shows an old card. Use the clear Open Graph cache workflow: fix → verify → rescrape where a tool exists.

A minimal set

If you only set the image-related tags once for every network, set these:

<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/og.png">
<meta property="og:image:width" content="1200">
<meta property="og:image:height" content="630">
<meta property="og:image:type" content="image/png">
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image">
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://example.com/og.png">

Pair them with a specific og:title, og:description, and stable og:url. Same foundation as the Facebook, LinkedIn vs X, Slack vs Discord, and WhatsApp / Telegram guides — one solid OG set, then client-specific tools where they exist.

Checklist before you ship the image

1. Export 1200×630 (PNG or JPEG) with important content in the center safe zone.
2. Host on absolute https:// — open the image URL in a private window; if you cannot see the file, crawlers often cannot either.
3. Set width/height meta to match the real file.
4. Set twitter:card=summary_large_image when you want large cards on X or Discord.
5. Keep the file reasonably small so chat unfurls do not silently compress or drop it.
6. Verify with CardScope, then rescrape platform caches if an old image is stuck.

FAQ

What Open Graph image size should I use?

A widely safe default is 1200×630 pixels (~1.91:1) as PNG or JPEG. Pair it with an absolute https:// og:image URL and, when you can, og:image:width and og:image:height. Platforms still crop and compress on their own.

Is 1200×675 better for X?

X large cards are often discussed around 1200×675 (16:9). A 1200×630 asset is still widely acceptable with minor crop. Keep logos and key text in a center safe zone (~center 85%) so either ratio survives.

Does Discord need twitter:card for a large image?

Discord often needs twitter:card=summary_large_image to show a large embed even when Open Graph tags are present. Set both a solid OG image and that Twitter card value when you want large previews — details in the Slack vs Discord guide.

How large can the image file be?

Keep files reasonably small. Chat apps may compress or drop oversized images. Treat size limits as soft guidance, not hard guarantees — verify the live tags and re-check after you ship.

Is CardScope free?

Three free checks per day per IP, no account. Pro is $19 once for unlimited checks. We parse HTML in memory and discard it — rate limits store a hash of your IP for 48 hours, not the page.