This post will provide you with a detailed guide on solving the problem of WhatsApp link previews not working. Hey, folks, don’t you use WhatsApp- a messenger app every day most of the time? Do you know how to give it a new life?
Understanding the WhatsApp Link Preview Issue
When you send a URL in WhatsApp chats, the app creates a thumbnail that represents the site’s content. It is the app that sends a meta description and a featured image to the page, also, it is the reason for the preview to be the first-ever vice in the website content. However, it is also true that some users are talking about it too which is not active anymore and they are shown the raw URL. Now, we are going to deal with various ways to fix it.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Link Preview Not Working
1. Tone:
To avoid getting into complex resolutions, you need to check if your internet connection is stable and fast enough. A slow or unstable network could prevent WhatsApp from receiving the shared URL’s preview data. Try the following steps:
- Alternate between Wi-Fi and mobile data and watch the preview load.
- Get back to the beginning by restarting your router with Wi-Fi.
- Network connections can be refreshed by turning on Airplane Mode and then turning it off again.
2. Status:
In terms of enhancing the support for link previews in WhatsApp, the service may have some privacy settings that would need to be adjusted to correspond to the launch of a preview correctly. Check the following set of privacy settings to make sure you have it correct:
- First of all, open WhatsApp and then, move to Settings > Account > Privacy
- Look to see if the Read Receipts are turned on, as some of the privacy features may prohibit the preview generation.
- The second advice will be to share the link again and compare the results of these changes.
3. Clear WhatsApp Cache
It is possible that temporary cache files can cause problems with apps. Therefore, clearing the WhatsApp cache can help the link preview issue to be fixed without deleting your chat history.
- Enter the Smartphone settings through your Smartphone.
- Select Apps or Applications.
- It is required to find and select WhatsApp.
- Now go to Storage & Cache and tap on Clear Cache.
Conduct a check to see if the problem is corrected. If not, please go through the following steps.
4. Force Stop and Restart WhatsApp
Force stopping WhatsApp can refresh its background processes and perhaps solve those problems with link previews:
- Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp.
- Press Force Stop and a confirmation screen will appear.
- Start WhatsApp again and see if the link preview feature works.
5. Update WhatsApp to the Latest Version
The date version of WhatsApp may result in compatibility issues such as the malfunctioning of link previews. The recent version comes with bug fixes that commonly fix these problems:
- Launch the Google Play store on Android or the App Store on iOS.
- Look for WhatsApp and check if there’s an update button present.
- Tap Update and relaunch the app to see if the issue is resolved.
6. Join WhatsApp Beta Program
In most cases, the beta version of WhatsApp has additional features and bug fixes that are not available in the stable version. To take the beta version at first glance:
- Google Play Store should be visited to get the WhatsApp Beta page.
- Select the Join option and refresh it to the beta version.
- Double-check if the link preview feature works after the update.
7. Reinstall WhatsApp
If the link preview issue persists irrespective of the steps you have already taken, reinstalling WhatsApp may be the next thing to do. But, be sure to save your chat history to avoid any data loss.:
- Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and then tap Back Up is the first step to take.
- You should go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp then click Uninstall.
- Install WhatsApp from the Google Play Store or App Store, then.
- Restore your backup when it is suggested and make sure the link preview issue is solved.
8. Check URL Metadata Compatibility
The solution may be to tune the URLs themselves, do not think that only URL previews are the reason you see URLs in the address bar. Only some websites can provide the necessary rich metadata. But if the difficulty lies in specific links:
- An Open Graph Debugger tool will help you to see if the link also contains the necessary meta tags. I bet, in case of a metadata absence, you get an empty box instead of a preview.
- WhatsApp may “not preview” when the metadata is not present.
9. Adjust Device Date and Time Settings
Wrong date and time settings are the major culprits in connectivity outages, as a result, WhatsApp becomes incapable of receiving and presenting links:
- To go to Settings > System > Date & Time, you can just drag down to the Quick Settings shade, and then touch the Settings icon Date & Time is the first step to go.
- First, you need to enable Automatic Date & Time.
- Try restarting your device, and check if this solution fixes the link preview issue.
10. Downgrade to a Stable Version
Providing that an issue appears after a recent update, earlier versions can be sessionals which means, thus, that downgrading may be resolved. The procedure will lead to cleaning out your chats, make sure you have the backup of chats:
- Uninstall the current version of WhatsApp.
- Download an older APK file from a trusted source.
- Install the APK and restore your chat backup.
What If These Fixes Don’t Work?
Is there no effort done to fix the glitch?
Insignificant technical error could be due to a problem with WhatsApp’s server. If that is so, then be patient till an official update comes from WhatsApp. You can also make use of the available WhatsApp access feature to chat with help support for more information.
Final Thoughts
It is annoying that the problem of the non-functioning of the link previews of WhatsApp arises, but most of the time with the right troubleshooting steps, it becomes a piece of cake to deal with. Using the solutions given, you are no longer a stranger to the solution and you can thus be able to retrieve the full functionalities of the account and, consequently, will have a better communicating experience. Don’t forget to keep your app updated and periodic clearing of out-of-date files to maintain good performance.
We are updating this How-to guide to include the latest way to fix WhatsAp.p link preview issues. Stay tuned for any new developments, and feel free to share your feedback if you find additional solutions.