If the preview won’t load after pasting the link, just click inside the text box, type a quick message, then hit the blue “Share” button beneath the preview.
Why does Facebook sometimes block article links?
Facebook removes links that break its Community Standards or come from sites flagged for spreading false info. Since 2026, it’s also been blocking links when the source site skips required meta tags or when the page loads over HTTP instead of HTTPS. Older phones—Android versions below 6.0 or iPhones before iOS 14.5—often can’t show previews because they don’t support modern security protocols.
Here’s exactly how to share a newspaper article on Facebook
- Open the Facebook app or website and tap “What’s on your mind…” at the top of your News Feed.
- Paste the article’s URL into the post box. If the preview still doesn’t pop up after 10 seconds, tap the refresh icon (↻) to the right of the link.
- Once the preview finally shows, add a quick caption if you want, then tap Post.
- If you get “Unable to load preview,” hold your finger on the link, pick Copy, close the post box, open a browser, paste the link, and add
https://at the start if it’s missing. Share that fixed link back in Facebook.
Still not working? Try these quick fixes
- Switch accounts or pages. In the post composer, tap the profile- or page-picker at the top right. Pick a different account or page—permissions change depending on your role.
- Use the desktop site on your phone. Open Chrome or Safari, switch to desktop mode, then paste the link into the status box. The desktop version handles previews more reliably.
- Send it through Messenger instead. Open the article in any browser, tap the share button, choose Messenger, pick a friend, then hit the arrow to send. Facebook treats Messenger shares as direct content, so the News Feed preview block doesn’t kick in.
Stop these problems before they start
- Always double-check that article URLs start with
https://; Facebook drops anything that begins with HTTP. - Run the link through Facebook’s Sharing Debugger before you publish—it’ll tell you if the preview will actually show up.
- If your site runs on WordPress, grab the Yoast SEO plugin and fill in the Facebook Title, Description, and Image fields; missing meta tags are a surefire way to break previews.
- Keep your phone’s operating system and the Facebook app updated—Facebook now demands Android 8+ or iOS 15+ to render previews properly.
