Why is my media preview unavailable?
Table of Contents
Note: Due to network API limitations, the media preview in Sprout may not match the published post on the native network. When a preview can't be displayed, Sprout shows a standardized "Preview unavailable" modal that links out to the post on the native network so you can always view the original content.
In Sprout, you might notice in Compose, certain Reports and the Smart Inbox that a thumbnail doesn't appear for an image or video post. There are a few reasons why you might not see a preview, including:
The image or video is flagged for copyright material. The network flagged the content for potential copyright and doesn't return the content to Sprout.
There was a thumbnail expiration. Instagram Competitor post media typically expires as Sprout doesn't have a way to update image sources after the posts are initially brought into Sprout. Additionally, images for Instagram @mentions and Media Tags can also expire over time. This is specific to these message types.
Tip: If you're seeing an expired image in the Smart Inbox, click on the timestamp next to the post to view it natively on Instagram.
There was a post deletion. The post was deleted so the preview can't be recovered.
There is a native API limitation. Due to network API limitations, Sprout doesn't receive full media previews back from certain networks. This currently affects:
LinkedIn — Full media previews for video posts are not returned via the API.
TikTok — Due to TikTok API limitations, Sprout does not receive a full video preview, although a thumbnail is displayed.
YouTube — Due to YouTube API limitations, Sprout does not receive a full video preview, although a thumbnail is displayed. Additionally, if a YouTube link preview isn't loading in Compose, make sure you have a YouTube profile connected to your Sprout account.
Snapchat — Due to Snapchat API limitations, media previews for sent Snapchat posts may be limited.
There can also be disruptions on the network side that occasionally prevent Sprout from displaying media for other networks.
There was an issue with the network connection. In rare cases, your browser's connection can prevent the preview from loading. Refresh your browser.
Was this article helpful?
