In this guide, we will show you various methods to fix the issue of link preview not working in WhatsApp. When it comes to instant messaging services, then there’s hardly an iota of doubt that the offering from Meta is the best in this domain. As of late, it has also incorporated a slew of nifty features, including the new payment system [UPI in India] and the much-talked-about Meta AI.
However, these advanced functionalities might not count much if the app isn’t able to get its basics right. Unfortunately, that is the case right now. Numerous users have voiced their concern across numerous social media platforms that the link preview feature is not working along the expected lines in WhatsApp.
For the unaware, when you paste a hyperlink in the chats section, the app will create a preview of the same. This preview contains a featured image and a meta description of that page [granted it has one]. This in turn helps the user in deciding whether the link is of any use to them and whether should they proceed ahead to open it or not.
However, since the preview is no longer visible, users are left with no choice but to open the link, which might prove to be a risky approach since malicious links are doing the rounds quite often nowadays. So is there a way out? Well, there does exist a few nifty workarounds that should help you rectify this problem. So without any further ado, let’s check them out.
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Fix WhatsApp Link Preview Not Working
It is recommended that you try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and then see which one spells out success. So with that in mind, let’s get started. Before starting make sure to backup all your chats to Google Drive and media files to Google Photos or any other source of your choice. Droidwin and its members wouldn’t be held responsible in case of a thermonuclear war, your alarm doesn’t wake you up, or if anything happens to the app data by performing the below steps.
FIX 1: Delete Cache
If a lot of temporary data has accrued over the due course of time, then not only will it slow down the app, it could well conflict with the normal functioning of the app as well. Therefore, it is recommended that you delete that stored cached data, which can be done as follows:
- Head over to Settings > Apps > All Apps > WhatsApp.
- Then go to Storage and Cache and tap on Delete Cache.
- Now check if the underlying issue has been fixed or not.
FIX 2: Force Stop
Next up, you should consider force-stopping the app and restarting its fresh instance from scratch. This will refresh its underlying processes and might rectify the issue that we are currently dealing with. So do give it a try using the below-listed steps and check out the results.
- Head over to Settings > Apps > All Apps > WhatsApp.
- Tap on Force Stop > OK in the confirmation prompt.
- Check if WhatsApp Link Preview is working or not.
FIX 3: Update to Beta Version
The beta build of an app is always the first in line to get blessed with the latest update,s security enhancements, and bug fixes [though it might be a tad less stable]. Therefore, it is recommended that you update WhatsApp to the latest version right away and then check out the results.
- Download the WhatsApp Beta from here.
- Now launch the APK and tap on Update.
- Wait for the app to get updated to Beta.
- Check whether it fixes the issue or not.
FIX 4: Downgrade App
In some cases, the latest build of an app might have a bug or two. In that case, your best bet is to downgrade the app to its earlier stable version, Here’s how it can be done [this will remove all the data of that app, make sure you have made the backup beforehand].
- Head over to Settings > Apps > All Apps > WhatsApp.
- Now Tap on Uninstall > OK in the confirmation prompt.
- Then download the older version of WhatsApp from here.
- Now install the APK and check if it does any good or not.
FIX 5: Delete Data
The issue might also arise due to the data getting corrupted or the app settings getting misconfigured. In such cases, the only way out is to delete that corrupt data and re-instance the fresh one. Here’s how it can be done [this will wipe all the app data, make sure you have an existing backup]
- Head over to Settings > Apps > All Apps > WhatsApp.
- Then go to Storage and Cache and tap on Delete Data.
- Once done, launch the app and set it up from scratch.
- The app will now work without any issues whatsoever.
That’s it. These are the various methods that should help you fix the issue of link preview not working in WhatsApp. As far as the official stance on this matter is concerned, the developers are aware of this issue, but they haven’t given out any ETA for the rollout of a fix. As and when that happens, we will update this guide accordingly. In the meantime, the aforementioned workarounds are your best bet.
