8 Simple Solutions to Fix Discord Images Showing as Files or Links

ByJim Miller

Are your Discord images appearing as files or links instead of previews? If you're unable to see image previews on Discord, there could be several reasons behind it, ranging from Discord settings to network issues. In this article, we will explore why Discord image previews may not be showing and provide you with simple fixes to resolve the issue. Let's dive in.

1. Make Sure Link and Image Previews Are Enabled

By default, Discord displays previews for all image links. However, if you can't see the previews, you may have accidentally disabled this option in your settings. To enable image link previews:

  • On Desktop: Open the Discord app or website, click on the cog icon next to your username at the bottom right corner to access User Settings. In the User Settings page, select “Text and Images” in the sidebar, and ensure that the toggle next to “When posted as links to chat” is enabled.
  • On Discord Android or iPhone app: Open the Discord app, tap on the profile icon at the bottom right corner, scroll down, and open the “Text and Media” option. Then, make sure the toggle next to “When posted as links to chat” is enabled.

2. Enable Large Files Preview

If an image uploaded to Discord is larger than 10MB, it won't display a preview and will instead appear as a file. To enable large file previews:

  • On Desktop: Open the Discord app or website, click on the cog icon next to your username at the bottom right corner to access User Settings. In the User Settings page, select “Text and Images” in the left sidebar and enable the toggle next to “When uploaded directly to Discord.”
  • On Discord Android or iPhone app: Open the Discord app, tap on the profile icon at the bottom right corner, scroll down, and open the “Text & Media” option. Then, enable the toggle next to “When uploaded directly to Discord.”

3. Check the File Format

Discord only supports a few file formats, such as PNG, JPG, JPEG, and GIF. If the sender sends an image in a different format, like WEBP, Discord won't be able to display a preview. To ensure a preview, convert the file format before sending. Keep in mind that this limitation is inherent to Discord.

4. Turn Off the VPN

If none of the above solutions work, try disabling your VPN if you're using one. Although VPNs typically don't cause preview-related issues on Discord, it's worth a try.

5. Check Your Internet Speed

Slow internet speed could be the reason why Discord images show as links or files instead of previews. Check your internet speed, including upload/download speeds and ping. If your speed is slow, consider connecting to a faster network.

6. Force Close the App and Restart

If none of the previous solutions resolve the issue, try force closing the Discord app and restarting it. This can help if there's a glitch causing Discord to display links or files instead of images.

  • On Windows: Open the Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), select the Discord option, and click on “End task.” Then, open the Discord app again.
  • On Mac: Right-click on the Discord app in the bottom dock and select “Quit.” Then, open the Discord app again.
  • On Discord Web App: Simply close the Discord tab in your browser and reopen it.
  • On Android and iPhone: Remove the Discord app from the recent apps menu and then open the app again.

7. Reinstall Discord

If the issue persists, try reinstalling the Discord app. Note that simply uninstalling the app may not remove all the app files, so it's important to uninstall the app along with its stored data.

  • On Windows: Right-click on the Discord app in the Start menu and select “Uninstall.” Then, press the Windows key + R to open Run, type “%appdata%” and press Enter. Navigate to the Discord folder, select all the files, and delete them. Now, reinstall the Discord app.
  • On Mac: Open the Finder app, select “Applications” in the left sidebar, and then select the “Utilities” folder. Open the Terminal, type “sudo uninstall file://” and drag the Discord app icon into the Terminal. Press Return to uninstall the app completely. Reinstall Discord from the respective app store.
  • On Android: Long press the Discord app icon, select “App info,” go to “Storage and cache,” and tap on “Clear Data” or “Clear Storage.” Then, uninstall the app and reinstall it from the Play Store.
  • On iPhone: Long press the Discord app icon, tap on the cross icon, and select “Uninstall.” Then, reinstall Discord from the App Store.

Images are Back on Discord

In most cases, the reason why images appear as files or links on Discord is due to the Discord settings mentioned above or the file type of the image being sent. If none of the above methods resolve the issue, restarting or reinstalling Discord should fix it for good.