Free social media post preview for Instagram, LinkedIn, X and 6 more networks
Type the post, add images and pick a network to see it in that network's layout. It is free, needs no sign-up, and your text and images never leave your browser.
Your post content will appear here...
A social media post preview shows how a post will look in a network's feed before you publish it. This free tool renders your text and images as a post on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest or Bluesky. Use it to check line breaks, the opening line and image crops, then compare the length with each network's 'more' cut-off listed below.
Post preview at a glance
- Networks previewed
- 9: X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Bluesky
- What you can add
- Display name, username, post text and any number of images (JPG, PNG and other image files)
- Text in the preview
- Full text with line breaks on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads and Bluesky; two lines on TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest
- Visible before 'more' (Sept 2026)
- Instagram about 125 characters; LinkedIn about 140 on mobile, 210 on desktop; Facebook about 480 on desktop; X 280
- Image crops
- Instagram 1:1 with carousel dots; TikTok 9:16; YouTube 16:9; Pinterest 2:3; X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky show up to 4 in a grid
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; text and images are not uploaded or stored
- Dark mode
- Follows your device setting
- Price
- Free, no sign-up, no login
How to use it
- 1Pick the network from the Platform list.
- 2Type a display name, a username and the post text. Add images if the post has them.
- 3Read the live preview the way a follower would, then switch networks to compare.
What a post preview catches
Most posting mistakes are visible in the first two seconds of a feed, not in the editor where you wrote the post. A preview puts the draft in the frame your followers see, so these problems show up before the post goes live and before you have to edit or delete it.
- Line breaks: a blank line that looks right in a notes app can collapse or stack oddly on some networks.
- The 'more' cut-off: each feed shows only the opening of the post. If the hook sits in line three, most people never read it.
- Hashtag walls: a block of tags in the middle of a caption pushes the point below the fold. Instagram now allows 5 hashtags per post.
- Image crops: a face or headline near the edge gets cut when the network crops to its own ratio.
- Link previews: the card with a title and image comes from the linked page, not from your text.
Where each network cuts your post (checked September 2026)
Networks do not publish exact cut-off points, and most measure height on screen rather than characters, so treat these as safe targets. Put the reason to keep reading inside the first number.
- Instagram: 2,200-character caption, about 125 visible before 'more'.
- LinkedIn: 3,000 characters, about 140 visible on mobile and 210 on desktop, or 3 lines, whichever comes first.
- Facebook: about 480 characters on desktop before 'See more', fewer on a phone.
- X: 280 characters on free accounts. Premium posts can run longer, with 'Show more' after 280.
- Threads: 500 characters. Bluesky: 300 characters.
- TikTok: captions up to 4,000 characters, about two lines shown over the video.
- YouTube: 100-character title, about 60 to 70 shown in search. Pinterest: 100-character title, 500-character description.
What this preview shows, and what it does not
The tool renders a mockup in each network's style: name, handle, a 'now' timestamp, the action buttons and your images. On X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads and Bluesky it shows the full text with your line breaks, so you can read the whole post and check spacing. On TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest it clamps the text to two lines, the way the caption, video title or pin title appears there.
It does not draw the 'more' link, count characters or build link cards. Paste the text into our character counter for exact counts, and compare the length with the list above. Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest show the first image only. Profile photos are replaced by the network logo. The colors follow your device's light or dark mode.
Image crops by network
The same photo lands differently on each feed, and the preview shows the crop each layout uses. Instagram's preview crops the first image to a square and adds carousel dots when you add more. TikTok frames it as a tall 9:16 video, YouTube as a 16:9 thumbnail, Pinterest as a 2:3 pin.
X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads and Bluesky show one image full width, or two to four in a grid of square tiles, with a '+N' tile when you add more than four. Keep faces, product shots and text on the image inside the center of the frame. On Instagram, remember that the profile grid has shown 3:4 thumbnails since January 2025, so a 4:5 post also loses a thin strip on each side there.
How agencies use previews in client approvals
Clients approve what they see, not what they read in a spreadsheet. A screenshot of the post in the network's layout ends most debates about length, emoji and image choice before they start, and it shows the client exactly which words appear before the cut.
A simple routine: write the post, preview it on each network it goes to, fix the opening line and the crop, then send the client one screenshot per network with the planned date. Keep the approved screenshot with the post, so there is a record if the client asks later what they signed off.
In SocialScheduler, the AI plans each client's week and writes the posts in the client's voice. The client approves, comments or asks for a change from an email link without a login, or the agency approves in the app.
Questions about this tool.
How do I preview a social media post before posting?
Pick the network in this tool, type your name, handle and post text, and add the images. The preview updates as you type, and you can switch networks to compare layouts.
Can you preview an Instagram post before posting it?
Yes. Choose Instagram, paste the caption and add the images. You see the first image as a square, carousel dots for extra images, and the full caption under the action bar.
Is there a way to preview a LinkedIn post?
LinkedIn has no preview button in its composer. Paste the post here and choose LinkedIn to check line breaks and images, and keep the hook inside the first 140 characters so it shows on mobile.
Where does Instagram cut off a caption?
After about 125 characters, or two lines on most phones, Instagram adds 'more'. Put the main point in the first line and move hashtags to the end.
How many characters show before 'see more' on LinkedIn?
About 140 characters on mobile and about 210 on desktop, or three lines, whichever ends first. LinkedIn does not publish the number and tests changes, so aim for 140.
Why won't LinkedIn display a link preview?
LinkedIn builds the link card from the page's Open Graph title and image. If they are missing or cached, run the URL through LinkedIn's Post Inspector, fix the tags and inspect again. This tool does not render link cards.
Is this post preview tool free?
Yes. It is free with no sign-up and no login, and it runs entirely in your browser.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. The images are read by your browser and shown from memory. Nothing you type or add is sent to a server, and it is gone when you close the tab.
Can I preview a carousel?
Partly. Add several images and the Instagram preview shows the first one with a dot per slide. X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads and Bluesky show up to four images in a grid.
Is the preview exactly what followers will see?
It is a close mockup, not a pixel copy. Fonts, spacing and the 'more' cut-off vary by device and change over time, so check the length against the limits on this page.
Facts on this page reviewed
Previewing posts for client approvals?
SocialScheduler writes each client's week in their voice. The client approves, comments or asks for a change from an email link, with no login.