Title: Cannot use shortcode to create Link Preview
Last modified: May 14, 2020

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# Cannot use shortcode to create Link Preview

 *  Resolved [alainreel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/alainreel/)
 * (@alainreel)
 * [6 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-use-shortcode-to-create-link-preview/)
 * Hi,
    I tried using the shortcode you provided [here](https://help.bootstrapped.ventures/article/262-manually-construct-the-vlp-shortcode)
   to add an external link. However, the shortcode does not pull the image. Is there
   any way I can achieve this without manually putting the image url?

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

 *  Plugin Author [Brecht](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brechtvds/)
 * (@brechtvds)
 * [6 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-use-shortcode-to-create-link-preview/#post-12836422)
 * The shortcode does not automatically retrieve anything at the moment. If you 
   want to display an image you’ll have to put in the image ID or URL.
 *  [gauravkeerthi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gauravkeerthi/)
 * (@gauravkeerthi)
 * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-use-shortcode-to-create-link-preview/#post-13045694)
 * I would also like to use the shortcode to generate the full link preview (headline,
   excerpt, and image). Will this feature be added at some point?
 *  Plugin Author [Brecht](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brechtvds/)
 * (@brechtvds)
 * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-use-shortcode-to-create-link-preview/#post-13045769)
 * It’s possible to use the shortcode to display the visual link, just not generate
   it automatically:
    [https://help.bootstrapped.ventures/article/262-manually-construct-the-vlp-shortcode](https://help.bootstrapped.ventures/article/262-manually-construct-the-vlp-shortcode)
 * We might add generating automatically at one point. What do you want to use that
   for specifically?
 *  [gauravkeerthi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gauravkeerthi/)
 * (@gauravkeerthi)
 * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-use-shortcode-to-create-link-preview/#post-13046640)
 * Widgets would be my immediate answer. I think if it’s too hard, I can just do_blocks()
   the current code and turn it into a standalone executable code block?
 *  Plugin Author [Brecht](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brechtvds/)
 * (@brechtvds)
 * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-use-shortcode-to-create-link-preview/#post-13047451)
 * It doesn’t seem like you’re talking about the same thing. Could you open a new
   topic with what you’re trying to achieve specifically?
 * The plugin already has both shortcodes and blocks so you can copy those and use
   in widgets.
 *  [gauravkeerthi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gauravkeerthi/)
 * (@gauravkeerthi)
 * [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-use-shortcode-to-create-link-preview/#post-13051604)
 * thanks – i’ll create a new topic.
    -  This reply was modified 5 years, 11 months ago by [gauravkeerthi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gauravkeerthi/).

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

The topic ‘Cannot use shortcode to create Link Preview’ is closed to new replies.

 * ![](https://ps.w.org/visual-link-preview/assets/icon-256x256.png?rev=2010740)
 * [Visual Link Preview](https://wordpress.org/plugins/visual-link-preview/)
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## Tags

 * [Image URL](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/image-url/)

 * 6 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [gauravkeerthi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gauravkeerthi/)
 * Last activity: [5 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-use-shortcode-to-create-link-preview/#post-13051604)
 * Status: resolved