Adding thumbnails, images, and gifs to your posts

Visual elements like thumbnails, images, and gifs can elevate your newsletter, helping to keep readers engaged and reinforcing your brand identity. In addition to using your own images, beehiiv makes it easy to add graphics and animations to your posts, with direct access to Giphy and Unsplash so you can find the perfect image or gif to complement your content.

In this article, we’ll walk through:

• The different types of visual elements you can use on beehiiv.
• How to manage your image library and add visuals to your posts.
• Answers to frequently asked questions about thumbnails, images, and gifs.

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Thumbnails help define your posts

A thumbnail is the image that appears when you share a link to your newsletter post — whether it’s on your publication site or on social media. Thumbnails provide a quick visual preview of your content and help readers recognize your posts at a glance.

For each individual post, you can assign a thumbnail by uploading an asset from your device or selecting from your beehiiv image library, which includes images from Giphy and Unsplash. The recommended size for a thumbnail is 1200x630 px.

If you do not include a thumbnail for a post, the thumbnail image that was added to the publication under Settings > General Info > Default Thumbnail Preview will be used as the thumbnail for the post. Learn more about adding a thumbnail or logo to your publication here. 

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Images add a visual element to your content

Inserting images throughout your post helps break up blocks of text and keeps readers visually engaged. You can use images to illustrate a point, support your narrative, or simply enhance the visual appeal of your newsletter — like in the example below from the beehiiv Blog.

 

Check out these beehiiv blog posts for helpful advice and best practices:  

• I’ve Found The Optimal Email Image Sizes For 2025 [Extensive Research]
• Email Newsletter Image Rights Made Simple: What You Need to Know
• Best Practices To Maximize Your Email Deliverability (Plus How To Avoid the Most Common Image Pitfalls)

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Gifs bring your post to life

GIFs are a great way to capture attention and add a playful or dynamic touch to your post. All beehiiv plans include direct access to Giphy, so you can search for and add pre-made gifs — or upload your own, like in this example from a beehiiv Product Update.

Check out these beehiiv blog posts for more ideas, tips, and tricks: 

• Captivate Your Subscribers With GIFs: Best Practices for Effective Email Newsletters
• How To Use Memes and Gifs To Connect With Your Audience  

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Managing your image library 

Every beehiiv publication includes its own image library, giving you quick access to your uploaded assets as well as integrated access to Unsplash and Giphy.

To access your image library:

1. Open a new post draft or edit an existing post or template.
2. Type / to open the post editor and select Image.
3. Click on Use from library to open your image library.

Under the Current publication tab, you’ll see all assets previously uploaded or selected from Unsplash and Giphy. These are stored for easy reuse across posts.

Editing images in your library

Hover over any image to reveal several editing options:

• Info Icon: Edit the image’s Title (for easier searching), Alt text, Caption, and Caption link. Click Save to confirm your selections.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Tech Note: Images from Unsplash and Giphy typically include default info, but you can update it as you wish.
  
• Crop Icon: Adjust the image’s Aspect ratio, Alignment, and Orientation.
  
  
  
  
  
  After editing, choose between Overwrite to update the original image, or Save as copy to preserve the original and save a second, edited version.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Color Icon: Tweak the image’s Brightness, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation.
  
  
  
  
  
  After adjusting, select between Overwrite to update the original image, or Save as copy to preserve the original and save a second, edited version.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Tech Note: Image adjustment options are only available for static images. Gifs cannot be edited within beehiiv.
• Trashcan Icon: If you wish to delete an asset from your library, click this icon. 

Searching and uploading assets

Use the search bar to find your image assets using any saved metadata, such as title, alt text, or caption (added via the Info icon).

To add new assets, click Upload assets at the top of the library. You can also upload images directly to a post using the Image option in the post editor [link to steps below], then any uploaded files will automatically appear in your library for future use.

Using Giphy and Unsplash

In your library, select the Giphy tab to explore thousands of gifs. Browse by tag or enter a keyword in the search bar.

Select the Unsplash tab to explore thousands of high-quality static images. Browse by tag or enter a keyword in the search bar.



Assets you select from Giphy or Unsplash are automatically added to your image library for easy reuse later.

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How to upload a thumbnail to your newsletter post

1. Open a new post draft or select to edit one of your saved posts or templates.
   
   
2. The Post Builder will open on the Compose page. Above the post title, click on Add thumbnail and choose to either Upload a new image or to Replace from image library.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Note: When adding your post thumbnail, the file size is limited to 5 MB. We recommend a size of 1200 X 630 px for best results.
3. If you choose Upload a new image, your device’s file finder will open. Select your image, and it will appear at the top of your post — above the title, author(s), and content tags.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Thumbnail Visibility settings. Once a thumbnail has been added to your post, click the 6 dots icon to the left of the image to access its Visibility settings.
   
   
   
   
   Toggle on Show at top of web post if you’d like the thumbnail to appear at the top of your published web post.
   
   
   Tech Note: By default, post thumbnails do not override your publication’s default thumbnail set in Settings > General Info > Default Thumbnail Preview — unless you enable this toggle.
5. To change the thumbnail, click the 6 dots icon next to the image again and select either Upload a new image or Replace from image library.
   
   Choosing Replace from image library opens your asset library, where you can reuse previously uploaded images or select from Giphy or Unsplash.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Your image library will open showing the image assets uploaded to your current publication. Select an image from the Current publication tab to immediately add it to your post.
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Choosing an image from Giphy or Unsplash. One of the many perks of your beehiiv account is the ability to access and use stock images from both Giphy and Unsplash directly from your library.
   To use a stock image or gif, click the Giphy or Unsplash tab in the top panel of your library.
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. If you click Giphy, you’ll see a search bar and suggested keywords. Enter a search term or choose a keyword to browse. Once selected, you’ll immediately return to the post editor where the new gif thumbnail will appear in your post.
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. If you click Unsplash, you’ll also see a search bar and keyword suggestions. Search or browse, then select your desired image. You’ll immediately return to the post editor where the new thumbnail will appear in your post.
   
   
   

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How to add an image or gif to your post

1. Open a new post draft or select to edit one of your saved posts or templates.
   
   
2. The Post Builder will open on the Compose page. On the post canvas type / to access the post editor. Select Image from the Basics options.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. An image block will appear in your post.
   From here, you can:

• Drag and drop an image that you’ve already added to your post.
• Click Upload an image to add a new asset from your device.
• Click Use from library to select from previously uploaded images or assets from Giphy and Unsplash.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Tech Note: Uploaded images or gifs must be under 5 MB.

4. If you choose Use from library, the Current publication tab will open. Here, you’ll see all assets previously uploaded to your publication, including past selections from Unsplash and Giphy.
   
   Click any image to immediately insert it into your image block.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Pro Tip: If you need to adjust the uploaded image size, we offer the ability to crop, rotate, or adjust the color by clicking on the icons at the top of the image.
   
   
   
   These options are only for static images, and will not work for gifs found on Giphy or uploaded as an asset.
5. To use an image or gif from a stock library, click either the Giphy or Unsplash tab in the top panel of your image library.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. If you click Giphy, you’ll see a search bar and suggested keywords. Enter a search term or choose a keyword to browse. Once selected, you’ll immediately return to the post editor where the new gif thumbnail will appear in your post.
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. If you click Unsplash, you’ll also see a search bar and keyword suggestions. Search or browse, then select your desired image. You’ll immediately return to the post editor where the new thumbnail will appear in your post.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Note: Any images you use from Giphy or Unsplash will be saved to your image library for future use.

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Frequently asked questions about using thumbnails 

Why does my thumbnail look stretched out?

If your thumbnail image appears stretched, it likely needs to be resized and reuploaded with the correct dimensions.

I resized my thumbnail, but it isn’t updating. How do I fix it?

Thumbnails can take time to re-cache on beehiiv and other platforms where your post is shared, including social media. If you recently edited an image in your beehiiv library, allow up to 24–48 hours for the updated thumbnail to display correctly.

How do I upload a thumbnail for my newsletter’s audio file?

You can customize your newsletter by adding audio files and uploading a thumbnail for them. Instructions for adding a thumbnail to your audio file can be found in step 3 of this article.

How can I embed a gif in my newsletter?
To embed a gif, choose one under 5 MB, save it to your device, and upload it to your post. Full instructions are available in the section above.
Why does my email look different in some subscribers' inboxes?

Email formatting can vary depending on the client and device a subscriber uses. While beehiiv ensures industry-standard formatting, differences in how email clients — like Gmail, Apple Mail, and Outlook — interpret HTML and CSS can affect how emails appear.

Plain text emails offer the most consistent formatting across devices. However, when you add design elements like colors, images, and layout blocks, rendering can vary. For example, an email viewed in Yahoo Mail on Android may display differently than the same email opened in Outlook on an iPhone.

For best results, we recommend testing your emails across multiple clients and devices before sending.

Why isn’t my image loading for some subscribers?

If your subscribers are reporting issues with images not loading in your email posts, there are several reasons this might occur. Before sending out any email, it's best practice to send a test email to preview how it will appear in different inboxes. This ensures that your email looks and functions as intended.

Beyond common spam and deliverability issues, here are a few potential causes and what you can do about them:
Email client settings

Some email clients may block images due to factors like sender reputation or security settings. Improving your sending reputation can reduce this risk, but it’s important to know that certain subscribers' email providers may block images automatically.

You can’t override these settings, but you can:

• Include a link to the web version of your email (beehiiv adds this automatically).
• Set alt text for all images so there's fallback content if images are blocked.
• Use a balanced mix of text and visuals instead of relying solely on images.

Strict firewall settings

Organizations with strong firewall policies (e.g., government agencies) may block images hosted on external domains. To prevent this, their firewall administrator will need to safelist:

• media.beehiiv.net
• *.beehiiv.com
• *.beehiiv.net

Subscriber privacy settings

Some users may have privacy settings that block image loading. While you can’t control these settings, enabling double opt-in and encouraging subscribers to whitelist your emails can help.

Email size and clipping

Large emails may get clipped by certain providers like Gmail. Although images themselves don’t count toward Gmail’s 102 KB limit, the HTML used to display them does. beehiiv will warn you if your post is approaching the limit so you can optimize accordingly.