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How To Make WordPress Links Show Video Previews in iMessage
Have you ever shared a link in iMessage and noticed that, instead of just a static image, the preview automatically played a video? We did too. And we thought it was pretty cool! But when we tried to replicate it on WordPress sites, there wasn’t an easy solution. That’s why we built Featured Video Link Preview, a free WordPress plugin that adds support for video-rich link previews using proper Open Graph (og:video) metadata.
With just a few clicks, you can attach a video to any post or page, and when someone shares that link in iMessage, your custom video can appear and play automatically, giving your content more visual impact right in the conversation.
Make Your Links Show A Video When Sharing Via iPhone
Featured Video Link Preview is a lightweight plugin that adds a custom video field to your WordPress editor. This video becomes the rich media shown when your link is shared in apps that support Open Graph metadata, like iMessage. It’s similar to setting a featured image, but with the added visual power of video.
The plugin works by embedding the correct Open Graph tags into theof your post, including og:video, og:video:type, and og:video:secure_url. This tells iMessage (and potentially other platforms) to use the video as the preview element instead of a static image.
Why iMessage Video Previews Matter
iMessage previews are based on metadata, and most WordPress sites only offer a title, description, and maybe a featured image. But iPhones are capable of showing auto-playing video previews when the right metadata is present.
With Featured Video Link Preview, your link preview becomes more engaging. Whether you’re promoting a blog post, podcast episode, or product page, a video preview in a message thread is far more likely to get attention and clicks.
Plugin Features
- Adds a simple video input field to post and page editors
- Generates og:video metadata automatically
- Supports direct video URLs (MP4, WebM) or uploaded files
- Compatible with Divi
- No bloated scripts or unnecessary features
How To Make A Link Play A Video in iMessage
- Download and install the plugin Here (you can also install directly via WordPress by searching for “Featured Video Link Preview)”
- Activate the plugin in your WordPress dashboard
- Open any post or page and scroll to the Featured Video section
- Paste in a direct link to your video file (or upload one)
- Save or update the post
Once published, your page will now include video metadata. When that URL is shared in iMessage, it has the potential to display your video right in the conversation.
Note: Apple’s support for video previews depends on file type and server configuration. For best results, use direct MP4 or WebM links with HTTPS.
Who Should Use This Plugin?
Featured Video Link Preview is perfect for:
- Bloggers and writers who want more engaging shares
- Marketers looking to boost link performance in messaging apps
- Creators who want their content to visually stand out
- Developers who need a clean, no-frills solution for video previews
Download Featured Video Link Preview (Free)
If you’re ready to make your website links more engaging in iMessage and beyond, download the plugin and start adding video previews to your content in minutes.