The favicon or sharing image (Open Graph) is not up to date: how to force the update?
Why isn't the favicon or Open Graph updating immediately?
Key points • Google and social networks cache your images for several days • An update to your favicon or OG image may not appear immediately • Tools exist to force a manual refresh
When you update your favicon or Open Graph image, it's common for Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X to continue displaying the old version. This is due to their caching systems, designed to improve loading speed and avoid downloading images on every visit. Fortunately, there are several solutions to force the update.
Step 1: Verify that the new image is published correctly
Before forcing an external refresh, check that: • your site is published after the change • your Open Graph image is correctly configured in the Page Settings • your favicon is correctly updated in your Site Settings → General • the image URL has changed (important to clear the cache)
💡 Tip: If possible, rename your new image (e.g., og-image-2024.jpg) so that the URL changes and forces an automatic refresh.
Step 2: Force the update on social media
Social media platforms offer tools to "reload" your Open Graph data.
Use Facebook Sharing Debugger:
- Enter the URL of your page
- Click on Scrape Again
- Facebook will update the OG image, title, and description.
Use LinkedIn Post Inspector:
- Paste your URL
- Click on Inspect
- The preview is automatically regenerated.
X (Twitter)
Use the Twitter Card Validator:
- Paste your URL
- Click on Preview Card
- Twitter refreshes your Open Graph tags
Step 3: Force the update on Google
Google caches the favicon and previewed images for several days, sometimes up to 72 hours.
To speed up the update:
- Access Google Search Console
- Open URL Inspection
- Enter the URL of your page
- Click on Request indexing
💡 Even though Google does not guarantee an immediate update of the favicon, this method speeds up the process.
Next, check: • your sitemap is up to date • your pages are properly indexed • no “noindex” parameter is blocking Google
Step 4: Refresh your own cache
To avoid any confusion: • test in private browsing mode • clear your browser's cache • test from another device or network
Some browsers store favicons for several weeks, independently of Google.
Step 5: Use a timestamped version (advanced method)
You can add a parameter after the OG image to force a reload: Example:
https://votrehotel.com/images/og-image.jpg?v=2
This technique is particularly effective for social media.
Conclusion
If your favicon or Open Graph image isn't updating, it's almost always due to Google's cache or social media platforms. By using the official debugging tools, republishing your site, and requesting re-indexing, you force a quick refresh and ensure a consistent appearance for your hotel website across all online platforms.
Why isn't the favicon or Open Graph updating immediately?
Key points • Google and social networks cache your images for several days • An update to your favicon or OG image may not appear immediately • Tools exist to force a manual refresh
When you update your favicon or Open Graph image, it's common for Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X to continue displaying the old version. This is due to their caching systems, designed to improve loading speed and avoid downloading images on every visit. Fortunately, there are several solutions to force the update.
Step 1: Verify that the new image is published correctly
Before forcing an external refresh, check that: • your site is published after the change • your Open Graph image is correctly configured in the Page Settings • your favicon is correctly updated in your Site Settings → General • the image URL has changed (important to clear the cache)
💡 Tip: If possible, rename your new image (e.g., og-image-2024.jpg) so that the URL changes and forces an automatic refresh.
Step 2: Force the update on social media
Social media platforms offer tools to "reload" your Open Graph data.
Use Facebook Sharing Debugger:
- Enter the URL of your page
- Click on Scrape Again
- Facebook will update the OG image, title, and description.
Use LinkedIn Post Inspector:
- Paste your URL
- Click on Inspect
- The preview is automatically regenerated.
X (Twitter)
Use the Twitter Card Validator:
- Paste your URL
- Click on Preview Card
- Twitter refreshes your Open Graph tags
Step 3: Force the update on Google
Google caches the favicon and previewed images for several days, sometimes up to 72 hours.
To speed up the update:
- Access Google Search Console
- Open URL Inspection
- Enter the URL of your page
- Click on Request indexing
💡 Even though Google does not guarantee an immediate update of the favicon, this method speeds up the process.
Next, check: • your sitemap is up to date • your pages are properly indexed • no “noindex” parameter is blocking Google
Step 4: Refresh your own cache
To avoid any confusion: • test in private browsing mode • clear your browser's cache • test from another device or network
Some browsers store favicons for several weeks, independently of Google.
Step 5: Use a timestamped version (advanced method)
You can add a parameter after the OG image to force a reload: Example:
https://votrehotel.com/images/og-image.jpg?v=2
This technique is particularly effective for social media.
Conclusion
If your favicon or Open Graph image isn't updating, it's almost always due to Google's cache or social media platforms. By using the official debugging tools, republishing your site, and requesting re-indexing, you force a quick refresh and ensure a consistent appearance for your hotel website across all online platforms.