How to embed a thumbnail and hyperlink in Gmail when pasting a URL from React Native?

Other Questions Gmail
1

I’m working on a React Native Android app and I need some help. I’ve got a function that gets a short URL using axios. When users tap ‘Copy Link’, it copies this URL to the clipboard. Now I want to make it so that when they paste this URL into Gmail, it shows up as a nice thumbnail with a ‘Watch Video’ link.

Here’s what I’ve tried:

fetchShortURL = async () => {
  try {
    const response = await api.post('share/generate', {
      userId: this.props.userId,
      token: this.props.authToken,
      assetId: this.state.currentAsset
    });
    return response.data.shortUrl;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('URL fetch failed:', error);
    throw error;
  }
};

copyToClipboard = async () => {
  try {
    const url = await this.fetchShortURL();
    Clipboard.setString(url);
    alert('Link copied!');
  } catch (error) {
    alert('Oops, something went wrong. Try again?');
  }
};

I also tried copying HTML to the clipboard, but Gmail just pastes it as plain text. Any ideas on how to get that nice thumbnail and link embed when pasting into Gmail? Thanks!

2

hey runningriver, gmail only shows thumbs if og tags are correct. maybe try updating your url/meta tags or use a preview service. i’ve seen it work when all info is present. hope that helps!

3

As someone who’s dealt with similar challenges, I can tell you that getting thumbnails to show up in Gmail isn’t straightforward from a React Native app. The key lies in the metadata of the webpage your short URL points to, not in the app itself.

I’ve found success by setting up a simple landing page for each shared item. This page includes all the necessary Open Graph tags - og:title, og:description, og:image, etc. When your short URL redirects to this page, Gmail picks up these tags and displays the preview accordingly.

It does require some backend work, but it’s worth it for the improved user experience. Plus, it gives you control over how your content appears when shared across various platforms, not just Gmail.

One thing to watch out for - make sure your og:image is large enough (I use at least 1200x630px) and properly formatted. Gmail can be picky about image dimensions and formats.

4

I’ve encountered this issue before. Unfortunately, Gmail’s behavior when pasting URLs is largely out of our control as app developers. The thumbnail and preview are generated based on Open Graph meta tags of the linked webpage, not the app itself. Your best bet is to ensure the landing page for your short URL has proper OG tags (og:image, og:title, og:description). If you’re using a URL shortener service, check if they support custom OG tags for shortened links. Alternatively, you could create a dedicated landing page for shared content with appropriate meta tags. This approach requires more backend work but gives you full control over the preview appearance in Gmail and other platforms.