Adding thumbnails, images, and GIFs to your posts

Visuals like thumbnails, images, and GIFs can make your newsletters easier to scan, more engaging, and more recognizable to your audience.

In beehiiv, you can upload your own visuals, reuse images from your workspace media library, or browse stock content from providers like Giphy and Unsplash. Max and Enterprise plans also include access to Getty Images.

In this article, you’ll learn how to add images and GIFs to a newsletter post, upload a thumbnail, generate images with AI, and review common questions about visuals in posts.

• Keep image files under 5 MB when uploading.
• Use JPG for photos, PNG for graphics, and GIF for short animations.
• Avoid stretching images and resize before uploading when possible.
• Preview and test your post in both desktop and mobile views before sending.
• Make sure your browser is up to date; if an image doesn’t appear, try a hard reload or clear cache.

Reminder: You can add as many images as you’d like, but large emails may get clipped in Gmail should the HTML exceed 102 KB. When drafting a post, you’ll receive a warning if your post becomes too large.

• Images appear inside your post content to support the story or break up text.
• GIFs add motion and are best used sparingly due to file size.
• Thumbnails represent your post across your website and when shared on social media. As seen below in an example from Creator Spotlight.

1. Open a new post draft or select to edit one of your saved posts or templates.
2. On the post canvas, type / to access the post editor, then select Image.
   
   
   
3. An image block will appear on your post canvas. 
   
   
   
   
   From the image block you can:

• Drag and drop an image for the post directly from your device. 
• Click Upload an image to add a new asset from your device. 
• Click Use from library to select from your media library or stock image providers (Giphy, Unsplash, Getty Images).
• Click Insert from URL to use a link for an image. 

Uploaded images must be under 5 MB and are automatically saved to your media library for future use.

When you select Use from library, your media library will popup and you can access stock image providers from the top panel.

Choose from:

• Workspace: Images you’ve uploaded across your publications.
• Giphy: GIFs and stock images from Giphy.
• Unsplash: Stock photos from Unsplash.
• Getty Images: Premium images available on Max and Enterprise plans.

1. Click the Giphy tab.
2. Use the search bar or suggested keywords to browse.
3. Click on a GIF or image to insert it into your post.

The GIF will automatically be saved to your media library for future use.

1. Click the Unsplash tab.
2. Search or browse suggested keywords.
3. Select an image to insert it into your post.

Images used from Unsplash are saved to your media library for future use.

1. Click the Getty Images tab.
2. Search or browse for an image. You can also review your available credits and reset date at the top of the panel. 
   
   
   
3. When an image is selected, you’ll be presented with a preview. Click Insert image to confirm.
   
   
   
4. You’ll be asked to verify the usage of an image credit. Click Insert image to confirm and use the credit. The image will be automatically added to your post.
   
   
   

From the media library, you can edit your uploaded images.

1. Hover over an image and click the 3 dots menu.
2. Select Edit.
   
   
   
3. You can Crop, Resize, Adjust, and Draw as desired. When finished, select Save as copy to preserve the original image. Or click Discard to cancel. 
   
   
   

1. Open a new post draft or select to edit one of your saved posts or templates.
2. Above the title, click Add thumbnail.
3. Choose Upload a new image or Use from library. The recommended thumbnail size is 1200 x 630 px.
   
   
   
4. After adding a thumbnail it will appear at the top of your post — above the title, author(s), and content tags.
   
   
   
5. You can enable the thumbnail to be seen by clicking the Visibility (eye) icon next to the image. Toggle on Show at top of web post if you’d like to use the thumbnail for the published web post.
   
   
   

6. To change the thumbnail, click on the image and select either the Replace icon or the Trash icon. 
   
   
   
    
7. Choosing the Replace icon gives you the choice to either Upload a new image or to Use from library, as well as Delete (to remove your thumbnail image entirely). 
   
   
   
8. You can also click on the Trash icon to delete your image. 
   
   
   

You can generate images and thumbnails using AI from within the media library.

1. Click Use from library in an Image block (or when selecting a thumbnail).
2. Select Generate image from your media library.
   
   
   
3. Enter a prompt describing the image you’d like to create and then click the arrow to submit it.
   
   
   
4. After a brief processing period, the AI-generated image will appear for review.
   
   
   
   
   
   From the AI module, you can:

• Refine your prompt with additional direction.
• Click Cancel to discard the image.
• Click Keep to add the image to your media library.
• Hover over the image to access options to rate or download it.

The prompt field displays your available daily AI credits and how many remain.

Why does my thumbnail look stretched?
Your thumbnail likely isn’t the recommended dimensions. Resize it and reupload it (1200 x 630 px recommended).
I resized my thumbnail, but it isn’t updating. How do I fix it?
Thumbnails may take time to re-cache on beehiiv and on social platforms. Allow up to 24-48 hours for changes to appear.
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 above. Or, you can also choose one directly from Giphy in the media library.
Why can’t I see Giphy, Unsplash, or Getty Images from my Settings?
Stock libraries are only available when accessing the media library from the post editor or Website Builder. Additionally, Getty Images are only available on Max and Enterprise plans.
How do Getty Images credits work?
Getty Images are available on Max and Enterprise plans. Max includes 3 credits per billing cycle and Enterprise includes 10 credits per billing cycle, per workspace.

Using a Getty image uses one credit. Reusing the same image uses another credit.
When do my Getty Images credits reset?
Getty Images credits reset monthly based on your Max or Enterprise billing cycle. This applies to both monthly and annual plans; credits renew each month according to your plan’s renewal date, not the start of a calendar month.
What happens if I delete a Getty image? Can I be refunded a credit?
Deleting an image does not refund the credit. You can reinsert the image later, but inserting it again will use another credit.
Why does my email look different in some subscribers' inboxes?
Email clients (like Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail) render HTML differently. For best results, always preview and send test emails before publishing.
Why isn’t my image loading for some subscribers?

Some inboxes block images due to privacy settings, security policies, or email client rules. For best results:

• Add alt text for important images.
• Use a balance of text and visuals.
• Encourage subscribers to whitelist your sending domain.

Refer to this article for more reasons why an image might not load correctly.

Do you offer additional resources for using images and GIFs in posts?

Yes. Check out these helpful beehiiv blog articles for best practices and deeper guidance:

• I’ve Found The Optimal Email Image Sizes For 2025 [Extensive Research]
• Email Newsletter Image Rights Made Simple: What You Need to Know
• How To Use Memes and Gifs To Connect With Your Audience
• Captivate Your Subscribers With GIFs: Best Practices for Effective Email Newsletters

These easy resources cover image sizing, usage rights, creative strategy, and tips for improving engagement with visuals.