Twitter No Longer Crops Image Previews

Twitter Eliminates Automatic Image Cropping on the Web

Twitter has announced it will cease automatically cropping image previews when viewing the platform on the web. This follows the earlier implementation of full-size image previews for mobile users earlier in the year.

Full-Size Previews Now Standard

On Twitter for web browsers, images will now be displayed in their entirety, without any automatic adjustments. This means images will appear as they were originally captured, eliminating uncertainty about how they will be presented in a user’s timeline.

Previously, the platform employed automatic cropping to condense images within the timeline, a space where users frequently scroll without engaging with previews. Testing of this change began in March with a limited group of iOS and Android users.

Addressing Past Concerns

The goal of this update is to provide users with a precise representation of an image’s appearance. The new tweet composer will now offer a preview of how an image will appear before it is published.

This resolves previous criticisms regarding Twitter’s algorithmic cropping, which was alleged to exhibit bias in favor of highlighting white faces. The automated cropping process also presented difficulties for photographers and artists who desire complete control over image presentation.

Benefits of the Change

While images may now occupy more vertical space in web timelines, this is considered preferable to the previous requirement of manually clicking through to view images in full. The increased clarity offers a better user experience.

Recent Platform Updates

This modification is part of a series of recent improvements to the Twitter platform, aimed at enhancing accessibility and functionality. Recent additions include the ability to share direct links to Spaces, allowing users to join live audio sessions via the web without requiring a login.

Furthermore, Twitter Blue, the platform’s premium subscription service, was launched in the U.S. and New Zealand on Monday, building upon its initial availability in Canada and Australia earlier this year.