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twitter-card-validator

A Twitter Card validator fetches a URL, extracts every twitter:* meta tag (with Open Graph fallback when twitter:* is absent), and renders the link card as it would appear in a tweet. The ZTools Twitter Card Validator supports all four card types — summary, summary_large_image, app, player — with per-type field validation, image dimension and file-size checks against current X (Twitter) rules, and a fallback report showing which fields would be inherited from Open Graph if twitter:* is missing.

Use cases​

Verifying a new article will display a large image card on X​

summary_large_image is dramatically more clickable than summary (small thumbnail). The validator confirms your tags trigger the large-image variant before you tweet.

Common causes: twitter:image missing (and og:image too), image format unsupported (X rejects WebP for cards as of 2026), image > 5 MB, image not HTTPS-accessible. The validator flags each.

Adding app cards for a mobile app​

App cards (twitter:card "app") deep-link to App Store / Play Store with metadata. The validator checks every required field for both stores so the install card renders correctly.

Confirming OG fallback covers when you don't set twitter:*​

You don't need both. Set OG comprehensively, and twitter:card "summary_large_image" — Twitter pulls title/description/image from OG. The validator confirms the fallback works.

How it works​

  1. Enter a URL — Public HTTP/HTTPS URL. The tool fetches and parses the <head>.
  2. Extract twitter: and OG tags* — Both sets, because Twitter falls back to OG for missing twitter:*. The validator shows which value will actually be used per field.
  3. Validate twitter:card type and required fields — summary needs title + description + image (≥120×120). summary_large_image needs an image at least 300×157 (recommended 1200×675). app and player have their own required fields.
  4. Validate image dimensions and size — Format (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP — but WebP not supported for X cards), max size 5 MB, min 120×120 for summary, recommended 1200×675 for large.
  5. Render the preview — See exactly how X will display the card. Large image vs small thumbnail vs full app install card.

Examples​

Input: https://example.com (twitter:card summary_large_image, twitter:image 1200×675)

Output: Card type: summary_large_image. Image: 1200×675 ✓. Title from OG. Description from OG. Renders large image card.

Input: https://example.com/page (no twitter:* tags)

Output: No twitter:* tags. OG fallback: title ✓, description ✓, image ✓ but in WebP — X will strip image. Convert to JPG/PNG.

Frequently asked questions​

What's the difference between summary and summary_large_image?

summary shows a small square thumbnail next to text. summary_large_image shows a wide horizontal image above text. Large is dramatically more clickable; default to it for content sites.

*Do I need twitter: tags if I have Open Graph?**

Twitter falls back to OG, so you don't need duplicate fields. You DO need twitter:card to declare the card type. So the minimum: <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"> plus a complete OG set.

What image formats does X support for cards?

JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP. WebP and AVIF are NOT supported for X cards (as of 2026), even though they work fine elsewhere. If your og:image is WebP, also set twitter:image to a JPG/PNG variant.

Why is my card not rendering on X?

Common: image too small, image not HTTPS, image too large (>5 MB), URL behind authentication, twitter:card missing. The validator checks each.

Did the official Twitter Card Validator go away?

The official validator was discontinued. Third-party tools (this one included) reproduce the card-rendering logic from public spec — the previews match real X behavior.

Are app cards still supported?

Yes — twitter:card="app" for mobile app deep-link cards. Required fields for both iOS and Android variants must be set; validator covers both.

Tips​

  • Default to summary_large_image for content sites — much higher click-through.
  • Use a JPG or PNG for twitter:image even if your og:image is WebP — X doesn't support WebP cards.
  • Set twitter:card explicitly even when relying on OG for the rest — Twitter needs the card type declaration.
  • Test in the validator before tweeting; X caches aggressively after the first scrape.

Try it now​

The full twitter-card-validator runs in your browser at https://ztools.zaions.com/twitter-card-validator — no signup, no upload, no data leaves your device.

Open the tool ↗

Last updated: 2026-05-05 · Author: Ahsan Mahmood · Edit this page on GitHub