How To Show Image and GIF Previews in Chat

SheevChat can show direct image links and supported Twitch GIPHY content inside Chat, docks, remote views, and built-in Chat overlays.

Enable App Chat Previews

  1. Open Settings → General.
  2. Expand Display.
  3. Enable Show chat image previews.
  4. Send a direct public image URL to test it.

This setting controls previews in the main Chat panel, Chat dock, Mobile / Tablet Light, and Remote Mod Dashboard.

The original link remains visible. SheevChat displays up to two previews from one message so image-heavy chat stays manageable.

Control Broadcast Overlay Previews

App chat and broadcast overlays have separate controls. Open the Chat overlay or Overlay Builder Chat-widget settings and choose whether that source should show images.

This lets moderators see shared images without placing them on stream, or lets an overlay display images while previews remain hidden in the app.

Supported Images

SheevChat recognizes direct public HTTPS image assets such as:

  • PNG and JPG/JPEG
  • GIF
  • WebP
  • AVIF
  • Native Twitch GIPHY content supplied by Twitch chat

Query strings are supported when the URL still resolves to an image. Normal webpage links are not converted into previews.

GIFs remain compact—up to roughly three chat lines high—while keeping their original shape. Static images also stay within bounded message areas.

Only public HTTPS image locations are eligible. Local-network, local-file, and insecure HTTP locations are not previewed.

If Link Guard blocks a host, its image is not displayed. Add only trusted image hosts to Link Guard's allowed list; allowing a host affects moderation trust, so do not add a domain merely to make one unknown image appear.

Broken or non-image URLs remain ordinary links without an image preview.

Where Previews Appear

When enabled for the appropriate surface, previews can appear in:

  • Main SheevChat Chat
  • Chat dock
  • Mobile / Tablet Light
  • Remote Mod Dashboard
  • Standalone Chat overlay
  • Overlay Builder Chat widgets

Loaded images expand their message and move newer messages without overlapping them. A feed you intentionally scrolled away from the newest message should not force itself back to the bottom when an image finishes loading.

Common Problems

  • No preview appears: Confirm the setting is enabled and the URL points directly to a public HTTPS image.
  • It appears in SheevChat but not OBS: Enable image previews in that Chat overlay or widget separately.
  • It appears in OBS but not SheevChat: Enable Show chat image previews under General display settings.
  • A trusted image is blocked: Review Link Guard and the exact image host.
  • Twitch GIPHY does not appear: Reconnect Twitch and confirm richer Twitch chat is available; ordinary Twitch chat should continue through fallback delivery if it is not.
  • Image is broken: Open the original URL and confirm it is still publicly accessible.