Images are Missing from My Article

If the title bar shows Preparing media, images are still arriving and you should wait. Otherwise check that the image enhancements were turned on for that article, and that you had credits if you chose AI images.

Last updated 1 day ago

The text is there and the images are not.

First: Is it Still Working?

Look at the title bar. If it shows Preparing media, images are still being fetched or generated.

Media arrives after the text, so there is a period where the article looks finished and has no pictures. This is normal, not a fault.

Wait for the phase to clear, then reload.

Cause 1: The Enhancement Was Off

Images are enhancements, and they can be off for a given article.

Check Brand Profile → Enhance for your defaults. Cover Image and In-Article Images are separate toggles, so an article can have one and not the other.

For a specific article, the enhancements you chose in the wizard are what applied. Quick Draft and Autoblog use your profile defaults, since neither asks.

Cause 2: You Ran Out of Credits

AI images cost 100 credits each, as of 2026-08-30. If your balance ran out during generation, images are the part most likely to be dropped, because they are charged separately from the article.

Check Settings → Usage. If the balance was exhausted, top up and add images in the editor.

Stock images from Unsplash and Pexels cost nothing, so a credit shortfall does not affect them.

Cause 3: They are There and your Site is Not Showing Them

If the images appear in the NarraSEO editor but not on your published site, the problem is publishing rather than generation.

Check the featured image option. In the Publish panel, Thumbnail only sends the featured image without adding it to the body. If your theme does not display featured images, you will see nothing. Switch to Image in body.

Check your CMS imported them. Some platforms copy images into their own library and some link to them. Look at the post in your CMS admin to see which happened.

Check your theme. Some themes hide images in certain post layouts.

Cause 4: Generation Was Interrupted

If generation stopped partway, media hydration may not have run.

Open the article. If the text is complete, add images in the editor with Insert image rather than regenerating the whole piece, which would cost another 300 credits.

Adding Images Yourself

Faster than diagnosing in most cases.

  1. Place the cursor where the image should go.
  2. Select Insert image in the toolbar.
  3. Choose Unsplash, Pexels, an upload, or Narra AI Images.

Stock and uploads are free. AI images are 100 credits each.

Quick Checks in Order

  1. Check for Preparing media in the title bar and wait if it is there.
  2. Reload the page.
  3. Check Brand Profile → Enhance to confirm image enhancements are on.
  4. Check Settings → Usage for a credit shortfall.
  5. Look at the article in the editor. If images are there, it is a publishing or theme issue.
  6. Check the featured image option in the Publish panel.
  7. Add images by hand if you need the article out.

Notes

AI images and stock images behave differently under a credit shortfall. Stock is free and unaffected.

Alt text matters for accessibility and image search, and is worth checking on generated images before publishing.

If AI images generate but look wrong rather than missing, that is a settings question. Brand Profile → Visuals controls style, colours, and the extra instructions fields.

Working with images and video in an article covers adding and replacing media. Setting up visuals and image styles covers the generation settings.