---
title: Using an external image as OG image
description: Learn how to pass the username as a URL parameter to pull an external profile image for the image generation.
url: /kb/guide/using-an-external-dynamic-image
canonical_url: "https://vercel.com/kb/guide/using-an-external-dynamic-image"
published: 2025-11-04
last_updated: 2025-11-11
authors: DX Team
related:
  - /docs/og-image-generation
install_vercel_plugin: npx plugins add vercel/vercel-plugin
---

You can use the following code sample to explore using parameters and different content types with [`next/og`](https://nextjs.org/docs/app/api-reference/file-conventions/metadata/opengraph-image#generate-images-using-code-js-ts-tsx). To learn more about OG Image Generation, see [Open Graph Image Generation](https://vercel.com/docs/og-image-generation).

Create an API route handler:

```ts
import { ImageResponse } from 'next/og';
// App router includes @vercel/og.
// No need to install it.

export async function GET(request: Request) {
  const { searchParams } = new URL(request.url);
  const username = searchParams.get('username');
  if (!username) {
    return new ImageResponse(<>Visit with &quot;?username=vercel&quot;</>, {
      width: 1200,
      height: 630,
    });
  }

  return new ImageResponse(
    (
      <div
        style={{
          display: 'flex',
          fontSize: 60,
          color: 'black',
          background: '#f6f6f6',
          width: '100%',
          height: '100%',
          paddingTop: 50,
          flexDirection: 'column',
          justifyContent: 'center',
          alignItems: 'center',
        }}
      >
        <img
          width="256"
          height="256"
          src={`https://github.com/${username}.png`}
          style={{
            borderRadius: 128,
          }}
        />
        <p>github.com/{username}</p>
      </div>
    ),
    {
      width: 1200,
      height: 630,
    },
  );
}
```
```js
import { ImageResponse } from 'next/og';
// App router includes @vercel/og.
// No need to install it.

export async function GET(request) {
  const { searchParams } = new URL(request.url);
  const username = searchParams.get('username');
  if (!username) {
    return new ImageResponse(<>Visit with &quot;?username=vercel&quot;</>, {
      width: 1200,
      height: 630,
    });
  }

  return new ImageResponse(
    (
      <div
        style={{
          display: 'flex',
          fontSize: 60,
          color: 'black',
          background: '#f6f6f6',
          width: '100%',
          height: '100%',
          paddingTop: 50,
          flexDirection: 'column',
          justifyContent: 'center',
          alignItems: 'center',
        }}
      >
        <img
          width="256"
          height="256"
          src={`https://github.com/${username}.png`}
          style={{
            borderRadius: 128,
          }}
        />
        <p>github.com/{username}</p>
      </div>
    ),
    {
      width: 1200,
      height: 630,
    },
  );
}
```

> If you're not using a framework, you must either add `"type": "module"` to your `package.json` or change your JavaScript Functions' file extensions from `.js` to `.mjs`

Preview the OG route locally by running the following command:

```bash
pnpm dev
```

Then, browse to `http://localhost:3000/api/og`. You will see the following image:

## More resources

- [Consume the OG route](/docs/og-image-generation#consume-the-og-route)
  
- [Getting started with OG image](/docs/og-image-generation#usage)