How to use deploy previews on Netlify

Deploy previews are one of Netlify’s most powerful features, especially when you work with Git-based workflows. They let you preview every pull request or branch in its own live URL, before anything is merged or published.

In this guide, you’ll learn what deploy previews are, how they work, and how to start using them effectively in your projects.

What are deploy previews

A deploy preview is a temporary, fully deployed version of your site that Netlify creates for a pull request or branch. It uses the exact same build process as your production site, but publishes the result to a unique preview URL instead of your main domain.

This means reviewers can click a link and see a real, hosted version of the site, rather than relying on screenshots or local builds.

Deploy previews are created automatically when Netlify is connected to a Git provider like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.

Why deploy previews are useful

Deploy previews solve a few common problems in modern web development.

First, they make reviews much easier. Designers, content editors, and non-technical stakeholders can review changes directly in the browser.

Second, they reduce risk. You can catch layout issues, broken links, or missing content before anything reaches production.

Third, they improve collaboration. Every pull request gets its own URL, so multiple changes can be reviewed in parallel without conflicts.

Prerequisites

Before you can use deploy previews, make sure you have:

A Netlify account
A site connected to a Git repository
Continuous deployment enabled
A Git workflow that uses branches or pull requests

If your site already redeploys automatically when you push commits, you’re ready.

How deploy previews work in practice

When you open a pull request, Netlify detects it through your Git provider integration.

Netlify then:

Clones the branch associated with the pull request
Runs the same build command as production
Publishes the output to a unique preview URL
Attaches the preview link to the pull request

Each new commit updates the same preview, so reviewers always see the latest version.

Enabling deploy previews

In most cases, deploy previews are enabled by default.

To verify:

Open your site in the Netlify dashboard
Go to Site settings
Open Build & deploy
Check the Deploy contexts section

Make sure Deploy previews are enabled. You can also customize settings separately for production, previews, and branch deploys.

Preview URLs and behavior

Each deploy preview gets a URL like:

https://deploy-preview-42--your-site-name.netlify.app

The number corresponds to the pull request or deploy ID. These URLs are public but hard to guess, making them safe for sharing with your team.

Preview deploys use the same environment variables as production by default, unless you override them.

Environment variables for deploy previews

Sometimes you want previews to behave differently from production.

Netlify lets you define environment variables per deploy context.

For example:

Use a staging API
Enable debug logging
Disable analytics tracking

You can configure this in Site settings → Environment variables by selecting the Deploy previews context.

Common use cases

Deploy previews are useful in many scenarios:

Reviewing content changes from a CMS
Testing new layouts or navigation
Verifying SEO metadata
QA testing before release
Sharing work-in-progress features

They are especially valuable when non-developers need to approve changes.

Cleaning up old previews

Deploy previews are temporary. Netlify automatically removes them when a pull request is closed or merged.

You don’t need to manage cleanup manually, which keeps your dashboard tidy and avoids unnecessary usage.

Best practices

A few tips to get the most out of deploy previews:

Share preview links directly in pull request discussions
Use preview-specific environment variables
Encourage designers and editors to review previews themselves
Treat preview feedback as part of your review process

Over time, deploy previews become a natural part of how your team ships changes.

Final thoughts

Deploy previews turn every pull request into a live demo. They reduce friction, improve confidence, and make collaboration smoother for everyone involved.

Once you start using them regularly, it’s hard to imagine shipping without them.