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To add an image in WordPress, open a page or post in the editor, insert an Image block, then upload a file, choose one from the Media Library, or insert an image URL. Add useful alt text, choose a suitable image size, and publish or update the page. For images you want to reuse or keep under your control, upload them to your own Media Library rather than relying on an external URL.

Add an image to a WordPress page or post

  1. Open the page or post in the WordPress editor.
  2. Select the plus sign to open the block inserter, search for Image, and add the block. You can also type /image in a new block and select Image.
  3. Choose how to supply the image: Upload, Media Library, or Insert from URL.
  4. Set the image options in the block toolbar or settings sidebar. Choose an appropriate resolution, alignment, and dimensions; add a caption if it helps explain the image.
  5. Enter alt text if the image conveys information, then save the page with Publish or Update.

Upload a picture from your device

Select Upload in the Image block and choose the image file on your device. WordPress uploads it to the site and adds it to the Media Library, so you can select it again later. You can also upload files directly from Media > Library.

Choose an image already in WordPress

Select Media Library in the block, then choose the image. This is the convenient option for an image you have already uploaded or want to reuse. WordPress stores images inserted into posts and pages in the Media Library.

Insert an image from a URL

Select Insert from URL and enter the image’s address. This displays the image from its current host; it does not ensure that you will retain access to the file. If the owner moves or deletes it, or changes its sharing settings, the image may stop displaying. If you have permission to keep a copy, use the image toolbar’s Upload to Media Library control to store it on your site.

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Method Best for Trade-off
Upload A new image you want stored on your WordPress site Uses your site’s storage and creates a Media Library item
Media Library Reusing an image already uploaded to the site Choose the right existing file and resolution for this placement
Insert from URL Displaying an externally hosted image when you have permission The image can break if the remote file is moved, deleted, or no longer shared

Use the Media Library to find and manage images

Open Media > Library in the WordPress dashboard to browse existing files or upload more. The library can display useful file details, including file name, MIME type, file size, dimensions, title, and alt text. These details help distinguish similarly named images and check whether a file is suitable for a particular placement.

To edit an image’s information, open it in the Media Library. The Edit Media screen supports caption and description changes as well as rotate, scale, and crop actions. The Image block editor also supports image edits; WordPress keeps the original available when an edited version is saved there.

Add alt text that serves the reader

Alt text communicates an image’s purpose to people who cannot see it, including some screen-reader users, and can provide context when an image does not load. Describe the meaningful information or function, not every visible detail. For example, for a chart, summarize the relevant comparison; for an image that acts as a link, describe what the link does.

  • Informative image: write concise alt text conveying the information the image adds to the page.
  • Decorative image: leave alt text empty or mark the image as decorative when it adds no information beyond nearby text.
  • Image with a caption: avoid copying the caption verbatim into alt text if that would repeat the same information.

Alt text entered in an Image block applies to that image instance on the current page or post. Alt text saved in the Media Library supplies a default when the file is inserted elsewhere. Check the block itself when reusing an image: the text that makes sense in one context may not fit another.

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Set a featured image

A featured image is the page or post’s designated thumbnail or hero image. Open the page or post settings sidebar, choose Set featured image, then select a file from the Media Library or upload one. The active theme controls whether and where the featured image appears, so its display can vary by theme and template.

Choose image size and improve loading on mobile

WordPress creates intermediate image sizes when you upload images. Since WordPress 4.4, its responsive image markup can include srcset and sizes, letting a browser choose a suitable generated file instead of always downloading the full-size original. The exact sizes and rendered presentation depend on the original image and theme.

Pick a resolution that fits the placement

In the Image block settings, choose a resolution such as Medium or Large when the original’s full resolution is unnecessary. A smaller suitable file generally means fewer bytes to download, while retaining enough detail for the image’s display size. Avoid enlarging a small source image beyond what its resolution supports, as it may look soft.

Use modern formats when they suit the image

WordPress 5.8 introduced WebP support. WordPress Developer Resources’ Theme Handbook says WebP images are “around 30% smaller on average than their JPEG or PNG equivalents,” which can reduce transfer size; the figure is an average, not a guarantee for a particular image. See the WordPress Theme Handbook performance guidance. The actual savings depend on the source image and encoding.

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Let WordPress prioritize and defer the right images

WordPress 5.5 added native lazy loading for eligible images when width and height attributes are present. Lazy loading can defer images that are not yet needed in the viewport. WordPress 6.3 added fetchpriority="high" to the image it identifies as likely to be the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) image. Make WordPress Core reported a typical LCP improvement of 5–10% for that prioritization in its 2023 release note; this is not a promise of the same improvement on every site. Read the WordPress 6.3 image performance note.

For a page’s main above-the-fold image, avoid lazy-loading it when your theme or performance tool provides explicit control. Keep width and height information so the browser can reserve layout space and use the image’s intrinsic dimensions. These settings and output can vary with WordPress version, theme, and plugins.

Or skip the browser setup

If you need a screenshot of a WordPress page rather than an image embedded in the page, ScreenshotNeo can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF from one API request. Cookie banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are removed before the shot. Bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents use screenshot tools. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000.

cURL example, using the Stripe URL as the target:

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp

For parameters, formats, and other options, see the ScreenshotNeo API documentation. Sign up for the free plan to get 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.

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Troubleshoot common image problems

The image does not appear after inserting it

  • If you used an external URL, check whether the original file still exists and is publicly accessible. If you have permission, upload a copy to the Media Library instead.
  • If you uploaded a file, check that it appears in Media > Library and select it again in the block.
  • Preview or publish the page to check its front-end output; the editor’s view and the active theme’s final layout may differ.

The image looks blurry or too large

  • Choose a suitable intermediate resolution in the Image block rather than using a much larger original when it is not needed.
  • Check the source dimensions in the Media Library. A small image stretched to a large display size may lose sharpness.
  • Review the theme’s layout and block dimensions if the image is being scaled unexpectedly.

The image takes too long to load on mobile

  • Use a generated size that fits the display and let responsive srcset and sizes markup provide device-appropriate choices.
  • Consider WebP where your image workflow and audience support it; actual size reduction varies by image.
  • Check whether the page’s main above-the-fold image is being lazy-loaded. If so, use your theme or performance tool’s control to prioritize it where available.

The featured image is missing or appears in an unexpected place

Confirm that a featured image is set in the page or post settings sidebar. Its visibility, crop, and position are controlled by the active theme, so check the theme’s template behavior as well as the editor setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does adding an image to a WordPress post also add it to the Media Library?

Yes. Images inserted into posts and pages are stored in the Media Library.

Can I use the same image on more than one page?

Yes. Select it from the Media Library each time; review the alt text in each block because its appropriate wording depends on context.

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