It's important to optimize WordPress image sizes to reduce page load time, make your site display correctly, and keep your readers on your site. There are several ways to make sure that your images are correctly sized.
Use WebP image format to optimize WordPress image sizes
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google that provides superior image quality with smaller file sizes. One concern with using WebP is that it is not supported by Internet Explorer 11 and the KaiOS browser. However, these browsers are rarely used and the benefits outweigh these concerns. WebP should also not be used to create gifs (animated images). Animated WebP images can become very large. Always use jpg images for gifs.
Here are two ways to generate a WebP image:
Use a plugin to convert images automatically:
You can use a plugin like “WebP Express” to automatically convert images to WebP format. Once the plugin is installed and activated, it will generate WebP versions of your images on the fly. Your website visitors will see the optimized images without any additional effort on your part.
Use a WebP converter tool:
If you don't want to add another plugin to your WordPress dashboard, you can find several free and paid online tools that can convert your image to WebP format. One popular option is the “Squoosh” tool from Google, which allows you to upload your image and choose the WebP format.
By generating WebP images, you can significantly reduce the file size of your images without sacrificing quality. This can help improve your website's loading speed and user experience.
Upload your image in the correct size
Before you upload an image to WordPress, make sure it is the right size for the intended use. For example, if you want to display an image as a small thumbnail, you don't need a high-resolution image. Choosing the right size can help reduce the file size and improve loading times.
If you are using a theme on your WordPress site, you can check the size of the placeholder images.
In this Kadence theme template, you would have to replace this headshot with your own. Find the image in your Media Library and check the size. This image is 600 x 900 px and the file size is 150kb. You would replace that image with one of your own, using the same dimensions.
You can also decrease the size of your image – this sample image is a png, which can create a file that is too large.
By uploading the image into Squoosh, you can reduce the size by 85% by converting it to a WebP image. Also, you will not lose any quality. Now, the same size image is only 22.7kb.
Use a responsive theme
Make sure your WordPress theme is responsive, meaning it adjusts the image size based on the device being used. Most modern WordPress themes are responsive, but if you have any doubt, change themes. This can help prevent images from appearing distorted or too large on mobile devices.
Regenerate thumbnails
If you've changed your image sizes in WordPress, or if you changed themes, you may need to regenerate thumbnails to update the existing images on your website. WordPress has default image sizes, but some themes use different sizes, which override the defaults. You can use a plugin like “Regenerate Thumbnails” to do this quickly and easily.
By following these tips, you can fix WordPress image sizing issues and ensure that your website loads quickly and looks great on all devices.
