Images are usually the largest part of a page's weight. Getting them right often halves load time.
Resize before uploading
Full-width hero images rarely need to be wider than 1920px; in-content images rarely need more than 1200px. Resize with any photo tool before uploading.
Choose the right format
- JPEG — photographs
- PNG — logos, screenshots and anything needing transparency
- WebP — smaller than both, supported by all current browsers
- SVG — logos and icons, but only upload SVGs from a source you trust
Automate compression
Install ShortPixel, Imagify or the image optimisation built into LiteSpeed Cache. These compress new uploads automatically and can bulk-process your existing media library. Keep "generate WebP" enabled.
Enable lazy loading
Lazy loading defers offscreen images until the visitor scrolls to them. WordPress does this natively, and caching plugins extend it to background images and iframes.
Clean up unused sizes
WordPress creates several copies of every upload. If your theme registers many custom sizes, your uploads folder can grow into gigabytes. Check your disk usage in cPanel and use a plugin such as Media Cleaner if you are near your quota.
