Images are usually the heaviest thing on a WordPress page.
Get the format, size and compression right once, and every post loads faster.
These are the settings we recommend for PNG images in 2026.
PNG, JPG or WebP?
Pick the format by the type of image, not by habit. PNG is perfect for some images and a poor choice for others.
| Image | Best format | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshots, UI, diagrams | PNG (optimized) | Sharp text, no compression smudges |
| Logos, icons with transparency | PNG or SVG | Clean edges on any background |
| Photos | JPG or WebP | Several times smaller than PNG |
| Product shots on white | JPG or WebP | Photos, even if the background is plain |
| Cut-out product shots | WebP or PNG | Needs transparency |
WordPress accepts WebP uploads since version 5.8 and AVIF since 6.5, provided your host's image library supports them. For the reasoning behind each format, see PNG vs WebP vs JPG.
What size to upload
Find out how wide your theme shows content images - often 700-1200 px. Then upload at roughly twice that width so the image stays sharp on high-DPI screens.
Going much bigger only wastes storage and upload time. WordPress may create a scaled-down copy of very large uploads, but it is still better to resize them yourself.
Resize to an exact width before uploading.
Open PNG ResizerCompress PNGs before uploading
WordPress creates resized copies of your images, but it does not squeeze the PNG data itself much. A screenshot straight from your computer is often 2-4x bigger than it needs to be.
Optimize it first. Smart lossy compression usually saves 50-80% on screenshots and graphics, and every resized copy WordPress makes starts from that smaller file.
Batch-optimize up to 10 PNGs and download them as a ZIP.
Open PNG OptimizerAlso strip hidden metadata - camera and editor data adds weight and can reveal more than you intend. The Metadata Remover does it in one click.
How WordPress resizes your images
For every upload, WordPress generates several copies so it can serve the right size to each screen. By default these include:
- Thumbnail - 150 x 150 (cropped)
- Medium - up to 300 px
- Medium large - up to 768 px wide
- Large - up to 1024 px
- 1536 and 2048 px versions for high-DPI screens
Your theme and plugins can add more. That is why a well-compressed original matters: every copy inherits its quality and its bloat. You can change the main sizes under Settings, Media.
File names and alt text
Rename files before uploading: png-optimizer-settings.png tells Google far more than Screenshot-2026-10-15.png. Use lowercase words separated by hyphens.
Write alt text that describes what the image shows, in plain language. It helps screen-reader users, image search and the page's relevance.
Site icon (favicon)
WordPress asks for a square Site Icon of at least 512 x 512 px under Appearance, Customize, Site Identity. Upload a clean square PNG and it generates the browser and app icons for you.
Not using the Customizer, or want a full favicon.ico set? The Favicon Generator builds every file plus the HTML tags.
Quick checklist
- Photo? Use JPG or WebP. Screenshot, logo or transparency? Use PNG.
- Resize to about 2x your content width.
- Optimize the PNG before uploading.
- Strip metadata.
- Use a descriptive, hyphenated file name.
- Add meaningful alt text.
Already have hundreds of heavy PNGs in your media library? Start with the images on your most-visited pages - that is where the speed gain counts most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Upload at about twice the width your theme displays the image at - usually 1400 to 2400 px wide for full-width content and 800 to 1600 px for in-content images. Bigger files only slow down the upload and the media library.
Use PNG for screenshots, logos, icons and anything with transparency or sharp text. Use JPG or WebP for photos - a photo saved as PNG is often several times larger with no visible benefit.
WordPress creates resized copies of every upload, but it does not meaningfully optimize the PNGs themselves. Run them through a PNG optimizer before uploading, or use an optimization plugin.
Yes. WordPress has supported WebP uploads since version 5.8 and AVIF since 6.5, as long as your server image library supports them.