Small Image is a powerful WordPress plugin designed to automatically convert your images to the modern WebP format, significantly reducing file sizes without sacrificing quality. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to get the most out of the plugin.
What Is Small Image Plugin?
The Small Image plugin helps website owners automatically convert standard image formats like JPEG and PNG into WebP for improved performance and faster loading times. WebP images offer significantly smaller file sizes while keeping quality intact.
1. Getting Started
After installing and activating the Small Image plugin, you’ll notice a new menu item labeled “Small Image” in your WordPress dashboard sidebar. Clicking this will take you to the plugin’s main dashboard, where you can configure all global settings.
2. Configuring Settings
Before converting any images, configure the plugin according to your requirements. Go to Small Image → Dashboard to access all primary settings.
Auto-Convert on Upload
Recommended: ON
When enabled, every new image uploaded to the Media Library automatically converts to WebP. This ensures your site stays optimized without extra work.
Conversion Quality
Range: 10 – 100
Recommended: 60–80
This setting controls how much compression is applied to the converted images. Lower values reduce size more but may reduce clarity. A value of around 80 gives an ideal balance.
File Handling Options
Keep both original and WebP files (Recommended): Stores both the original JPEG/PNG versions and the WebP versions in case you ever need the original.
Replace original with WebP: Deletes the original file and keeps only the WebP version. This action cannot be undone, so use carefully.
Media Library Display
Show WebP files as separate items:
When enabled, WebP files will appear separately in the Media Library. Disable for a cleaner view; the WebP files will still exist in the background.
Frontend Serving
Recommended: ON
This automatically replaces image URLs on the frontend with their WebP versions, so your visitors always get fast-loading images.
3. Using the Bulk Converter
If you already have existing images in your Media Library, Small Image gives you the option to convert them all at once using the Bulk Converter.
To access it, go to Small Image → Bulk Converter. Here, you’ll see helpful stats such as “Total Images,” “Converted,” and “Pending.”
Filtering Images (Optional)
Before starting the bulk conversion, you can filter images using the “Show Filters” option:
- Image Format: Convert only JPEG or PNG images.
- Upload Date Range: Select images from specific date ranges.
- Image Size: Decide whether to convert Full Size, Large, or other available sizes.
Running the Conversion
Click the large Start Bulk Conversion button to begin. The plugin will automatically process images in batches of 20. You can monitor progress in real time, including the number of successful conversions and total disk space saved.
Pause/Resume: Pause the conversion anytime and resume whenever needed.
Stop: Ends the current session immediately.
Important: Keep this browser tab open. Closing it pauses the conversion process.
4. Monitoring Performance
Small Image provides helpful insights on optimization through its Dashboard and Bulk Converter pages. You can view:
- Space Saved: Total storage space reduced after conversion.
- Conversion Rate: Percentage of the Media Library optimized.
- Recent Conversions: A detailed list of recently processed images and their individual savings.
Final Thoughts
The Small Image plugin is an excellent tool for improving website speed and performance without sacrificing image quality. With automatic conversions, bulk processing, and smart optimization settings, it ensures your website always serves fast, lightweight WebP images to visitors.
Download Links:
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- V1: Download Now (30/11/2025)
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- v2: Coming Soon