Hey there! If you‘re running a WordPress site, you‘ve probably noticed that every time you upload an image, WordPress generates several copies in different sizes. While this can be handy, it also gobbles up storage space fast.
I know from experience that all those extra thumbnails can add up, especially if you have a big media library. In fact, a case study by WPMU DEV found that a single 1MB image upload can turn into 5-6MB of total files after WordPress generates multiple sizes. Yikes!
Don‘t worry though – as a seasoned WordPress pro, I‘ve got you covered. In this guide, I‘ll share my go-to tips for preventing WordPress from creating unnecessary image sizes and slimming down your media storage. We‘ll cover:
- 🤔 Why WordPress generates multiple image sizes in the first place
- 😨 How extra image sizes can eat up your hosting storage
- 🛠️ Step-by-step instructions to disable image sizes you don‘t need
- 🧹 How to clean up existing extra image files
- 🎯 Situations where disabling image sizes is most helpful
By the end of this article, you‘ll be able to keep your WordPress media library lean and mean. Let‘s optimize those images!
Why WordPress Creates Multiple Image Sizes
First off, let‘s talk about why WordPress generates different image sizes. When you upload an image, WordPress automatically creates up to 4 versions:
| Size Name | Default Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Thumbnail | 150px square |
| Medium | 300px width |
| Large | 1024px width |
| Full | Original size |
The idea is that you‘ll have an appropriate image size ready for different uses on your site. For instance, you might use a small thumbnail in a post list but the full size image on the attachment page.
This chart by Kinsta shows how much the average WordPress site can save by serving properly sized images:
In addition to the default sizes, your theme and plugins can register their own custom sizes too. It‘s pretty common to see 6+ versions of every uploaded image.
The Problem With Too Many Image Sizes
As handy as extra image sizes can be, they do have a major downside: storage bloat. More files = more disk space used.
Let‘s say you upload a 2MB photo. WordPress will generate 3 extra sizes plus the original, each likely at least 100KB. That single upload can easily turn into 5MB+ of files. Now multiply that by all the images on your site (blog posts, pages, products, galleries, etc) and you can end up with GBs of redundant data.
In one example from WordPress developer Jon Brown, a site that had 500MB of original images had over 3GB of total files after all the extra sizes were generated. That‘s 6X more storage used!
It‘s not just about disk space either. More files means:
- 💾 Longer backup times and larger backup files
- ⏱️ More time to migrate your site between hosts
- 🐌 Slower media library and admin area
Bottom line: If you don‘t absolutely need those extra image sizes, it‘s best to nip the problem in the bud and prevent WordPress from generating them in the first place.
How to Disable WordPress Image Sizes
Ready to slim down your WordPress media files? Follow these steps:
🔌 Install and activate the free Disable Additional Image Sizes Thumbnail Generator plugin. This will let you choose which sizes to disable.
🖼️ In your WordPress admin, go to Settings > Disable Thumbs.
☑️ For each size you want to disable, click the toggle to turn it off. Unless your theme requires a specific size, I recommend disabling everything except "Full Size" to start.
💾 Click the "Save Changes" button.
That‘s it – from now on, WordPress will only generate the image sizes you have enabled for new uploads. Easy, right?
Cleaning Up Old Extra Image Sizes
Now that you‘ve prevented WordPress from generating unneeded image sizes going forward, what about all those extraneous files already in your media library? Don‘t worry, we can clean those up too:
🗑️ In the WordPress admin, go to Settings > Disable Thumbs.
🔄 Click the "Regenerate Thumbnails" tab at the top.
▶️ Click the "Regenerate All Thumbnails" button to start the cleanup process.
Depending on how many images you have, regenerating thumbnails may take a while. I recommend doing it during off-peak hours so it doesn‘t impact your visitors.
Once the regeneration process finishes, you should see a much tidier media library with only the image sizes you actually need. Give yourself a pat on the back – you just saved your site a bunch of storage space!
When to Disable WordPress Image Sizes
As a WordPress consultant, I get asked a lot about whether disabling image sizes is always a good idea. The answer is: it depends.
I generally recommend disabling extra image sizes if:
- 📈 You have a large (1000+) image library
- 💸 You‘re bumping up against your hosting storage limits
- ⚡ Your backups or migrations are taking forever
- 🤷 You‘re not actually using the extra sizes
Some types of sites that tend to benefit most from streamlining image sizes include:
- 📷 Photography portfolios
- 🏬 Ecommerce stores
- 🗞️ Magazine or news sites
- 🖼️ Gallery-heavy sites
On the flip side, if you just have a small blog or business site with a handful of images, you may not see a huge benefit from disabling image sizes.
The key is to audit your specific media library and see how much space redundant sizes are taking up. Here‘s how:
🗄️ Connect to your WordPress site via FTP/SFTP.
📂 Navigate to the /wp-content/uploads/ folder.
↔️ Make a backup copy of the uploads folder on your computer.
🗑️ Delete all the files except the original images and the sizes you actually use.
⚖️ Compare the size of the trimmed-down folder to the original backup.
Are the extra image sizes eating up a significant chunk of space? If so, it‘s probably worth disabling some sizes and regenerating your thumbnails.
Conclusion
Well folks, there you have it – your complete guide to preventing WordPress from generating extra image sizes and cleaning up your media library.
I hope this article has given you a better understanding of WordPress image sizes and equipped you with the tools to optimize your own site. With a little elbow grease, you can keep your WordPress media lean, mean and easy to manage.
Remember, when it comes to WordPress image optimization, a little goes a long way. Audit your media library, keep only the sizes you need, and enjoy a faster, more space-efficient site.
Have any other questions about WordPress images or media management? Let me know in the comments – I‘m always happy to help out a fellow WordPress wrangler. Now go forth and optimize those images!
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