Using WordPress to build your website can be frustrating when you have a problem. In my post, I help you solve featured images not showing issues.
If your WordPress featured image is not showing, check you have assigned an image to each blog post. Also, check you enabled the option on your theme and blog post to display featured images.
Let’s do that step by step.
Step One – Assign An Image To Your Blog Post
Each blog post you create has an option to upload a featured image. First, select edit for the blog post.
In the WordPress editor, open the ‘Featured Image’ tab.
Next, select the ‘Set Featured Image’ link.
Select an image from your media library or upload a new one. To upload, select the ‘Upload Files’ tab.
Before confirming, ensure you complete the ‘Alt Text’ and ‘Title’ data fields. This data helps search engines index your image.
Once complete, select the ‘Set Featured Image’ link.
Now you have successfully assigned a featured image to your blog post. Next, click on the ‘Update’ link to confirm your changes.
Step Two – Enable Show Featured Image On Your Theme
I use the Astra, Ashe and Kadence themes for my websites. These themes have options to enable featured images for blog posts.
Should you have a different theme, check the documentation.
To access the global settings for your blog posts, select ‘Customize’ from the menu after hovering your mouse over ‘Appearance’.
How To Enable Featured Images On The Free Ashe Theme
On the free Ashe WordPress theme, enable featured images is under ‘Single Post’.
On the post elements page, ensure ‘Show Featured Image’ is checked.
After you make any changes, click on the ‘Publish’ link.
This option sets the featured image to show on all published blog posts.
How To Enable Featured Images On The Free Astra Theme
On the free Astra WordPress theme, the option to enable featured images is under ‘Blog’.
Next, select ‘Single Post’.
On the ‘Single Post’ options page, ensure the ‘Eye’ icon next to ‘Featured Image’ doesn’t have a cross through it.
After you make any changes, click on the ‘Publish’ link.
How To Enable Featured Images On The Free Kadence Theme
On the free Kadence WordPress theme, enable featured images is under ‘Blog Posts’.
Next, select ‘Single Post Layout’.
There are many settings under ‘Single Post Layout’. Scroll down until you find the ‘Show Featured Image’ option. Move the slider to the right to activate.
After you make any changes, click on the ‘Publish’ link.
Step Three – Enable Show Featured Image On Your Blog Post
Some WordPress themes add extra options to your blog post editor. I use Astra, Ashe, and Kadence.
Astra and Kadence have extra options available on the blog post editor page. Ashe does not.
How To Enable Featured Image On Your Blog Post On Astra
Select the ‘Edit’ link under the blog post name.
On the right side of the editor, select the ‘Astra Settings’ tab.
Ensure ‘Disable Featured Image’ is not checked.
If you make a change here, ensure you select the ‘Update’ link to make it live on your website.
How To Enable Featured Image On Your Blog Post On Kadence
Select the ‘Edit’ link under the blog post name.
On the right side of the WordPress editor, select the ‘Post Settings’ icon.
Scroll down to the ‘Show Featured Image’ option. If you enabled featured images on the Kadence theme, leave this option as ‘Default’. If you disabled the featured option, select the ‘Enable’ link.
After any changes here, select the ‘Update’ link to make your edits live.
Step Four – Check your Cache Plugin Settings
If you have installed a cache plugin on your WordPress site, this could cause images errors. There could be a plugin conflict or a setting on the plugin that needs to be changed.
Do you have two plugins doing the same job? For example, I have cache and image optimizer plugins installed on my website.
I turn off all image optimizing options on my cache plugin. Otherwise, the image optimizer and cache plugins would conflict and cause issues on my website. Don’t have multiple plugins doing the same job on your website.
There are many cache plugins available on WordPress. I recommend you review the documentation for your plugin or watch a set-up video on YouTube to ensure you have the ideal settings. The CSS and JS settings can cause issues for your blog images.
I use the Litespeed cache plugin and have many options for CSS and JS. As you can see from the ‘Notice’ message at the top of the screen, getting these settings right is essential.
Conclusion
If your featured images are not showing on your homepage, I recommend you go through my checklist to review your settings.
First, ensure you have assigned a featured image to each blog post. Second, review the global settings for your theme on the customizer. Third, ensure the ‘Show the featured image’ is activated.
Finally, if you have a cache plugin installed, review the settings. The CSS and JS options can cause loading issues for your WordPress blog featured images.
Do a Google search for your plugin to find a tutorial on ideal settings and follow it step by step. I find YouTube is the best source for cache plugin tutorials.
Do you use the Ashe WordPress theme? If so, check out my ‘How To Customize The Free Ashe WordPress Theme‘ blog post.
Do you use the Astra WordPress theme? If so, check out my ‘How To Customize The Free Astra WordPress Theme’ blog post.
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments. I do my best to help.
