{"id":927549,"date":"2019-01-09T20:25:05","date_gmt":"2019-01-09T19:25:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-rocket.me\/?page_id=927549"},"modified":"2024-03-07T12:53:40","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T11:53:40","slug":"imagify","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-rocket.me\/blog\/imagify\/","title":{"rendered":"Imagify, the Definitive WordPress Plugin to Compress Your Images"},"content":{"rendered":"

If compressing and resizing your images online<\/a> is taking too much of your time, opting for a plugin that does the job for you is an excellent option.<\/p>

The WordPress.org repository<\/a> is packed with many different image optimization plugins, and it may be hard to choose the best one for your needs.<\/p>

In this article we\u2019re going to talk about one of the most recent and complete image optimization plugins for WordPress<\/strong>, Imagify<\/a>, and why you should choose it.<\/p>

Imagify is a plugin by WP Media, the same company behind WP Rocket.
If you already know our cache plugin, you won\u2019t be surprised by the way we conceived Imagify: it\u2019s developed with the same values of simplicity and usability that WP Rocket\u2019s customers already love.<\/p>

So let\u2019s discover more about Imagify and its features!<\/p>

Why Should You Use an Image Optimization Plugin?<\/h2>

If you search for \u201cimage optimizer online\u201d Google will return around 15 million results. There\u2019s a lot to choose from, and many great online optimization tools to try<\/a>.<\/p>

But if you work with WordPress, you\u2019ll find that installing a plugin to take care of your image compression is a more efficient choice.<\/p>

The main reason for this is that online tools oblige you to upload your images online and then to WordPress: it\u2019s a double effort<\/strong> that could be time-consuming, if you work with a lot of image files.<\/p>

A WordPress image optimizer like Imagify, not only compresses your images upon upload but can also perform a bulk optimization<\/strong> for all the files in your Media Library, as we will see later. This is an advantage that online tools rarely offer.<\/p>

Another aspect to take into account is the cost of using an online tool<\/strong>: most of them are free, but sometimes the best features are only available to premium users. Or, if the tool is 100% free, the optimization possibilities are minimal.<\/p>

If you manage lots of images, consider investing your money in an efficient WordPress plugin instead, since it will guarantee a homogenous optimization to all your media files: it could be cheaper than many online tools out there.<\/p>

How to Configure the Imagify Plugin?<\/h2>

Imagify configuration is pretty straightforward. You\u2019ll see three areas of configuration, one for the general settings, one for image optimization and the last one for display options in the toolbar menu.<\/p>

How to Install and Activate the Plugin<\/h3>

The first thing you should do is look for Imagify plugin on the WordPress repository:<\/p>

\"Imagify<\/figure><\/div>

Install and activate the plugin, and you will see a notification on top of the page, asking you to create an account:<\/p>

\"Imagify<\/figure><\/div>

Click on the Sign up<\/em> button, and add your email to receive the API Key in your inbox: add it to the API Key field, and you\u2019ll be ready to start configuring Imagify!<\/p>

General Settings<\/h3>

The first area of the settings page is dedicated to the optimization level<\/strong> you want to apply to your images. Imagify provides you with Smart Compression, an automated option that compresses your images while balancing performance and quality. You can also opt for Lossless compression.<\/p>

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>

You can also choose to auto-optimize images on upload, forget all manual tasks, and create a backup of the original images in a separate folder.<\/p>

Imagify will automatically remove EXIF data<\/strong> from your pictures on the upload, but you can opt for different behavior and keep EXIF info by checking the corresponding option.<\/p>

Optimization<\/h3>

WebP and Avif Conversion<\/h3>

Imagify converts your images to WebP by default. You can also choose to convert your photos to Avif, the other next-gen format recommended by Google to make your pictures lighter.<\/p>

\"\"<\/figure>

Resizing Images<\/h3>

This is also the place where you can resize your images.
Based on the theme you\u2019re using, Imagify automatically calculates the optimum largest thumbnail width for your images<\/strong>, and you\u2019ll have the possibility to resize them choosing a maximum pixel width.<\/p>

\"Imagify<\/figure><\/div>

From the Files Optimization<\/em> area, you can choose different image sizes to optimize.<\/p>

Generally speaking, every time you upload an image to WordPress, a resized version of the same file will be generated for every custom image size expected by your theme (or parent theme, if you\u2019re on a child theme): Imagify gives you the possibility to automatically optimize those image sizes all at once.<\/p>

You can also add your theme to the optimization process.<\/p>

Display Options<\/h3>

From the third area, you can choose to display Imagify on your toolbar through a handy quick access menu:<\/p>

\"Imagify<\/figure><\/div>

Where Do the Optimized Images Get Stored?<\/span><\/span><\/h3>

When you optimize your images, the Imagify plugin temporarily stores them in our servers.<\/p>

Once the optimization is complete, Imagify automatically replaces them in your server (without changing their image name). You’ll find them inside the wp-content\/uploads<\/em> folder.<\/p>

With the \u201cBackup Original Images\u201d option (which is activated by default), you can keep your original images in a separate folder before the optimization process. Backup images are stored in your server inside the wp-content\/uploads\/backup<\/em> folder.<\/p>

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