How to Bulk Resize Large Images in WordPress (Step by Step)

Large image files are one of the most common reasons for a slow-loading website. Every time a visitor loads your page, their browser has to download these heavy image files, which can lead to frustrating wait times and lost visitors.

Luckily, I have found that bulk resizing images directly in WordPress saves hours of manual work. Instead of downloading each image, resizing it in photo editing software, and re-uploading it, you can optimize hundreds of images with just a few clicks.

Today, I’ll show you how to use EWWW Image Optimizer to resize multiple images at once in WordPress. I’ve used this plugin on several websites, and it’s proven to be reliable and effective at reducing image sizes without compromising quality.

This step-by-step guide will help you shrink your image files, speed up your website, and free up valuable storage space. You won’t need any technical knowledge or special skills – just follow along, and you’ll have optimized images in no time.

Why Bulk Resize Large Images in WordPress?

Large images might look beautiful, but they can secretly slow down your website. This is because each time someone visits your site, their browser has to download these big files, which takes time and can slow down page loading.

A slow site often leads to frustrated visitors, lower search rankings, and even missed opportunities to grow your audience.

By resizing your large images in bulk, you can speed up your website, improve your SEO, and create a smoother experience for your visitors. It’s a simple step that makes a big difference.

At WPBeginner, we always make sure to resize all the large images we upload. We also stick to specific dimensions so that all our images are consistent and cohesive across different posts.

Since we already have this team-wide procedure, I don’t usually need to resize images in bulk on WPBeginner, but I’ve definitely had to do it when working on other websites.

While resizing large images is essential for all website types, I especially recommend it for image-heavy sites. These include photography and portfolio sites, eCommerce platforms with extensive product catalogs, as well as art and design sites.

Now, are you ready to learn how to bulk resize large images in WordPress? Here are the steps I’ll go over today:

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Install and Activate the EWWW Image Optimizer Plugin

First, you’ll need to get the right tool for the job. I’ll be using the free EWWW Image Optimizer (EWWW IO) plugin. In my opinion, it’s the best free option for bulk resizing images in WordPress.

It automatically compresses, scales, and converts images to formats like WebP, which can make your site faster.

I’ve found the bulk optimization feature particularly useful for large sites with many image files. It can save you tons of time and ensure that all images are optimized efficiently.

If you want to learn more about what it can do, feel free to check out our complete EWWW IO review.

Now, let’s install EWWW IO. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins » Add New Plugin and search for ‘EWWW Image Optimizer.’

When you see it, click ‘Install Now,’ then ‘Activate.’

Need a refresher on how to do this? You can see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Step 2: Configure Basic Plugin Settings

Before resizing any images, it’s important to configure EWWW IO’s basic settings.

To do this, you need to go to Settings » EWWW Image Optimizer.

This will automatically open the plugin’s setup wizard.

On the first screen, you’ll be asked about your goals. Do you want to speed up your site or save storage space?

Pick the option that best describes you. If you don’t want to purchase the premium plugin, you’ll also need to select ‘Stick with free mode for now.’ Then, click ‘Next’ when you’re ready.

On the next page, you’ll see three boxes to check. I’ll explain what they mean, one at a time.

First, you have ‘Remove Metadata.’ I recommend checking this box because this option removes unnecessary data from your images, like camera settings and location info, which makes your images even lighter.

Next is ‘Lazy Load.’ When you enable this option, images will load only when a user scrolls to them, which helps pages load faster.

I generally recommend lazy loading, but you might not need to enable it here if you’re using a performance plugin that already offers it.

Then you have the ‘WebP Conversion’ option. This converts images to the WebP format, which is much smaller. I recommend turning this on because using light WebP images can help your site load faster.

Don’t worry if some of your visitors are using older browsers because EWWW IO will automatically serve the right image format for them.

Below that, you can set the ‘Max Width’ and ‘Max Height’ for your images.

If you need help deciding these settings, check out our beginner’s guide on WordPress image sizes.

Finally, choose the image backup source. After making these changes, click the ‘Save Settings’ button at the bottom.

Then, you’ll see a message saying that EWWW IO will automatically resize any new images you upload, using the max width and height you just set.

However, you still need to bulk-resize your existing images. I’ll cover that in the next step. Simply click ‘Done’ to move on.

Step 3: Bulk Optimize Existing Images

Ready to resize all those big images in one go?

From your WordPress dashboard, go to Media » Bulk Optimize. Here, you’ll see a button that says ‘Scan for unoptimized images.’

Click the button and the plugin will search through your media library and find all images that can be optimized or resized.

Once the scan is done, you will see the total images to optimize.

Click the button that says ‘Optimize X images’ to begin the process.

Depending on how many images you have, this may take some time, but you’ll be able to monitor progress with the handy progress bar.

Once that’s done, your images will be resized according to the settings you configured earlier, giving your site a fresh, speedy edge!

Step 4: Test and Check Your Images

With resizing complete, it’s time to ensure everything is working as expected and your images are displaying properly.

Visit your website and browse a few pages. Look at the images to confirm they display correctly and load quickly, as this will impact user experience.

Next, head over to your Media Library to inspect the image dimensions. Check if they match the values you set earlier in the plugin’s configuration.

To do this, go to Media » Library on your WordPress dashboard. Then, choose one of the images.

In my example, you’ll see the image’s dimensions are 1200 px by 807, which correctly reflects the maximum width I chose earlier.

If everything looks good, then congrats – you’ve successfully bulk resized your large WordPress images and set up your site for future uploads too.

FAQs About Resizing Images in WordPress

Now that you know how to bulk resize large images in WordPress, you might still have a few questions. Let’s go over some common ones to help you out.

How do you resize multiple WordPress images at once?

To resize multiple images at once in WordPress, you can use a plugin like EWWW Image Optimizer. First, install and activate the plugin. Then, go to Media » Bulk Optimize in your WordPress dashboard.

Select the images you want to resize from your Media Library. Then, you can start the bulk resize process, which will adjust all chosen images to the desired dimensions in one go.

How do I automatically resize images in WordPress?

I recommend using a plugin like EWWW Image Optimizer to automatically resize your images. Once the plugin is installed and activated, go to the plugin Settings » EWWW Image Optimizer in your dashboard.

Then, set the desired dimensions for your images. With these settings, any new images you upload will be automatically resized to fit your specified dimensions.

Expert Guides on Image Optimization in WordPress

If you want to take your site’s images to the next level, you may also find these guides helpful:

• WebP vs. PNG vs. JPEG: The Best Image Format for WordPress
• How to Optimize Images for Web Performance Without Losing Quality
• Where Does WordPress Store Images on Your Site?
• Tools to Create Better Images for Your Blog Posts
• Beginner’s Guide to Image SEO – Optimize Images for Search Engines
• How to Connect Google Drive to Your WordPress Media Library

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