Scroll through any popular blog, and you will notice a picture next to almost every article title. That picture is called the featured image.
A featured image is the main image that represents a post or page. Developers often call it the post thumbnail. Your theme decides where it appears, which is usually at the top of the post, on the blog page and in archive listings.
Why does a featured image matter?
People notice pictures before words. A good featured image makes your blog page look attractive and helps readers pick what to read next. Think of it as the poster outside a cinema hall.
It helps on social media too. Most SEO plugins use the featured image as the default preview picture when someone shares your link on Facebook or X.
How to set a featured image in WordPress
- First, open your post or page in the block editor.
- Now, in the settings sidebar, click Set featured image.
- Next, upload a new image or choose one from your Media Library.
- Here, add alt text that describes the image.
- Finally, click the Set featured image button at the bottom right and save the post.
To change it later, use the Replace or Remove options shown with the image in the sidebar. If you don't see the featured image panel at all, your theme may not support it.
Use the same width and height for all your featured images, as your theme recommends. Mixed sizes make the blog page look messy.
What size should a featured image be?
There is no single correct size, because every theme crops and displays it differently. So check your theme's documentation for the recommended dimensions. WordPress also creates smaller copies of each upload, such as thumbnail, medium and large, which you can adjust in Settings → Media.
Our guide on WordPress thumbnail sizes explains these copies in detail. If you are a developer, see how to get the featured image in WordPress with code.
A featured image is the face of your post wherever it appears. That's all about featured images. If you have any questions, ask them in the comment box below.