author_avatar
Add an upload field in the user profile admin – Don’t want to use gravatar profile picture, or just don’t have one, just download this plugin. It will add a custom field in the user admin with the possibility to upload…
Consider an alternative
author_avatar shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 20+ sites and was last updated 13 years ago, and scores 24/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (20+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 12 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.8 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & supportDaily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where author_avatar stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| author avatar | >100 |
| custom user profile picture | >100 |
| gravatar | >100 |
| profile picture | >100 |
| user profile | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
About author_avatar
From the official readme · v1.0.2Description
Add an upload field in the user profile admin – Don’t want to use gravatar profile picture, or just don’t have one, just download this plugin. It will add a custom field in the user admin with the possibility to upload your own. Once uploaded, it will add the picture url inside the usermeta table so you can easily display it with get_the_author_meta .
Translation ready and already available in French.
-
Easy to use, once activated and your picture uploaded, grab the source url with:
Just add an image tag where you want the picture to be displayed like so:
<img src="<?php echo $user_meta_image;?>" alt="My Custom user Profile Picture">
Et voilà!
Installation
- Upload “ to the
/wp-content/plugins/directory - Activate the plugin through the “Plugins” menu in WordPress
- grab the source url with
$user_meta_image = esc_attr( get_the_author_meta( 'user_meta_image', get_the_id() ) );. Just add an image tag where you want the picture to be displayed like so:<img src="<?php echo $user_meta_image;?>" alt="My Custom user Profile Picture"> - Style as you wish.
Frequently asked questions
What about if i want to use a user profile picture outside of it’s author page?
It’s pretty easy, just change the last parameter “get_the_id()” wjth the id of the user you want to show, as follow: $user_meta_image = esc_attr(get_the_author_meta(‘user_meta_image’, 1));
Changelog
Removed screen_icon as deprecated with wordpress 3.8
1.0
- Initial Commit
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best author_avatar alternatives
All author avatar plugins →| Rank | Plugin | Active installs |
|---|---|---|
| 2 |
Comment Name Avatar
This plugins user for change comment avatar. First it author avatar removed and after the…
|
<10 |
FAQ
author_avatar: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 4, 2026
Is author_avatar free?
Yes. author_avatar is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is author_avatar safe to use in 2026?
author_avatar shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 20+ sites and was last updated 13 years ago, and scores 24/100 on our health check.
How many websites use author_avatar?
author_avatar is active on 20+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 5,074 times since it launched in December 2013. It was downloaded 59 times in the last 30 days.
Does author_avatar work with WordPress 7.1?
author_avatar is officially tested up to WordPress 3.8.41, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was author_avatar last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.2, was released on March 7, 2014 (13 years ago).
Who makes author_avatar?
author_avatar is developed and maintained by Guillaume.
What are the best alternatives to author_avatar?
The most popular alternatives to author_avatar are Comment Name Avatar (<10 installs).
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