Hot Random Image
Hot Random Image is a basic widget that shows a randomly picked image from a selected folder where images are stored.
Safe pick
Yes — Hot Random Image is a safe, well-maintained plugin to use in 2026. It runs on 2K+ sites, is rated 4.9/5 and was last updated 4 weeks ago, and scores 83/100 on our health check.
- Actively developed — last update 4 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Hot Random Image stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| block | >100 |
| image | #62 |
| images | >100 |
| responsive | >100 |
| widget | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.9 from 9 reviews
About Hot Random Image
From the official readme · v1.9.3Description
Hot Random Image by Hot Themes is a basic plugin that shows a randomly picked image from a selected folder where images are stored. You can define a folder and the plugin will show all the images from this folder in a random order. Also, it’s possible to select only certain images from the folder that will be added in rotation. Each image can be linked. Alt text is optional. Image dimensions (width and height) can be defined in any format (pixels, percents, auto-mode…). Therefore, this plugin is appropriate for all responsive websites.
Installation
- Install plugin as usually from WordPress.org repository.
- Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress.
- Insert the Hot Random Image block in your page or post, or insert the plugin’s shortcode, or publish the Hot Random Image widget into the available widget sidebar.
- To get some images displayed, you should enter a folder where your images are stored. This can be any folder from your site.
- In the plugin options, you can see other parameters that defines the widget’s output (width, height, alt text, image link). Experiment with these options to configure the plugin for your site.
- The shortcode format for this block is
[randomimage path="images/random" width="100%" height="auto" alt="Random image" link="https://yourwebsite.com/"]where the first parameter is folder with images (relative path from WordPress root folder), the second parameter is image width (if not set, value 100% will be used), the third parameter is image height (if not set, value auto will be used), the fourth parameter is ALT text (optional) and the fifth parameter is link of the images (optional).
Frequently asked questions
How to use the block?
Make sure that the Hot Random Image plugin is installed and active. Edit your page/post and when inserting a new block, search for “random image”. Click on the icon to add the block. Set block parameters per your requirements.
How to use the plugin shortcode?
If you want to add shortcode inside your posts, use this format [randomimage path="images/random" width="100%" height="auto" alt="Random image" link="https://yourwebsite.com/"] where the first parameter is folder with images (relative path from WordPress root folder), the second parameter is image width (if not set, value 100% will be used), the third parameter is image height (if not set, value auto will be used), the fourth parameter is ALT text (optional) and the fifth parameter is link of the images (optional).
How to publish the plugin in a widget position?
Go to Appearance > Widgets and drop Hot Random Image widget into any widget position. Then open it to see the widget options. Enter folder where your images are uploaded, relative to your WordPress installation. In example “wp-content/uploads/2024/01”.
The plugin doesn’t show any images?
Make sure you entered a valid folder where your images are uploaded. It should be relative to your WordPress root folder.
Why the plugin always shows the same image?
Your website probably uses cache. Therefore, the same (cached) image is always displayed. Make sure that the page where the plugin in published is not cached.
Changelog
The initial release
1.9
- Adds block
1.8
- Various security and performance upgrades
1.7
- New shortcode format added
1.6
- Various enhancements in plugin code
1.5
- Various enhancements in plugin code
1.4
- Shortcode added
Screenshots
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 Hot Random Image alternatives
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FAQ
Hot Random Image: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 27, 2026
Is Hot Random Image free?
Yes. Hot Random Image is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Hot Random Image safe to use in 2026?
Yes — Hot Random Image is a safe, well-maintained plugin to use in 2026. It runs on 2K+ sites, is rated 4.9/5 and was last updated 4 weeks ago, and scores 83/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Hot Random Image?
Hot Random Image is active on 2K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 51,534 times since it launched in December 2014. It was downloaded 388 times in the last 30 days.
Does Hot Random Image work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested Hot Random Image up to WordPress 7.1.2, the latest release. It requires WordPress 3.9 or newer.
What PHP version does Hot Random Image need?
Hot Random Image requires PHP 7.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Hot Random Image last updated?
The latest version, 1.9.3, was released on September 1, 2026 (4 weeks ago).
Who makes Hot Random Image?
Hot Random Image is developed and maintained by Hot Themes.
What are the best alternatives to Hot Random Image?
The most popular alternatives to Hot Random Image are Spectra Legacy (1M+ installs), Breadcrumb NavXT (800K+ installs) and PDF Embedder (300K+ installs).
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