jQuery Lightbox For Native Galleries
DISCONTINUATION NOTICE: Development on this plugin has ceased in favor of the carousel module in the Jetpack plugin. I recommend you use that plugin instead — it’s much more full featured.
Consider an alternative
jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 4K+ sites, is rated 4/5 and was last updated 9 years ago, and scores 37/100 on our health check.
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.4 (latest is 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 jQuery Lightbox For Native… stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| gallery | >100 |
| jquery | >100 |
| lightbox | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4 from 10 reviews
About jQuery Lightbox For Native Galleries
From the official readme · v3.2.2Description
DISCONTINUATION NOTICE: Development on this plugin has ceased in favor of the carousel module in the Jetpack plugin. I recommend you use that plugin instead — it’s much more full featured.
Makes the native WordPress galleries use a lightbox script called ColorBox to display the fullsize images right there in the page. No modifications required.
You can also make single non-[gallery] images use the lightbox by giving their links a class of “lightbox”, like so:
<a href="..." class="lightbox"><img src="..." alt="..." /></a>
Installation
Log into the administration area of your blog and click on Plugins -> Add New in the menu. Search for the name of this plugin and then click install on the right side, and then again in the pop-up window.
Changelog
Works properly in Internet Explorer now and compatible with more WordPress themes. ColorBox script also updated.
Version 3.2.2
- Update ColorBox to v1.3.14 (see it’s changelog). Fixes functionality under WordPress 3.1.
Version 3.2.1
- Update ColorBox to v1.3.8 (see it’s changelog).
Version 3.2.0
- Make any link that has the class
lightboxinto a lightbox. No grouping or anything, at least for now.
Version 3.1.4
- Don’t change the attachment link inside the admin area.
Version 3.1.3
- Update ColorBox to v1.3.6 (see it’s changelog).
Version 3.1.2
- Remove IE PNG fixes as they require a full URL and it’s not worth the trouble. Works well enough in IE8.
- Change how groups of images are labeled (use a random number rather than the gallery’s ID so it works with the Twenty Ten theme).
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 jQuery Lightbox For Native Ga… alternatives
All gallery plugins →
FAQ
jQuery Lightbox For Native Galleries: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 27, 2026
Is jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… free?
Yes. jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… safe to use in 2026?
jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 4K+ sites, is rated 4/5 and was last updated 9 years ago, and scores 37/100 on our health check.
How many websites use jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall…?
jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… is active on 4K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 226,833 times since it launched in August 2008. It was downloaded 267 times in the last 30 days.
Does jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… work with WordPress 7.1?
jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… is officially tested up to WordPress 3.4.2, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… last updated?
The latest version, 3.2.2, was released on November 28, 2017 (9 years ago).
Who makes jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall…?
jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… is developed and maintained by Automattic.
What are the best alternatives to jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall…?
The most popular alternatives to jQuery Lightbox For Native Gall… are Smart Slider 3 (800K+ installs), Slider, Gallery, and Carous… (500K+ installs) and Photo Gallery, Sliders, Pro… (300K+ installs).
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